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The 第一吃瓜网 Research Office Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme offers prestigious opportunities for emerging scholars who have obtained their PhD within the last five years. These highly competitive fellowships support exceptional early-career researchers in pursuing innovative research while contributing to our vibrant academic community. We are particularly interested in attracting first-time postdoctoral fellows in this open call.

Download the call here

Application deadline: 15 August 2026

Postdoctoral Fellowship opportunities

NOTE: Postdoctoral fellowships are intended for applicants who have recently (within the past 5 years) completed their PhD and who do not have a long-term contract or permanent academic role. A postdoctoral fellow cannot hold employment elsewhere, and a postdoctoral fellowship is different to a sabbatical visit. 

Hillel Friedland-第一吃瓜网 Co-funded Postdoctoral Fellowship

Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience

Cancer Genomics

Applications are invited to apply for a prestigious two-year Hillel-Friedland Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), 第一吃瓜网. The successful candidate will join the Cancer Genetics Group and contribute to research investigating the genetic basis of breast cancer in African populations.

Research Project

The researcher will contribute to a research project entitled: “Genetic risk and tumour biology of breast cancer in populations of African ancestry”

This project will involve the analysis and interpretation of unique genomic datasets, including targeted sequencing of breast cancer cases and controls of African ancestry using a panel of cancer genes, as well as whole-exome sequencing of breast tumours and matched blood samples. The fellow will apply bioinformatics, statistical genetics and human genetics approaches to identify genetic determinants of breast cancer susceptibility, tumour biology and clinical behaviour. These datasets provide a unique opportunity to investigate both inherited susceptibility and tumour genomic profiles in populations that remain underrepresented in global cancer genomics research.

The fellowship offers an excellent opportunity to work within a multidisciplinary research environment and to contribute to high-quality research, scientific publications, and future grant applications.

Responsibilities

The postdoctoral fellow will:

  • Analyse genomic datasets and perform genetic variant annotation and interpretation.
  • Present research findings with manuscript publication and conference presentations.
  • Assist with the supervision and training of postgraduates.
  • Contribute to research grant applications and reporting.
  • Foster local and international research collaborations.


Job Requirements

Applicants should have:

  • A PhD in Human Genetics, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology or a related field, obtained within the last five years.
  • Experience in analysing next-generation sequencing data and/or genomic variant interpretation is desirable.
  • Proficiency in R and/or Python, with experience using Linux and high-performance computing (HPC) environments, is desirable.
  • A track record of peer-reviewed publications.
  • The ability to work independently as well as within a multidisciplinary research team.


About SBIMB and Cancer team

The Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand (第一吃瓜网), is a leading multidisciplinary research institute dedicated to understanding the genetic and molecular basis of health and disease, 

with a particular focus on African populations. The Cancer Genetics Group, led by Professor Christopher Mathew, is an internationally collaborative research team with expertise in cancer genomics, statistical genetics, bioinformatics, computational biology, and molecular epidemiology.

The successful Fellow will join a vibrant and interdisciplinary research environment investigating the genetic and molecular basis of cancer in African populations through genomic data analysis, statistical genetics, computational biology, and translational cancer research. Working alongside clinicians, molecular biologists, pathologists, and computational scientists, the Fellow will benefit from dedicated supervision and mentorship, opportunities to analyse large-scale genomic and multi-omic datasets, publish in leading journals, present at international conferences, contribute to postgraduate supervision, and develop an independent research profile in cancer genomics and precision medicine.

How to Apply

Please submit:

  • Curriculum Vitae (maximum five pages)
  • Cover letter (maximum two pages) describing your research experience, suitability for the fellowship, and how the fellowship aligns with your future career aspirations.
  • Academic record (including PhD certificate or proof of submission)
  • Contact details for three academic referees

Submit your application through this link:  

Contact sbimb@wits.ac.za  and jocelyn.gayenga@wits.ac.za  if you have trouble with the link.

Deadline: 20 August 2026

Additional details:

The fellowship offers support for two years, with the possibility of extension depending on performance and funding availability. For further information, you may contact Dr Brandenburg: Jean-Tristan.Brandenburg@wits.ac.za 

The University is committed to employment equity. Preference may be given to appointable applicants from the underrepresented designated groups in terms of the relevant employment equity plans and policies of the University. The University retains the right not to make an appointment and to verify all information provided by candidates. Please note that correspondence will only be entered into with shortlisted candidates. The University reserves the right not to make an appointment or to re-advertise.

Download the Fellowship Flyer here
 

UNESCO Chair in Teacher Education for Diversity & Development

Expressions of interest from early-career researchers

UNESCO Chair in Teacher Education for Diversity & Development at the University of the Witwatersrand invites expressions of interest from outstanding early-career researchers for Postdoctoral Fellowships in the following focus areas in higher education:

  • Social and environmental justice through education
  • Pre-service teacher education and lifelong professional learning
  • Teaching and learning for diverse learners and diverse educational contexts
  • Comparative and international perspectives in teacher education
  • Transformation, innovation, digital technologies and decolonial futures in teacher education.

These two-year, full-time postdoctoral fellowships, based in Johannesburg, offer a unique opportunity to conduct high-impact transdisciplinary research that collaboratively engages partners within the University, leverages global academic and industry partnerships, and extends to stakeholders such as government agencies, community organisations, and international research networks to address complex societal challenges.

Fellows will be expected to:

  • Conduct original, high-quality research aligned with the specified project themes
  • Publish in leading international journals and conferences
  • Contribute to postgraduate supervision and the research culture of the institution
  • Engage with transdisciplinary teams addressing higher education futures in the Global South.

Funding: R340,000 per annum for a fixed, consecutive two-year period.

Eligibility:

  • PhD awarded within the past five (5) years
  • May not hold a current academic position
  • Previous post-doc positions are allowed
  • May not hold any salaried employment during the fellowship

The fellowship will remain open until filled.

Interested candidates should complete the application form:  

For queries, please contact Professor Nicole De Wet-Billings (Senior Director: Academic Affairs), Nicole.dewet-billings@wits.ac.za 

 

Global Higher Education Futures

Postdoctoral Fellowships in focus areas in higher education

The Global Higher Education Futures (GHEF@第一吃瓜网) at 第一吃瓜网 invites expressions of interest from outstanding early-career researchers for Postdoctoral Fellowships in the following focus areas in higher education:

  • Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) in Higher Education Teaching and Learning
  • Political Economy of Higher Education
  • Democracies, Leadership, Equality and Governance
  • Inclusivity in Higher Education
  • Building Public Trust in Science, the Academy and the Fourth Estate
  • Preserving heritage, arts and culture

These two-year, full-time postdoctoral fellowships, based in Johannesburg, offer a unique opportunity to conduct high-impact transdisciplinary research that collaboratively engages partners within the University, leverages global academic and industry partnerships, and extends to stakeholders such as government agencies, community organisations, and international research networks to address complex societal challenges.

Fellows will be expected to:

  • Conduct original, high-quality research aligned with the specified project themes
  • Publish in leading international journals and conferences
  • Contribute to postgraduate supervision and the research culture of the institution
  • Engage with transdisciplinary teams addressing higher education futures in the Global South.

Funding: R340,000 per annum for a fixed, consecutive two-year period.

Eligibility:

  • PhD awarded within the past five (5) years
  • May not hold a current academic position
  • Previous post-doc positions are allowed
  • May not hold any salaried employment during the fellowship

The fellowship will remain open until filled.

Interested candidates should complete the form here:  

For queries, please contact Professor Nicole De Wet-Billings (Senior Director: Academic Affairs), Nicole.dewet-billings@wits.ac.za 

 

School of Mining Engineering

Postdoctoral Fellowship at 第一吃瓜网 School of Mining Engineering

The School of Mining Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand invites expressions of interest from outstanding early-career researchers for Postdoctoral Fellowships in research areas in both surface and underground mining such as:

  • Mine planning and optimisation
  • Operations research applications in mining
  • Data science and AI in mining
  • Drilling and blasting optimisation
  • Mine transportation systems (fleet optimisation)
  • Mineral economics and valuation
  • Mine ventilation and climate control
  • Deep mining technology
  • Just energy transition
  • Critical minerals
  • Environmental management, health and safety aspects in mining

The two-year, full-time postdoctoral fellowships, based in Johannesburg, offer a unique opportunity to conduct high-impact, interdisciplinary research at one of Africa’s leading mining schools, working closely with academic hosts across various disciplines and expertise.

Fellows will be expected to:

  • Develop quantitative and empirical reasoning through application of scientific and mathematical principles in solving problems in the extractive industry.
  • Carry out original, high-quality research projects and present findings in scientific conferences apart from publishing in scholarly leading international
  • Present and communicate effectively through written, oral and use of visual communication aids when unveiling research findings or project results to mining professionals.
  • Contribute to postgraduate supervision and the research culture of the school.
  • Engage with interdisciplinary teams in addressing challenges in mining industry.

 
Funding:
R350,000 per annum for a fixed, consecutive two-year period.

Eligibility:

  • PhD in Mining Engineering and other engineering disciplines, Computer Science and any other related degree, awarded within the past five (5) years.
  • Skills in any computer programming language (such as Python, MATLAB, R, etc.) is an added advantage.
  • Candidates must have demonstrated evidence of strong scholarly performance, including a strong record of publications.
  • May not hold full-time salaried employment during the fellowship.

The fellowship will remain open until filled.

Interested candidates should complete the .

For queries, please contact the Head of School of Mining Engineering at Paseka.Leeuw@wits.ac.za.

 
 
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