Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: Psychology, Social Work& Criminology

In brief

**Overview** The University of Fort Hare's Department of Psychology, Social Work and Criminology is seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Fellow (PDRF) to join its Digital Innovation in Child Protection Research Programme, supervised by Prof Ulene Schiller. This interdisciplinary programme aims to transform statutory child protection systems through the development, implementation, evaluation, and advancement of digital innovations. It integrates expertise from social work, digital technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), implementation science, public administration, information systems, and data analytics. A key project within this programme is the Integrated Child Protection Management Application (ICPMA), a digital platform funded by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) designed to enhance child protection practice. The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will contribute to the next research phase of this nationally significant project. **What you will do** The successful candidate will contribute to the growth of the Digital Innovation in Child Protection Research Programme by: * Conducting high-quality interdisciplinary research. * Publishing in accredited national and international journals. * Supporting the implementation and evaluation of the Integrated Child Protection Management Application (ICPMA). * Contributing to grant applications and collaborative research initiatives. * Mentoring Master's and Doctoral students. * Presenting research at national and international conferences. * Producing policy briefs and stakeholder reports. * Research may contribute to one or more of the programme's five research pillars: Digital Transformation in Child Protection, Artificial Intelligence for Child Protection, Implementation Science and Digital Adoption, Professional Practice and Workforce Wellbeing, and Child Outcomes and System Performance. **Requirements (from the original advert)** The successful candidate will preferably: * Hold a doctoral degree completed within the last five years in Social Work, Psychology, Information Systems, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related discipline from a recognised higher education institution in South Africa or abroad. * Applicants awaiting graduation must submit an official letter from their university confirming that all doctoral requirements have been completed. * Demonstrate a strong publication record appropriate to career stage. * Have experience in quantitative, qualitative and/or mixed-methods research. * Demonstrate excellent academic writing and communication skills. * Have experience with research related to digital innovation, implementation science, AI, social services, public sector innovation or child protection (advantageous). * Demonstrate competence in statistical and/or qualitative data analysis software. * Be willing to work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary research team. * Be based primarily at the University of Fort Hare, East London Campus. * In accordance with the University Postdoctoral Fellowship Policy: * The successful candidate may not be employed by the University of Fort Hare including Time on Task appointments during the fellowship. * The successful candidate may not hold employment at another institution or organisation during the fellowship. * Candidates of any nationality may apply subject to South African visa regulations where applicable. * Preference will be given to South African citizens, with particular emphasis on women. **Who should apply** This fellowship is ideal for a recent doctoral graduate with a strong research background in social work, psychology, information systems, computer science, artificial intelligence, or related fields. The candidate should possess excellent academic writing, communication, and data analysis skills, with a proven publication record. A willingness to collaborate within an interdisciplinary team is essential, and prior experience in digital innovation, AI, social services, or child protection research would be beneficial. The role requires commitment to contributing to a nationally significant project focused on transforming child protection systems through digital advancements. **Deadline** 9th October, 2026 **Reference** Original posting: https://www.myjobmag.co.za/job/postdoctoral-research-fellowship-psychology-social-work-criminology-university-of-fort-hare Source: myjobmag

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