Closes: Friday, 18 July 2025
Closing time: 16hoo
Bursary value: R400 000.00 per annum
Location: Pretoria (Tshwane)
South Africa boasts a rich diversity of living collections such as botanical gardens, and agricultural and zoological repositories. However, there are challenges in ensuring their integration, management and accessibility for research purpose.
The South African Living Collections Cluster (SALCC), which is funded by the Department of Science, Technology & Innovation (DSTI) and hosted by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), is offering a 12-month postdoctoral fellowship to carry out research and a gap analysis on the landscape of living collections in South Africa.
The objective of this postdoctoral fellowship is to enhance the capacity for research infrastructure assessment and management of living collections in public and selected private institutions in South Africa.
The main focus areas are:
- Mapping and evaluating existing living collections and associated research infrastructure. Identify gaps and opportunities for synergy.
- Assessing policy and institutional frameworks governing the management of living collections.
- Engaging with key stakeholders including government departments, universities, research councils, and collections managers.
- Recommending strategies for improved coordination, access, and sustainability.
Requirements
The postdoctoral fellowship is open to individuals who have completed a PhD in the last five years (in a relevant discipline where living collections were collected, processed, stored and used for research purposes). Applicants must not be employed or hold another postdoctoral grant, be a South African citizen or permanent resident. Willingness to travel nationally and an unendorsed driver’s license is required.
Bursary value: A fellowship valued at R400 000 is available for one year and must be taken up by 1 September 2025. Operational cost for the project will be covered separately.
Application procedure
Each application is to be accompanied by:
- standard bursary application cover sheet (attached to this advert);
- full CV, including a record of publications and conference presentations;
- certified copy of a PhD certificate;
- certified copy of ID;
- three letters of reference (one must be from an academic supervisor);
- two-page cover letter, detailing interest in the project and suitability, together with details of experience relating to research and/or management of living collections.
Send all documents to students@sanbi.org.za and cc students.sanbi@gmail.com with SALCC postdoctoral fellowship in the subject line. Ideally, all documents should be submitted in a single pdf file.
SANBI reserves the right not to fill the postdoctoral fellowship. If no response has been received within 28 working days of the closing date, applicants may assume that their applications were unsuccessful.
General project enquiries:
Dr Mamohale Chaisi
E-mail: m.chaisi@sanbi.org.za or livingcollections@sanbi.org.za
Application queries:
René du Toit
E-mail: r.dutoit@sanbi.org.za
