Senior Researcher

Main responsibilities:

• Conceptualising research projects, preparing comprehensive research proposals, and compiling submissions to apply for ethical clearance.
• Leading data collection, data processing, data analysis, and other practical research processes in qualitative and quantitative empirical and/or desk-top research projects.
• Drafting progress reports and final research reports, submitting these for review process, and revising them appropriately taking into account feedback from the review process.
• Disseminating relevant research information, including research findings, at conferences, colloquia and symposia, as well as in scholarly publications.
• Coordinating and monitoring research projects commissioned out to external researchers, and managing contracts of the external researchers.
• Reviewing research outputs produced by in-house researchers, interns and external researchers; and providing guidance on how these could be improved and/or strengthened.
• Collaborating with colleagues in monitoring, policy, advice, quality assurance, and management of higher education qualifications areas of work within the CHE on projects that have research dimensions.
• Screening manuscripts received for publication in Kagisano, the research journal of the CHE, processing them for a peer review process, and packaging the feedback from the peer reviewers to be communicated to authors.
• Managing intellectual engagement and/or national critical discourse events, including managing task teams or working groups established to plan, organise and coordinate such events.
• Drafting reports and other relevant submissions to the Research, Monitoring and Advice Committee; Council; the Department of Higher Education and Training; and other stakeholder bodies.
• Participating actively in initiatives to grow the research area of work within the CHE, and to increase the impact of the research on the higher education system in South Africa.
• Networking with researchers and other research stakeholders in universities, science councils, and other public and private research entities locally and internationally. 

Minimum requirements

• Research-based master’s degree, preferably in Higher Education or related Humanities and Social Science disciplines. A doctorate degree in Higher Education or related Humanities and Social Science discipline will be accorded more preference.
• Five (5) years’ demonstrable research experience that includes a research project, or several research projects on higher education.
• Three (3) scholarly papers or book chapters published within the last five (5) years in journals or books that are recognised by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).
• Three (3) conference presentations delivered within the last five (5) years.
• Demonstrable experience of managing research projects, research teams, research project budgets, and quality of research outputs.
• Demonstrable experience of organising intellectual engagement events such as conferences, colloquia and seminars.
• Demonstrable understanding of research – policy interface, and societal impacts of research.
• Above average academic writing skills.
• Above average academic review and/or editing skills. 

Competencies 

• Academic rigour
• Academic writing
• Attention to detail
• Collegiality
• Conceptual, strategic and systems thinking
• Critical analysis
• Deadline consciousness
• Emotional intelligence
• Facilitation of events
• Knowledge management
• Planning and organising
• Problem solving
• Project management
• Quality orientation
• Qualitative research
• Quantitative research
• Research ethics and integrity
• Research philosophy in Education, Social Sciences or Humanities
• Stakeholder engagement
• Verbal and written communication