Emerging Clinician Scientists and Emerging Scientists in The Faculty of Health Sciences (fixed-term, 5 years, renewable based on performance) - AC05.
The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, seeks to appoint a Clinician Scientist or Scientist with a strong clinical research focus. The focus of the researcher can be in any of the following fields:
i. Cardiology with special focus on Hypertension and Cardiovascular Prevention.
ii. Endocrinology with a special focus on Obesity and Diabetes.
iii. Oncology, preferably with a focus on nexus of Cancer and Infectious Diseases.
iv. Immunology, with a focus on cellular immunity in relation to infectious diseases or more broadly.
v. Lung disease: including focus on childhood and/or adult acute or chronic respiratory diseases.
vi. Maternal and Child Health including focus on addressing stillbirths and premature labour.
vii. Infectious Diseases: including focus on antimicrobial resistance and hospital acquired infections;
emerging infections and pandemic threats.
viii. In addition, applicants who are involved in research, excluding HIV and TB, on other health-care
priorities in South Africa will be considered.
The focus of the Position is to build leadership in clinical research and teaching (undergraduate and post-graduate level), and to give enthusiastic emerging researchers the opportunity to further their skills and expertise in their research niche with the objective of becoming independent and internationally recognized within a five year period.

ABOUT THE FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES
The Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand is the largest Health Sciences Faculty in South Africa, with the highest number of Medical Doctor (MBBCh) graduates (~340 annually) and post-graduate specialists (approximately 35% of all specialists graduating nationally annually). The faculty is ranked among the top 151-200 in the field of Medicine globally, and aspires to continue strengthening its research focus, especially in diseases considered to be of priority in South Africa. There are approximately 5,000 in-patient beds across the four major Academic Hospital Complexes where the faculty operates, with a diversity of pathology being managed.



DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
In the consideration of applications for the position, the main emphasis will be on the applicant's having demonstrated research productivity and ability to document the beginning of original scientific work in their field of expertise.

The individuals responsibilities will primarily consist of:
• Research in the field of expertise, including publication/academic dissemination.
• Supervision of Ph D and Masters of Medicine students and other researchers, including Joint staff
employed by the Gauteng Department of Health (GDo H).
• Teaching of under-graduate and post-graduate students (maximum of 15% effort –only applicable if
100%FTE).
• Academic assessments

The position is open to internal and external applicants.

QUALIFICATIONS

•
Applicants must hold a Ph D or have a publication record which would be at the level of Medical
Doctorate. For Clinician Scientists, a sub-specialty qualification will be preferable.•
Applicants must be at the level of or meet the requirements to be appointed at the level of senior
lecturer/researcher based on Faculty Staffing and Promotion criteria.
• Applicants should be registered by the Health Professional Council of South Africa. Non-South Africans
will be considered, although will be exempt from patient service.
• Applicants should be on track to be promoted to Reader/Associate Professor within a three-year period
if not already holding such a position.

The criteria (research, teaching, societal impact, organisational contribution, external funding and leadership) for eligibility of a Senior Lecturer/Researcher, Reader and Associate Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand are available here: Promotion Criteria.pdf
Furthermore, each applicant must be able to:

•
Document the beginning of original academic production and plan on how this will be developed further,
including contributing to the development of the academic discipline.
• Provide research-based teaching.

The candidate is also required to possess good interpersonal and communicative skills.

APPLICATION.

The application must be submitted in English and must include the following documents:

•
Application, including motivations for applying for this position (Maximum 2 pages) and how the
applicant is qualified as a Scholar/researcher/teacher, Professional, Communicator, Collaborator,
Manager/administrator/organizer.
• Curriculum vitae, including information about external funding, using the Faculty of Health Sciences CV
template.
• Copies of the authorization certificate for specialist training if a Clinician Scientist
• Ph D and other relevant certificates
• Evidence of post-graduate mentorship
• Collaborations which have been established
• A complete list of publications, stratified by original research and other.
• A description of previous grants secured as a Principal Investigator
• Research plan (3-5 pages)
• A maximum 10 publications (pdf) to be considered in the assessment.

PROCEDURE
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the HR Department will embark on a selection process, in line with the University policy, upon which, an appropriately constituted appointments committee will screen applicants and conduct interviews for the appointment of the candidates.

CONDITIONS
Salary and conditions of employment will be based on the University of the Witwatersrand terms and conditions of employment.
For the Clinician Scientist, the appointee will receive a pensionable annual salary at the level of a Junior Consultant in GDo H. The salaries of Scientists will be benchmarked to the academic standing in the University.
The researcher will receive secretarial or technical support by a core secretariat employed by the University. Additional support and details on the working conditions will be negotiated with the Head of Department of the Department that the candidate will be linked to. Applicants will be responsible for raising funds for their planned research activity. Some seed funding will be provided in the first two years of the tenure.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
The position is a fixed-term position, limited to a period of five years. This will be renewable subject to demonstrating success in grantsmanship, supervision of post-graduates and research throughput. The expected research output is an average of five publications per year in international peer-reviewed journals over the term of the contract, either as the primary or senior author.

Closing Date: Rollling applications, with the next closing date 13 October 2024

For further information, please contact: shabir.madhi@wits.ac.za
All eligible candidates are encouraged to apply for these positions.

The awarding of the academic title will depend on the successful candidate's qualifications, research and other academic criteria as determined by the faculty guidelines.

Detailed Description

Job Requirements

Additional Details

How To Apply

Please submit a covering letter clearly indicating which post you are applying for, a detailed CV with names, addresses, contact numbers and e-mail addresses of 3 referees via i-Recruitment https://irec.wits.ac.za

The University is committed to employment equity. Preference may be given to appointable applicants from the underrepresented designated groups in terms of the relevant employment equity plans and policies of the University. The University retains the right not to make an appointment and to verify all information provided by candidates.

Please note that correspondence will only be entered into with shortlisted candidates. The University reserves the right not to make an appointment or to re-advertise.

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Work At Home