About the position
Background:
- South Africa is facing a rapidly increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
- To meet the challenge of NCDs, a unique collaboration of Wits Faculty of Health Sciences specialists, epidemiologists, molecular biologists, and The National Cancer Registry has formed a multidisciplinary division
- The Non-Communicable Diseases Research Division (NCDRD) was launched in 2017 within the Wits Health Consortium
Main purpose of the job:
- The candidate will serve as the project manager for a study on the determinants of liver steatosis and will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the research project, from project planning and coordination, participant recruitment, data collection, sample analysis, statistical analysis and write-up
Location:
- DPHRU - Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Soweto and Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre in Parktown, Johannesburg
Key performance areas:
Discipline-Specific Conceptual Knowledge
- Postdoctoral scholars should demonstrate broad knowledge within their discipline and detailed knowledge of their specific research area
- They should understand the gaps, limits, and challenges within their research area such that they can develop testable hypotheses
Associated Skills
-Analytical approach to defining scientific questions
-Design of scientifically testable hypotheses
-Broad-based and cross-disciplinary knowledge acquisition
-Detailed knowledge of the specific discipline
Research Skill Development
- Postdoctoral scholars should be able to design sound research protocols, safely perform the techniques necessary to conduct and analyse the data, and navigate the grant application and scientific publishing processes
Associated Skills
-Research techniques
-Laboratory safety
-Experimental design
-Data analysis and interpretation
-Statistical analysis
-Searching and evaluating the literature
-Understanding the manuscript submission and peer
review process
Communication Skills
- Postdoctoral scholars should demonstrate writing, speaking, and listening skills that enable them to communicate effectively with colleagues, students, the general public, and the media
Associated Skills
-Writing manuscripts, white papers, and progress reports
-Writing funding proposals such as grants and fellowships
-Giving effective verbal presentations in seminars, meetings,
and poster sessions
-Teaching
-Communicating with a lay audience
-Communicating through media and social media outlets
Leadership and Management Skills
- Postdoctoral scholars should have the skills and techniques needed to facilitate effective team work, manage day-to-day operations within their workplace, and pursue leadership opportunities at the local, institutional, regional, and national levels
Associated Skills
-Setting a long-term strategic mission
-Establishing priorities and setting goals
-Understanding what leadership styles are appropriate in
given situations
-Managing a team
-Mentoring trainees and junior members of a team
-Establishing collaborations
-Time management
Responsible Conduct of Research:
- Postdoctoral scholars should be trained in responsible research conduct in order to make ethical and legal choices
- Training should provide insight and appreciation of accepted research practices, regulations, policies, statutes, and guidelines as well as awareness of available resources for reporting and seeking guidance for ethical questions and concerns
Associated Skills
-Owning and sharing data
-Conducting research with human subjects and/or animals -Identifying and mitigating research misconduct
-Identifying and mitigating conflicts of interest
-Keeping accurate records of research activities and findings
Required minimum education and training:
- A Doctoral Degree in the Health Sciences
- Drivers’s license and able to drive a manual vehicle
Required minimum work experience:
- A Doctoral Degree in the Health Sciences, obtained within the last 5 years
- Experience in project management, specifically relating to research studies involving human participants
- Experience in clinical research
- Experience in data management
- Competence in statistical analyses
- Excellent manuscript writing skills, with experience in publishing in international peer-review reviewed journals
Desirable additional education, work experience and personal abilities:
- Must possess strong organizational skills
- Interested in community engagement
- Ability to manage emotionally triggering interviews
- Ability to follow SOP and accuracy and precision of data collection
- Ability to multi-task
- Must be detail orientated
- Must be able to work as a member of a team
- The ability to work in a complex and demanding environment
- It is expected that s/he will apply consistent adherence to research ethics
TO APPLY:
- Only if you meet the minimum job requirements and experience as mentioned above, you may submit a detailed updated CV
- Please Apply Online and complete your registration via our website to enable and protect you as a candidate, and to accept the new POPIA terms and conditions
- This will then create your permanent profile with which you can apply for all jobs as advertised by AJ PERSONNEL
- However, you may remove your profile from AJ PERSONNEL when you are no longer in the job market
- Please take note that the applicants who do not adhere to the above criteria will not be considered for the respective position
- Wits Health Consortium will only respond to shortlisted candidates
- Candidates who have not been contacted within two weeks of the closing date can consider their applications to be unsuccessful
- Closing date: 28 May 2025
- Note: No CV will be accepted after the closing date
Please note:
- WHC, in accordance with its Employment Equity goals and plan, will give preference to suitable applicants from designated groups as defined in the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 and subsequent amendments thereto
- AJ Personnel is only responsible for advertising and the response handling on behalf of their client Wits Health Consortium
- AJ Personnel does not have any salary or other information regarding the position
Desired Skills:
- Health Sciences
- Project Management
- Clinical Reseach
- Data Management
- Statistical analyses
- post doctoral fellowship
- doctral degree
