Call for Application: Postdoctoral Research Fellowship - DSI/NRF SARChl Research Chair: Intellectual Property, Innovation & Development at the University of Cape Town

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PDRF

December 17, 2021

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship – DSI/NRF SARChI Research Chair: Intellectual Property, Innovation & Development

Department of Commercial Law, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Deadline: 2022-01-14

The DSI/NRF funded South African Research Chair in Intellectual Property Innovation and Development, at the Department of Commercial Law, University of Cape Town has one post-doctoral fellowship available for 2022.

NRF Postdoctoral Fellowship

The successful candidate must be capable of participating in the Chair's research focus areas of intellectual property and innovation, within the context of South Africa's National Development Plan. Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis, taking into account the applicant's academic achievements and researcher potential. The applicant's research outputs contribute significantly to the selection for an award. Applicants should ensure that a full list of their research outputs, including publication records, are included intheir CV.

Conditions, Value and Tenure of the Fellowship

In addition to complying with the University's policies, procedures and practices for the postdoctoral sector, the fellow will be expected, under the auspices of the Chair, to prepare at least two subsidy- bearing journal articles (or the equivalent) for publication over the course of the 12-month duration of the fellowship. The fellow will also be expected to support the operation of the Chair actively and will be given opportunities to develop their professional profile through teaching and/or postgraduate supervision experience. This is a full-time position, based in Cape Town, and fellows may not hold any other full-time or part-time job or undertake any other work for remuneration for the duration of the fellowship.

The tenure of the fellowship is for one year, with the possibly of renewal for a second year subject to satisfactory progress. The value of the fellowship for 2022 is R220,000. The fellowship does not include benefits or travel/relocation costs but the Chair will assist the fellow to seek funding for conference expenses, where required as well as support the fellow’s applications for additional research funding. The release of funds is dependent on satisfactory progress. The fellow's performance will be evaluated formally per semester, for which purpose the submission of progress reports will be required in at dates specified by UCT.

Requirements

Applicants must:

  • hold a PhD in Intellectual Property Law, or a related field, awarded within the last five years; or must provide proof that their PhD examination process will be successfully completed by the time the fellowship is taken up.
  • provide evidence of strong scholarly performance (e.g. publications, participation in research projects, networks, conference presentations)
  • demonstrate willingness andability to be both a team player and a team leader, and conduct research in an interdisciplinary environment
  • demonstrate good organizational and management skills; and excellent written and oral communication skills
  • satisfy the relevant NRF criteria and comply with its rules and guidelines

Applicants must not have previously held full-time permanent professional or academic posts.

Applications

Applications should be sent to SARChl-lP@uct.ac.za and should include:

  1. The applicant's full curriculum vitae and list of publications;
  2. The names and contact details of at least two academics who have taught, supervised or worked alongside the applicant OR letters of reference from at least two academics who have taught, supervised or worked alongside the applicant;
  3. Certified copies of all academic transcripts and degree certificates;
  4. A specimen of the applicant's writing, such as a journal article already published/ accepted for publication or a chapter from the applicant's doctoral thesis; and
  5. A proposal of the coherent body of research to emanate from the fellowship, indicating the overarching research pursuit, and the workplan that will result in the required number of publications, with potential topics.

The Chair will consider only eligible and complete applications, submitted on or before 14 January 2022. The University reserves the right to disqualify ineligible and/or incomplete applications, and to change the conditions of award and/or to make no awards at all.

Further information about postdoctoral fellows at UCT can be found here 

Further information about the chair can be found here

Further information about SARChI Chairs at UCT can be found here

For more information about this positon, click here