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

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

• Lead and manage the CTR in conjunction with SU HoD in line with objectives of the SAMRC and SU.
• Appoint and be responsible for management of Researchers and Support Staff within the framework of the SAMRC’s conditions of service.
• Build networks locally, nationally and globally to ensure participation in the global consortia to impact knowledge translations and impact policy.
• Stakeholder Management.
• Work together with SU HoD’s and PIs to develop a strategic plan for the CTR.
• Write and secure grants and contracts to undertake research prioritised for the CTR.
• Build capacity through supervision of MSc and PhD students.
• Apply governance principles to ensure regulatory compliance, compliance with good laboratory practice and health and safety.
• Oversee the regulatory compliance of the BSL3 laboratory.
• Unit strengthening through management of the SAMRC baseline budget.
• Advance transformation by mentoring and building capacity in accordance with the SAMRC and SU’s Employment Equity Plan.
• Report scientific outputs, achievements (quarterly and financial statements (annually) to the SAMRC.
• Disclose any intellectual property to the SAMRC.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE:

• A PhD in Microbiology, Biochemistry Immunology, or other related field or a Medical Speciality.
• At least 10 years’ experience in research in the field of Tuberculosis or Infectious Diseases, of which 3 years must be in senior leadership and/or management capacity.
• NRF rated or evidence of international recognition in a focal area within the field of Tuberculosis or infectious disease.
• A track record of research, grants, publications – national and international (at least 50 lifetime publications (ISI journal articles, editorials or book chapters)).
• Written successful research grant applications for international and national donors to support a research programme.
• Extensive experience in the management of projects, including the development of a multi-year programme of work.
• A track record of working effectively with relevant government departments, national and international partners, funders and other stakeholders.
• Evidence of research translation efforts and international leadership in the field Stakeholder engagement
• Leadership skills and experience in mentoring and managing a research unit or department.
• Presented research findings to international and national conference audiences, including as an invited faculty or keynote speaker.
• Led a programme of research (at any time having multiple conceptually linked projects).
• Strong interest in capacity strengthening at the international, national and regional level.
• A track record of capacity building of emerging scientists through graduating Masters and PhD students and training staff in relevant research methods; track record of contributing to transformation initiatives.
• Human resource and financial management.
• Experience in leading a unit or department
• Staff management experience
• Financial and risk management experience.
• Excellent interpersonal relations and communication skills.

PREFERENCE:

• A track record in executing high quality Tuberculosis/infectious disease research.
• Excellent track record in supervising and evaluating Tuberculosis/infectious disease research.
• Recognition internationally as a researcher in an area of Tuberculosis/infectious disease research.
• Experience in leading projects with multi-million-rand research budgets.
• Experience in capacity building of the next generation scientist.
• An established network of researchers both locally and internationally.

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Core Requirements:

• 3-year National Diploma/Degree in Information Technology or other relevant qualification
• 8+ years’ development experience using C#, ASP.net, .net Core
• A valid driver’s license

Preferred Requirements:

• Microsoft Certifications: MCSD or Current Microsoft Developer Certifications
• 10+ years’ development experience using C#, ASP.net, .net Core.

Responsibilities:

Software Development:

• Efficiently design, create, and maintain software solutions tailored to meet specific requirements, ensuring optimal functionality and usability.

Deployment Plans:

• Strategically devise and implement comprehensive deployment plans, ensuring seamless integration of software solutions into existing systems while minimizing disruption.

Customer Support and Issue Resolution:

• Provide proactive and responsive customer support, swiftly addressing, and resolving issues to enhance user satisfaction and maintain a positive customer experience.

Testing and Quality Assurance:

• Rigorously conduct testing and quality assurance processes to validate the functionality, security, and performance of software products, ensuring adherence to established standards.

Documentation and Compliance:

• Thoroughly document development processes, system functionalities, and compliance measures, fostering transparency and adherence to regulatory standards.

System Maintenance:

• Proactively monitor, manage, and optimize system performance, addressing potential issues and implementing preventive measures to ensure continuous and reliable operation.

Performing Updates and Patches:

• Methodically execute timely updates and patches to enhance software security, resolve vulnerabilities, and introduce new features, ensuring the system remains current and resilient.

Troubleshooting:

• Swiftly identify and resolve technical issues through systematic troubleshooting methods, minimizing downtime and ensuring smooth system operation.

Disaster Recovery:

• Develop and implement robust disaster recovery plans to safeguard data integrity and system functionality in the face of unforeseen events, facilitating prompt and effective recovery processes.

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Responsibilities:

• Formulate research proposals and conduct/coordinate research projects independently
• Processing of biological samples including isolation of PBMCs and nucleic acids from nonhuman primates’ biological samples (blood, tissues and stool)
• Implementation of tissue culture methods including propagation and titration of SIV/SHIV and other BSL-2 pathogens of research interest
• Successful execution of a variety of immunological assays (e.g. Elispot, ELISA), parasitological tests (e.g. Kato-Katz), molecular biology methods (e.g. Real time PCR) and other relevant laboratory assays of research interest
• Ensure accuracy and precision of laboratory results and procedures during pre-analytical, analytical and post analytical.
• Ensure SAMRC policies and unit operational protocols are observed, understood and implemented
• Work with statistical and bioinformatics software packages e.g. GraphPad Prism, MedCalc, ClustalW, or R
• Presentation at local and international conferences, workshops, seminars and research related meetings
• Produce and submit research outputs/articles to peer-reviewed international journals for publication
• Collaborate with other researchers, providing laboratory expertise, and ensuring publications adhere to scientific standards and best practices.
• Provide technical and laboratory research support to scientists and PUDAC’s clients
• Provide technical and scientific training to junior staff and PUDAC-hosted postgraduate students
• Assist in managing all operational aspects of the molecular and immunology laboratories, including procurement and management of laboratory kits, consumables and stock inventory
• Assist PUDAC with servicing of laboratory equipment, SCM/HR/IT/Risk & Asset/Finance related matters and ordering of goods through JDE

Core Requirements:

• Master of Science (MSc genetics)
• At least 3-5 years' experience in using nonhuman primates (NHPs) as a research model
• Experience in providing support in molecular biology, genetics and immunology/virology and assist in managing the sufficient operation of laboratories
• Evidence of scientific outputs in form of published articles in peer-reviewed international journals and presentations in scientific conferences
• Exposure in data management, analysis, interpretation and presentation
• Collection and storage of biological samples and quality control
• Bioinformatics tools implementation
• Willing to undergo regular TB testing and required health checks

Advantageous:

• Exposure to laboratory research environment using nonhuman primate models and coordination of projects
• Knowledge/experience in molecular, immunology and virology assay workflows
• Experience working in an animal laboratory environment.
• 3-5 years’ practical experience with basic immunology and molecular biology techniques including PBMCs, protein and RNA isolation, ELISA, cell culture, cheminformatics and PCR
• Demonstrate communication, presentation, reporting and writing skills