Job Description

Research Professor in The Faculty of Health Sciences (fixed-term, 5 years, renewable based on performance) - AC04/AC05.


The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, seeks to appoint a Research Professor/Senior Clinician Scientist. 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. Immunology, with a focus on cellular immunity in relation to infectious diseases or more broadly.


iv. Lung disease: including focus on childhood and/or adult acute or chronic respiratory diseases.


v. Oncology, preferably with a focus on nexus of Cancer and Infectious 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 strengthen leadership in clinical research and teaching (undergraduate and post-graduate level).

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 annually nationally). 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 professorship, the main emphasis will be on the applicant's ability to document a high level of original scientific work at an international level within their field of expertise.


The professor's responsibilities will primarily consist of:


o Research in the field of expertise, including publication/academic dissemination.


o Research leadership, including guidance and supervision of PhD and Masters of Medicine students and other researchers, including Joint staff employed by the Gauteng Department of Health


(GDoH).


o Teaching of under-graduate and post-graduate students (maximum of 15% effort).


o Academic assessments


The position is open to internal and external applicants.

QUALIFICATIONS

o Applicants must hold a specialist degree in their relevant field of study. A sub-specialty qualification will be preferable. A PhD although not essential, will be given appropriate


weight.


o Applicants must be at the level of or meet the requirements to be appointed at least at the level of associate professor based on Faculty Staffing and Promotion criteria


o South African based 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.


o Applicants should be eligible for appointment at the level of a Full Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand (or on track to be promoted within a three-year period).



The criteria (research, teaching, societal impact, organisational contribution, external funding and leadership) for eligibility of a Personal or Research Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand is available here: Promotion Criteria.pdf


Furthermore, each applicant must be able to:


o Document a high degree of original academic production at an international level, including considerable contributions to the development of the academic discipline.


o Manage research and other management functions, e.g. engage in the university's external academic activities, as well as knowledge and technology transfer


o Provide research-based teaching.



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

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 professorship, the appointee will receive a pensionable annual salary at the level of a Senior Consultant in GDoH.


The clinical professors 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 Academic Head of Department and the Clinical Heads of the respective 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.


Applicants will need to restrict any clinical practice to the equivalent of a maximum of one day per week, with the understanding it would not impact on their research productivity.

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 research throughput (including minimum of an average of six manuscripts per annum in international peer-reviewed journals reporting on original research as the primary or senior author), supervision of postgraduates and success in obtaining significant grants to support the research activities, including the possibility of self-funding of the applicants salary at the end of the five year period.


Closing Date: Rolling applications, with the next closing date

14 November 2025

For further information, please contact: shabir.madhi@wits.ac.za


All eligible candidates are encouraged to apply for these positions.



The awarding of the title Professor/Associate Professor 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

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 Faculty of Health Sciences template if internal to Wits. Copies of the authorization certificate for specialist and sub-specialist training Master's and PhD 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.

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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