Senior Scientist

Job Reference Number: R 882A

Department: Health Systems Research Unit

Business Unit:

Industry: Research

Job Type: Contract

Positions Available: 1

Salary: Market Related 1. New Project Code: 42766 2. Advertising Options 3. Vacant Post - Previously Occupied by:

Job Description

The SAMRC’s Health Systems Research Unit (HSRU) seeks to appoint a Senior Scientist on a One-year contract to support the ALIGN project, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The role focuses on generating and translating high-quality health systems research to inform policy and strengthen health system decision-making locally and globally.

The post holder will further contribute to research capacity development, collaboration, and innovation, and will assist with and form an integral part of the SAMRC’s transformation agenda.

Responsibilities:

• Support the design and implementation of health policy analysis and/or health systems research studies, applying recognised health policy and systems research frameworks
• Conference and meeting presentations at local or international conferences or at external meetings
• Research translation, including manuscripts for journal publication, policy briefs, and reports, and present at scientific meetings and conferences
• Capacity development, including the supervision of Masters’ students, facilitating workshops, and mentoring
• Contributing to the scientific life of the Unit through journal clubs, research days and other relevant activities

Location of the Position

• Pretoria or Cape Town

Contract Duration

• 1 year

Remuneration

• A salary in the region of R 715 505.00 per annum, cost-to-company, will be negotiated in consideration of experience and qualifications

Job Requirements

Core Requirements:

• Master’s degree in public health, clinical epidemiology, or related field
• Registration with a relevant professional body (e.g., HPCSA, SAPC), where applicable to the candidate’s discipline
• Between 3-5 years’ experience working in a health research environment.
• Record of 2 lifetime publications (ISI journal articles, editorials or book chapters and technical reports) with at least 1 as first/senior author.
• Knowledge of conducting systematic reviews and/or other health systems research
• Successfully co-supervised or in the process of supervising =1 post-graduate students to graduation.
• Record of translating professional, scientific or clinical expertise, new knowledge and research findings into public understanding, policy, and/or practice, in order to improve health.
• Excellent interpersonal relations and communication skills.
• Knowledge of evidence-informed decision-making principles, e.g. health systems thinking, knowledge translation, or evidence-informed policymaking.

Advantageous:

• Experienced in conducting and summarizing systematic or scoping reviews relevant to health policy and health systems
• Previous experience of stakeholder liaison in a scientific research environment
• Understanding of national, regional and global health governance structures
• Understanding of political economy analyses
• Familiarity with financing, service delivery, human resources, and essential medicines supply systems.
• Proficient in English (other languages an asset)

Closing Date

• 13 July 2026