Job Vacancies at The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)

Responsibilities will include:

• Data collection: recruitment and obtaining informed consent ,conduct interviews and enter it into electronic data systems, conduct basic measurement procedures such as assessing blood pressure and anthropometric measurements.
• Ensure adherence to research protocols, ethical guidelines, and regulatory requirements.
• Quality control (data collection)
• Research Administration; report writing.
• Team leadership and Supervision.
• Active participation in team debriefings and contribution to problem solving.

Requirements

• Matric
• At least 2 years of Fieldwork experience
• Experience in conducting fieldwork for other research projects concerned with NCDs or other public health research and relevant experience in working in target communities
• Experience working sensitively with research participants.
• Experience working in a team
•  Fluency in speaking and writing in English and Afrikaans or Xhosa or Zulu or Sepedi/Venda
• A code 08 manual South African driver’s license.

Added Advantage:

• Relevant training on participant recruitment and research ethics and good clinical practice
• 5 – 10 years’ experience in non-communicable diseases research, specifically community-based research
• Familiarity with complex research studies in lower-socioeconomic communities
• Having worked in or with clinic/day hospitals - familiar with day-hospital/clinic procedures

Closing Date:

• 18 April 2026

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Responsibilities:

• Leadership, collaboration and organizational skills
• Scientific writing and presentation skills
• Conduct innovative, high-impact research that contributes significantly to the field in peer reviewed journals (ISI journal articles, editorials, book chapters, and technical reports) as first/senior author
• Commitment to capacity development and Communication skills
• Lead and participate in writing and securing competitive research grants, including self-initiated research and/or equipment grants
• Project, time and financial management skills
• Supervise and mentor post-graduate students to successful graduation
• Engage with, and/or contribute to, scientific and/or professional services that lead to socially responsive activities, or professional services
• Contribute (or as part of a team) to raising awareness, promoting debate, and shifting discourse in civil society, communities, industry, health, or education sectors using professional, scientific expertise, or research findings

Requirements

• PhD Candidate (substantial progress / last year of PhD: write-up, post analysis phase) in public health, health sciences, epidemiology or behavioral sciences.
• 3-5 years of experience working on environmental health issues within a research institute or related environment.
• 2-3 years project management experience within environmental health
• Record of 5 lifetime publications (ISI journal articles, editorials or book chapters and technical reports) with at least 3 as first/second or last author.
• Successful research and/or equipment grant application of ≥ R100,000 (examples such as external travel award, Thuthuka, etc.)
• Successfully graduated at least 2 post-graduate students
• Record of translating professional, scientific or clinical expertise, new knowledge and
• research findings into public understanding, policy, and/or practice, in order to improve health.
• Experience in budgeting, financial and risk management.
• Excellent interpersonal relations and communication skills.

Advantageous:

• A relevant PhD
• 5 years working experience of environmental health issues within a research institute or related environment

Closing Date

• 17 April 2026