Jobs Available at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Key responsibilities:

• Contribute to strategic investment goal setting and development of RDI strategy;
• Implement the research, development and innovation (RD&I) strategy for the group;
• Lead researchers and engineers;
• Promote a culture of science, engineering and technology (SET) excellence and provide RDI leadership of multiple disciplines relating to natural language processing and human language technology development, including automatic speech recognition, text-to-speech systems, and voice interface design;
• Ensure that the area remains industry and/or service delivery relevant with national and international standing that is directed at cutting edge;
• Propose and/or contribute to the strategic investment plan and implement Parliamentary Grant, Contract Research and Development and other grant-funded projects;
• Develop and implement a business plan for operation, sustainable growth, impact and robustness of area (including strategy, goals, mission, HR, finances, technology transfer, IP and commercialisation);
• Assume leadership in the provision of technical solutions to client programmes;
• Deeply understand the needs of the industry by integrating sector knowledge in multi-dimensional research and development programmes to deliver industry-aligned RDI;
• Ensure staff development and strategic Human Capital Development;
• Ensure a well-balanced cutting edge SET capability, in terms of the elements of research, engineering design, or systems/enterprise engineering;
• Ensure SET outputs are achieved;
• Deliver on all KPIs of the area and ensure that all outputs are achieved, including transformation, profit and loss, quality, health, safety and environment as per agreed targets;
• Implement and comply with appropriate financial, business systems requirements, including operational approvals;
• Network with peers in the field, within and outside the CSIR;
• Engage with clients and industry partners to develop long-term relationships;
• Provide technical support on business development and participate in client interactions;
• Manage projects through planning of appropriate processes and policies to ensure Intellectual Property (IP) protection and technology transfer;

In collaboration with the Business Development and Commercialisation portfolio:

• Drive the transfer of technology and solutions design to industry/user environment;
• Package technologies for commercialisation or develop an “investment ready business” through financial modelling market assessment and business plan development.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Master’s degree in a field related to natural language processing and/or human language technology, such as computer science, computer engineering, electronic engineering, computational linguistics, informatics, linguistics with at least seven years’ experience in natural language processing and/or human language technology research and/or development within an RDI environment;
• Recognised expertise as a specialist in the field of natural language processing and human language technology research and/or development;
• Sound experience in managing a team of multi-disciplinary professionals;
• Proven track record in project management and research project leadership;
• Ability to provide thought leadership and high level conceptualisation;
• Ability to work independently as well as in teams;
• Business development and financial acumen;
• Excellent communication and presentation skills;
• Conflict management skills;
• Decisiveness and action orientation;
• Project management skills;
• Appropriate national and international RDI networks;
• An understanding of the research to market ‘innovation’ value chain.

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Key responsibilities:

The successful candidate would be involved in the development of electronic modules and sub-systems. This will include, amongst others, the following:

Interpretation of requirements and specifications:

• Interpret user requirement
• Generate detailed item development specifications, acceptance test plans and
• Generate acceptance test plans and reports

Digital and Analogue design

• Participate in complex high-speed digital and high-bandwidth analogue design;
• Develop codes for programmable logic using VHDL;
• Conduct simulations to verify design functions both for firmware and electronic designs;
• Do schematic capture

Debugging and Verification

• Debug designs using state-of-the-art equipment;
• Conduct formal functional verification and formal acceptance testing;
• Participate in system and sub-system integration;
• Complete acceptance test reports.

Generation of data pack and design documentation

• Generate manufacturing data pack and design documentation;
• Capture data into data management system.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Bachelor of Engineering in electronic engineering with at least two years’ experience in firmware development .
• A Master’s degree with at least one year experience in firmware development .

Candidate must have experience in the following:

• FPGA development using either Vivado or Quartus environments.
• VHDL Firmware development of complex systems, Verilog experience would be considered an additional advantage.
• Design and set to work of high-speed digital and mixed signal PC Boards.
• Debugging of hardware.
• Proven capability of document preparation.
• Must be comfortable working in Linux environments and navigating command-line interfaces.

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Key responsibilities:

• Mange chemistry laboratories within the Water Centre;
• Contribute to strategic investment goal setting and development of RDI strategy for the Water Research Centre;
• Promote a culture of science, engineering and technology (SET) excellence and provide RDI leadership of multiple disciplines to support Water research initiatives;
• Promote a culture of industrialization of research outcomes;
• Interact with stakeholders (clients, peers, etc.) within fields of expertise to develop long-term relationships both within and outside the CSIR;
• Conduct project management through robust, integrated planning;
• Raise personal, team and institutional profiles through publishing original research and presenting work at national and international conferences and workshops;
• Write, and review research proposals; research reports, client reports and peer-reviewed publications;
• Conceptualise, structure, manage and implement research projects;
• Contribute to policy research in support of South Africa’s national priorities;
• Conceptualise, structure, management and implementation of multi-disciplinary research projects.
• Propose and/or contribute to the strategic investment plan and implement Parliamentary Grant, Contract Research and Development and other grant-funded projects;
• Fulfilling a leadership role in the water quality management (chemistry) related projects and be responsible for securing research projects;
• Deeply understand the needs of the industry by integrating sector knowledge in multi-dimensional research and development programs in order to deliver industry aligned RDI;
• Provide technical support on business development and participate in strategic stakeholder engagements;
• Manage projects through planning of appropriate processes and policies to ensure Intellectual Property (IP) protection and technology transfer;
• Actively pursue opportunities on Water Quality Management and ensure timely delivery of technically complex outcomes related to water quality assessment;
• Design and implement field projects, collecting and analyzing data, developing new chemistry solutions/ approaches;
• Develop and implement programmes to deliver new online technological solutions for water and wastewater quality monitoring;
• Development of testing methods and monitoring toxicity, contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs), Pharmaceuticals, and Nano-Pollutants;
• Monitoring Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Contamination in sediments, water and wastewater;
• Establish and maintain sludge characterisation related analysis; 
• Deeply understand the sludge classification methods and toxicity testing;
• Carry out research to build an evidence base and inform policy and guidance on the development of online/ in-situ water quality monitoring devices.
• Provide chemistry inputs to relevant Water Centre’ research projects, including nature-based solutions.
• Write, and review research proposals; research reports, client reports and peer-reviewed publications.

In collaboration with the Business Development and Commercialization portfolio:

• Drive the transfer of water technology and solutions to industry/user environment;
• Package technologies for commercialisation or develop an “investment ready business” through financial modelling market assessment and business plan development.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Masters degree or equivalent qualification in Chemical Science/ Chemical Engineering/ Chemistry with atleast six years’ experience in Water Research, preferably in the Laboratory space or Water Technology development;
• Applied knowledge and understanding of water and wastewater treatment processes;
• Applied knowledge and understanding of water chemistry and sludge classification and toxicity testing;
• Understanding of nature-based solutions;
• Experience of developing and designing norms and standards for water quality;
• Registration with SACNASP as a professional natural scientist or legible to register as a professional natural scientist immediately;
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary team of professionals, mentor and manage people and have strong inter-personal and networking skills;
• Proven experience testing methods development;
• Ability to provide thought leadership and high level conceptualisation;
• Ability to work independently as well as in teams;
• Business Development and financial acumen;
• Excellent communication and presentation skills;
• Conflict management skills;
• Decisiveness and action orientation;
• Project Management skills.
• Appropriate national and international RDI networks;
• An understanding of the research to market ‘innovation’ value chain.
• Communication and presentation skills.
• Problem solving, solution seeking orientation;

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Key responsibilities:

• Contribute to strategic investment goal setting and development of RDI strategy for the Water Research Centre;
• Promote a culture of science, engineering and technology (SET) excellence and provide RDI leadership of multiple disciplines to support Water Resource Management;
• Promote a culture of industrialization of research outcomes;
• Interact with stakeholders (clients, peers, etc.) within fields of expertise to develop long-term relationships both within and outside the CSIR;
• Conduct project management through robust, integrated planning;
• Raise personal, team and institutional profiles through publishing original research and presenting work at national and international conferences and workshops;
• Write, and review research proposals; research reports, client reports and peer-reviewed publications;
• Conceptualise, structure, manage and implement research projects;
• Contribute to policy research in support of South Africa’s national priorities;
• Conceptualise, structure, management and implementation of multi-disciplinary research projects.
• Propose and/or contribute to the strategic investment plan and implement Parliamentary Grant, Contract Research and Development and other grant-funded projects;
• Fulfilling a leadership role in the water resources management projects and be responsible for securing research projects;
• Deeply understand the needs of the industry by integrating sector knowledge in multi-dimensional research and development programs in order to deliver industry aligned RDI;
• Provide technical support on business development and participate in strategic stakeholder engagements;
• Manage projects through planning of appropriate processes and policies to ensure Intellectual Property (IP) protection and technology transfer;
• Ensure timely delivery of technically complex outcomes related to water resources assessment, catchment management plans, integrated water resources planning and management, master planning, hydrological assessment, water resources modelling, systems analysis, flood risk assessment, water demand analysis, hydraulics and spatial analysis.
• Lead hydrological modelling project activities for a wide range of applications, including water resources planning, development and management, flood prediction and design, and coupled systems modelling including, for example, water quality, hydro-ecology and climate;
• Assessment of hydrological impact of future system response, for example to climate and land management change;Undertake surface water yield measurement techniques and extrapolation of information from the available measurements in space and time to generate stream flow estimates and trends over long periods;
• Application of hydrological models to generate historical, current or natural stream flow records in order establish future yields or scenario modelling;
• Forecasting future seasonal stream flow to inform planning and management decisions relating to available water resources and to ensure security of supply; 
• Establishing current water allocation amounts and usage patterns;
• Developing the hydrological model node and link network;
• Calibrating and verifying the model;
• Contribute to policy research in support of South Africa’s national priorities.
• Write, and review research proposals; research reports, client reports and peer-reviewed publications.

In collaboration with the Business Development and Commercialization portfolio:

• Drive the transfer of water technology and solutions to industry/user environment;
• Package technologies for commercialisation or develop an “investment ready business” through financial modelling market assessment and business plan development.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Masters degree or equivalent qualification in Environmental Science, Hydrology, Hydrogeology or related natural science discipline associated with the Water Resources Modelling or BSc Eng/BEng in a relevant civil engineering discipline complimented by a relevant postgraduate qualification;
• Registration as a Professional Engineer (Pr.Eng.) with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) or SACNASP registration as a professional natural scientist or legible to register as a professional engineer/natural scientist immediately;
• At least five years’ experience in hydrological modelling space as it relates to surface water modelling and the understanding of hydrological impacts of land-use changes through measurements;
• At least five years’ experience in surface water (yield) measuring techniques.
• Applied knowledge and understanding of surface water resource modelling and systems optimisation;
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary team of professionals, mentor and manage people and have strong inter-personal and networking skills;
• Proven track record in leading surface water modelling research projects;
• Ability to provide thought leadership and high level conceptualisation;
• Ability to work independently as well as in teams;
• Business Development and financial acumen;
• Excellent communication and presentation skills;
• Conflict management skills;
• Decisiveness and action orientation;
• Project Management skills.
• Appropriate national and international RDI networks;
• An understanding of the research to market ‘innovation’ value chain.
• Communication and presentation skills.
• Problem solving, solution seeking orientation;

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Key responsibilities:

Finance Strategy:

• Develop a targeted CSIR finance strategy and operational plan to enable CSIR strategy.
• Lead and direct CSIR financial planning to achieve financial targets within the required timeframes, including setting financial KPIs, overseeing the annual internal and MTEF budget process, providing financial input into the CSIR Shareholders Compact, updating financial forecasts throughout the year.
• Provide expert advice on financial governance, risk and compliance to support strategic decision making.
• Lead and manage CSIR financial governance risk and compliance initiatives.
• Represent the Finance portfolio at CSIR Exco and Opco meetings and present financial governance, risk and compliance matters.
• Ensure shared financial governance, risk and compliance knowledge across the CSIR by providing direction on the training requirements and training material for financial and non-financial staff on relevant policies, procedures, business applications and business processes.
• Review and improve business processes to improve the internal control environment and communicate changes to assist the organisation with continued compliance of policies, procedures and legislation.
• Expert advisor on National Treasury, PFMA, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and other applicable financial legislation

CSIR financial reporting and analysis:

• Accurate and timely preparation of annual CSIR audited financial statements.
• Distribution of annual audited annual CSIR financial statements to relevant stakeholders, within required timeframes

Governance, risk and compliance:

• Regularly review PFMA / National Treasury instructions and amendments and changes to the reporting framework and other applicable financial legislation
• Advise CSIR leadership and management of changes to legislative requirements that will have an operational impact on the business environment in the short and long term.
• Keep abreast with changes to the relevant accounting framework and standards and reporting requirements by stakeholders, liaise with the external auditors or experts, advise management of the possible impact on systems, processes, CSIR policies and the annual financial statements disclosure as a result of these changes and assist with implementation process to ensure reporting is aligned and complies.
• Co-ordinates the implementation of relevant CSIR financial policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure financial compliance and good governance.
• Regularly review and recommend appropriate financial policy amendments to ensure relevance based on legislative changes or operational requirements to CSIR leadership.
• Support the Group Manager: Finance to develop and maintain an effective and efficient financial internal control environment to ensure accurate and reliable financial information and high governance standards in line with legislation and CSIR policies.
• Ensure that the financial reporting framework is adhered to.
• Co-ordinate identification and communication of financial risks and mitigating controls for input into the CSIR organisational risk register.
• Co-ordinate implementation of improved procedures, processes, and guideline to mitigate the financial risks and ensure good governance and financial compliance.
• Ensure the induction and training of CSIR staff on governance, policies, business processes and financial systems.
• Prepare and request resolutions to be approved by the Accounting Authority (CSIR Board) or CSIR Executive.

Strategic stakeholder management and reporting:

• Build trusted relationships with internal and external strategic stakeholders, such as National Treasury, DST, SARS, investment banks, auditors, technical experts, through active engagement and continuous communication to ensure a common understanding of requirements, deadlines and timely resolution of any issues that could impact negatively on compliance to statutory or other requirements and to represent the CSIR at stakeholder forums / planning committees, etc. relevant to financial governance, risk and compliance matters.
• Key contact person for strategic stakeholders for any requests or matters of concern.
• Assist and advise internal and external to ensure an understanding of the business environment, legal framework, business processes and solutions and the impact of changes to legislation on the organisation’s finance function.
• Department of Science and Innovation (DSI): timely submission of annual and quarterly performance, PFMA and other ad hoc reporting required.
• National Treasury (NT): timely submission of annual ENE/MTEF budget reports, provide financial input into shareholders compact, and other ad hoc reporting required.
• South African Revenue Services (SARS): timely submission of applicable statutory returns.
• Subsidiaries, Joint ventures, and Associates of the CSIR: oversight on legislative requirements with regards to CSIR Group structure and oversight of the preparation of annual statements for all subsidiaries.

Financial Management and Administration:

• Financial management.
• Request and obtain inputs from the unit Financial Managers to prepare and submit the monthly VAT returns for the CSIR to SARS in accordance with the statutory deadline.
• Obtain inputs and documentation and prepare and submit information for SARS VAT reviews and liaise with SARS on any queries. Identify and inform management of any risks identified during this process and provide recommendations on actions to mitigate the risk.
• Manage the department budget to ensure planned activities are incurred within budget.
• Finance service support
• Support divisional finance managers and management teams to expedite and resolve financial queries from internal and external stakeholders effectively and in a customer-oriented manner.
• Responsible to deliver all financial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), within the Statutory Compliance and Rosk Management portfolio.
• Develop and implement relevant KRAs and KPIs within the Finance department to drive delivery of agreed service levels and the achieve the finance strategy.

Oversight of CSIR/ Auditor General Audits:

• Plan and manage an efficient annual audit process with the Auditor General (AG)/Internal Auditors
• Prepare and assist, by providing system and process descriptions and other information requirements, on internal audit requests/reports and annual/specific external audits to comply with the stated objectives of the audit and financial requirements and to assist the auditors in meeting the set deadlines. Where areas of weaknesses are reported, review, provide management comment and implement corrective action as agreed.
• Lead the implementation of corrective action from internal and external audit findings to improve control environment.
• Embed the CSIR vision, mission and values within the Finance team

Culture, leadership and people management:

• Guide and assist HRM’s on cross-cutting matters impacting their area of responsibility (risk and compliance, etc.).
• Create a culture of customer service and continuous improvement.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A bachelor of Commerce Honors degree or equivalent NQF 8 qualification with least fifteen years’ experience of which five years’ must be in Public Entities or State-owned Enterprises. This includes:
• A combination of Private and Public sector experience;
• Financial reporting in accordance with legislative requirements in a state-owned enterprise will be beneficial;
• Working experience with VAT legislation
• Working experience on a financial ERP solution
• Dealing with various internal and external stakeholders such as auditors, bankers, etc.
• Sound understanding of financial legislation applicable to state owned entities;
• Working knowledge of financial business systems, trends and integration point.

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Key responsibilities:

• Assist with drafting, reviewing, negotiating and managing contracts and agreements.
• Ensure that all contract terms and conditions are aligned with company policies and legal requirements.
• Prepare documentation required for routing and sign-off of contracts and agreements.
• Maintain accurate records of changes and variations on contracts and agreements.
• Support the Senior Project Manager in the compilation and review of all contract-related documentation associated with project coordination.
• Liaise with the Procurement and Legal departments and facilitate the contracting process.
• Support the Senior Project Manager, Programme Managers and Science Communication Manager in the co-ordination of Open Day/Workshops arrangements.
• Assist the Senior Project Manager with the administrative aspects required to establish, implement, and maintain project and contract controls, including all document management and deviation tracking.
• Collate and maintain documentation required for compliance to project control standards and procedures.
• Participate in line project office meetings by capturing actions and resolutions and provide required information for decision making.
• Obtain project status feedback and record in relevant status document.
• Provide inputs requested to and prepare documentation required by relevant governance committees.
• Facilitate project documentation and ensure compliance with project management, business frameworks and CSIR quality standards.
• Assist with office management including meeting and event management, travel bookings and drafting agenda/minute-taking.
• Ensure that the office is in a position to function effectively on a day-to-day basis.
• Support good contact with senior stakeholders internally and externally.
• Understand the MMP budgeting and operating processes.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A National Diploma in project management with at least one year project administration experience within a project/programme management training environment assisting in the coordination of multiple projects.
• Experience in working in the contract management environment
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite.
• Good numerical skills.
• Excellent writing and communication skills in English a requirement.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Need to have drivers’ licence and own transport and willing to travel.
• All international qualifications require an evaluation report / certificate issued by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).