The University of Cape Town URC Postdoctoral Fellowships have been established to encourage excellent doctoral graduates to undertake research and academic training as Postdoctoral Research Fellows at the University of Cape Town in 2021. The Fellowships are based on academic merit and the number and quality of the applicant’s peer reviewed publications/scholarly output will be considered.

The University of Cape Town invites applications for a limited number of URC Postdoctoral Research Fellowships to be taken up at the University during 2021.

Value and tenure:

The value of the Fellowships is fixed at ZAR 220 000 per annum and include any relocation expenses. The Fellowships carry no benefits and are compliant with the SARS rules for tax exemption.

Awards are tenable for two years, subject to submission of a satisfactory progress report.

Conditions and Eligibility:

-All South African and foreign candidates are eligible, but preference will be given to applicants who graduated with the doctoral degree from universities other than UCT.

-Only applicants who were awarded the PhD degree no earlier than June 2016 and who are not yet in full time, permanent academic or research posts are eligible.

-There is no restriction on any discipline or field of research, but applications from individuals from other African countries and from women and black researchers will be given preference.

-Applicants who have not yet graduated with the PhD degree must provide proof that the PhD thesis has been submitted by no later than 20 October 2020. Such proof must be accompanied by a written statement by the supervisor that the degree is likely to be achieved. If the doctoral degree is not passed within six months, from the first date of registration, the fellowship will be revoked.

-Successful candidates will be expected to undertake the agreed research as well as optional but limited teaching duties as part of professional development; however

-Successful candidates will not be expected to perform any service to the host-department at the University of Cape Town in return for the Fellowship.

-The URC Postdoctoral Fellowship is considered a PRIMARY AWARD and cannot be held in full concurrently with any other award without the prior consent of the University Research Committee. A maximum of 50% (ZAR 110 000) of the value of the award can be held concurrently with other postdoctoral fellowship(s) up to the overall limit of income from all sources of ZAR 460 000

-It is crucial that applicants’ research interests and faculty needs are in line with those of the host department.

-Successful candidates will be expected to produce appropriate scholarly output or publish an appropriate number of papers, as determined by the discipline.

-Successful candidates will be required to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the University of Cape Town, and a Memorandum of Understanding with his/her Principal Investigator.

-Successful candidates will be required to comply with the University of Cape Town’s approved policies, procedures and practices for the postdoctoral sector.

Application procedure:

Please complete the PDOC01 Application Form.  This is available from the internet at http://www.uct.ac.za/main/research/postdoc-research-fellowships

Applications must include the following:

-The completed PDOC01 Application Form including all required information and attachments.

-The applicant’s full curriculum vitae and a full list of publications/research output.

-Reports from three referees, may be emailed directly to [email protected]

-Certified copies of all academic transcripts. Please do not include copies of certificates.

Although fully completed applications must be emailed directly to the Postdoctoral Administration area, Postgraduate Funding Office, applicants are urged to contact the appropriate Head of Department in the first instance if possible.  Information on faculty structure and academic departments may be found on the UCT website at http://www.uct.ac.za/main/research/postdoc-research-fellowships

All applicants are subject to the policies, procedures and rules surrounding the postdoctoral sector at the University of Cape Town.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 15 September 2020 Please note that late and/or incomplete applications will be disqualified. Where applicable, proof of submission of the PhD thesis is due by no later than 20 October 2020

The University of Cape Town reserves the right to make no awards at all; to cancel the award if the conditions are not met, and to effect changes to the conditions of award