Senior Research Specialist and Research Specialist

Job Advert Summary    

• The HSRC’s Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES) division aims to be a national, regional and international hub for transformative research in the interest of a just and equal society.
• The DCES focuses on conducting innovative research in climate change and disaster risk management, environmental sustainability, democracy, governance, and citizenship, adopting an engaged approach to build a better life for all.
• It leads research, implementation, and advocacy support in the service of the public good and South Africa’s national priorities to strengthen social cohesion; create safe communities; build a capable, ethical and developmental state; and work towards a better Africa and world.
• The HSRC seeks to appoint Senior Research Specialist (SRS) and Research Specialist (RS). The position will conduct research as part of the Africa, BRICS and Global South research pillar of the DCES division, with two research centres, Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA) and South African BRICS+ Research Institute (SAB+RI).
• The research pillar is a hub for Africa-centred and Global South knowledge production, policy engagement, and implementation support. Furthermore, it seeks to build capacity and provide policy advice and implementation support to advance South Africa’s position on societal development, including innovation and technology, and to contribute to aspects of Africa’s Developmental Agenda.
• The Objectives of the Africa, BRICS and Global South research pillar are to:
• Initiate, undertake and foster strategic research and applied research in human sciences focusing on developmental challenges and opportunities facing the African continent.
• Gather, analyse and publish data relevant to developmental challenges in Africa by means of projects linked to public sector-oriented collaborative projects.
• Provide leadership and harness African agency to transform African societies into dynamic, peaceful, and prosperous spaces.
• Build capacity and train African young scholars, policy makers, and practitioners to produce and share research-based knowledge about Africa’s development challenges.

Minimum Requirements    

• A relevant Ph.D. qualification and experience in the social and economic sciences with practical experience;
• Experience in a research environment in the context of Africa region, and publications in accredited and peer-reviewed journals;
• A strong record of published research, with a minimum of 7 peer-reviewed articles for SRS. in both local and international journals – several of which should be first-authored;
• Contribute towards financial sustainability by contributing to the development of research funding proposals and grant applications.
• Demonstrate understanding of Agenda 2063, African Union protocols i.e. Lome Declaration, and SADC frameworks, i.e., Science Technology and Innovation (STI) protocol, including intersectional challenges in Africa’s development;
• Demonstrable ability to develop creative ways of producing and/or communicating research outputs;
• Experience in quantitative and qualitative research approaches and the ability to undertake advanced statistical and qualitative analysis using appropriate/relevant software;

Duties & Responsibilities    

• Identify key research areas in support of national, African, BRICS and Global South development agendas;
• Learn to formulate targeted research proposals and secure funding on a sustainable basis to enable policy-relevant, strategic research projects;
• Contribute to implementation and management of high-quality, large-scale, long-term research studies with a focus on social impact;
• Deliver high-quality results and reports to budget and deadline;
• Stimulate public debate, civil society engagement, and develop communities of practice to ensure uptake of evidence for the transformation of Africa and the Global South;
• Produce high-quality knowledge outputs through publishing in accredited refereed journals, books, and book chapters and with collaborators on the African continent;
• Ensure research impact through government and stakeholder engagement, production of policy briefs and research reviews;
• Communicate research findings across multiple media platforms and at academic conferences and forums; and
• Develop research skills and competencies through formal and informal training for self and others.

Closing Date    

• 2026/11/26