Snr Scientist

Job Reference Number: R 981A

Department: Intramural Research Directorate

Business Unit:

Industry: Research

Job Type: Contract

Positions Available: 1

Salary: Market Related The SAMRC’s Office of the Vice President seeks to appoint a Senior Scientist to provide specialised epidemiological and analytical expertise in the design, coordination, implementation and dissemination of research on rheumatic heart disease.

Job Description

Senior Scientist

Duration: 2 years

The SAMRC’s Office of the Vice President seeks to appoint a Senior Scientist to provide specialised epidemiological and analytical expertise in the design, coordination, implementation and dissemination of research on rheumatic heart disease. The role contributes to the SAMRC’s strategic research objectives through advanced data management, epidemiological modelling, scientific publications, research translation, stakeholder engagement, capacity development and grant-related activities.

The post holder will manage defined areas of research with increasing independence, contribute to decision-making and priority setting, supervise or support postgraduate students and emerging researchers, and participate in transformation and institutional research initiatives.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate data acquisition processes with external data holders and manage data-sharing agreements, dataset transfers and linkages.
• Extract data from surveys, registries, mortality databases and other relevant sources.
• Clean, validate, quality assure, merge, recode, transform and prepare large and complex datasets for analysis.
• Conduct descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, disease modelling and estimation of disease trends from heterogeneous data sources.
• Conduct literature reviews and quantitative evidence synthesis.
• Prepare figures, tables, scientific papers, technical reports and policy-related outputs.
• Present research findings at conferences, workshops and stakeholder meetings and support dissemination to scientific and non-scientific audiences.
• Mentor or provide technical support to students, interns, junior researchers and data analysts, where applicable.
• Contribute to training, knowledge-sharing, grant applications, funding proposals and collaborative research opportunities.
• Monitor project deliverables and reporting deadlines, maintain research documentation and contribute to progress and performance reports.

Remuneration

• A salary in the region of R 966 586.00 per annum, cost-to-company, will be negotiated in consideration of experience and qualifications.

Job Requirements

Core Requirements:

• Master's degree in Health Sciences, Data Sciences, or a registration as a PhD candidate with substantial progress towards completion (preferably in the final year, write-up, or post-analysis phase)
• At least 3 years’ experience in data science, data analytics or related science field.
• Record of 5 lifetime publications, including ISI journal articles, editorials, book chapters or technical reports, with at least 3 as first or senior author.
• Substantial contribution to successful grant application. Successful research and/or equipment grant application of at least R100,000, for example an external travel award or NRF Thuthuka grant.
• Successfully supervised/co-supervised at least 2 postgraduate students to graduation.
• Record of translating professional, scientific or clinical expertise, new knowledge and research findings into public understanding, policy and/or practice to improve health.
• Exposure to budgeting, financial management and risk management.
• Excellent interpersonal relations and communication skills.

Advantageous:

• PhD or MBChB.
• 5 years’ relevant experience.
• HPCSA registration or equivalent, where the candidate is a clinician.

Closing Date:

• 12 October 2026