South African Medical Research Council (Samrc) Vacancies

In brief

**Overview** This role is for a Chief Specialist Scientist (E) at the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) within the Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), based in Cape Town. This is a permanent position, with one vacancy available, offering an annual remuneration of R 1,695,807. The successful candidate will provide strategic scientific leadership, aiming to strengthen BRIP’s international reputation in cancer and non-communicable disease (NCD) research. **What you will do** Key responsibilities for this role include: * Providing strategic leadership in cancer and/or NCD molecular research within the unit. * Initiating, leading, and managing novel national and international multidisciplinary research programmes. * Conducting high-impact translational research and publishing in peer-reviewed ISI-indexed journals as first and/or senior author. * Securing and managing substantial national and international grant funding as Principal Investigator. * Leading and implementing research strategy, innovation, and capacity development initiatives within the unit. * Supervising and mentoring postgraduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and early- and mid-career scientists. * Fostering and maintaining strategic collaborations with academic, governmental, clinical, and international stakeholders. * Translating research findings into public health impact, policy contributions, intellectual property, and innovation outputs where applicable. * Presenting research findings at national and international scientific conferences, including keynote presentations. * Contributing towards unit management, budgeting, operational oversight, reporting, and risk management. * Supporting transformation and equity initiatives within the SAMRC and BRIP. **Requirements (from the original advert)** * **Core Requirements:** * PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Epidemiology, or a related field. * Excellent academic and scholarly track record, including at least 40 lifetime peer-reviewed ISI-indexed publications, with a minimum 12 as first author. * Internationally recognised leader in the cancer field with an NRF C1 (pending B3-rating re-evaluation outcome) or equivalent standing. * Proven track record of successfully securing and leading major research grants and programmes, including cumulative research income exceeding R10 million as Principal Investigator. * Proven track record of postgraduate supervision to completion, including MSc and PhD students, with a minimum of 10 students graduated. * Proven Leadership and management experience in cancer research with a strong record of mentorship, capacity development, and people management. * Experience in budgeting, financial oversight, and risk management. * Membership of national and international scientific bodies and committees. * Ability to work collaboratively to build an effective team with excellent scientific writing, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills. * University affiliation at Associate or Full Professor level. * More than 20 years’ experience in molecular and cell biology research within the NCD and/or cancer field. * Strong understanding of ethical standards in human subjects research. * **Advantageous:** * Proven track record of international collaborative partnerships in cancer and/or NCD research. * Experience in translational precision medicine in cancer research. * Demonstrated contribution to national and international scientific guidelines, policy documents, or advisory committees. * MBChB. **Who should apply** The ideal candidate for this Chief Specialist Scientist position is a highly accomplished individual with a PhD in a relevant scientific field and over 20 years of experience in molecular and cell biology research in cancer and/or NCDs. They should be an internationally recognised leader with an excellent academic and scholarly track record, including significant peer-reviewed publications and a proven ability to secure substantial grant funding as a Principal Investigator. The candidate must have extensive experience in postgraduate supervision, leadership, mentorship, capacity development, and people management within cancer research. Furthermore, the individual should possess experience in budgeting, financial oversight, risk management, and hold a university affiliation at an Associate or Full Professor level. They are expected to be collaborative, with strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, and a solid understanding of ethical standards in human subjects research. **Deadline** 15 November 2026 **Reference** Original posting: https://www.govpage.co.za/vacancies/south-african-medical-research-council-samrc-vacancies-7 Source: govpage

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At a glance

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