The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre (DTHC), in partnership with the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF), seeks to recruit a post-doctoral research fellow who will use quantitative or mixed methods approaches to study men’s health in the context of HIV and/or TB prevention and treatment. DTHC is a world-renowned research centre at the University of Cape Town committed to the pursuit of excellence in research, treatment, training and prevention of HIV and related infections in Southern Africa. Our teams use quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as socio-behavioural and implementation science to rigorously examine interventions. We welcome applications with innovative approaches and enthusiasm for these goals.
The fellow will be based at the new DTHC research site in East London, Eastern Cape Province, and will support the research portfolio of DTHC’s Division of Men’s Health. The goal of this fellowship is to evaluate and promote high-quality evidence to improve the lives of all men, including cis-gender heterosexual men, in resource-limited settings. The postdoctoral fellows will contribute to these goals by leading study implementation teams, conducting quantitative or mixed methods analyses, and providing methodological support, advice and mentorship to early career researchers.
Conditions of Award:
Eligible applicants must have completed their doctorate within the past 5 years and may not previously have held a full-time permanent professional or academic post.
The successful candidate will have:
- A doctorate in public health or social science with a focus on quantitative methods;
- Experience in analysing quantitative or mixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative) cross-sectional and longitudinal data from low- and middle-income countries;
- Conducted research on men’s health, TB or HIV prevention/treatment in lower- and middle-income countries, including experience in sub-Saharan Africa;
- Experience conducting advanced quantitative data analyses using software packages (Stata and R would be an advantage);
- Published first-authored and co-authored papers in peer-reviewed journals;
- Presented research findings at conferences, seminars, and/or workshops;
- The ability and willingness to teach quantitative methods;
- Experience leading but also working effectively as part of a team; and
- The ability and willingness to travel for work.
The successful candidate will be required to complete the following research deliverables:
- Oversee the implementation of randomized control trials focused on men’s health in the context of HIV and/or TB treatment and prevention;
- Plan and conduct quantitative data analyses on topics agreed on with their advisor(s);
- Conduct literature reviews on topics related to research;
- Support data cleaning and data management (as needed);
- Provide quantitative capacity-building support to early career researchers;
- Prepare and edit study protocols and ethical approval packages (as needed);
- Present research findings at seminars, workshops and conferences; and
- Prepare research findings for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Advantageous skills/experience:
- Previous implementation of research studies focused on adult men and/or adolescent boys and young men;
- Experience conducting advanced quantitative data analyses using STATA or R;
- Experience working on analyses of multiple databases or conducting meta-analyses;
- Previous experience in implementation science;
- The ability to communicate technical research considerations to policymakers in a non-technical manner;
- Convened courses/supervised students at the post-graduate level.
The candidate will be supervised by Associate Professor Andrew Medina-Marino and mentored by a senior team of researchers from UCT and collaborating international universities.
Moreover, the candidate:
- May not hold any other fellowships without permission of their supervisor;
- May not undertake employment of any nature without the permission of their supervisor;
- Must comply with the University’s approved policies, procedures and practices for the postdoctoral sector.
Value and Tenure:
The value of the fellowship is R450,000 – R550,000 per annum, depending on the candidate’s experience and qualifications. There is some flexibility regarding the start date of the fellowship and the fellowship amount will be prorated in line with the starting date. The fellowship is renewable for up to 3 years depending on a satisfactory academic progress and availability of funds and the candidate’s prior posts.
Application Procedure:
Eligible candidates should provide the following in ONE SINGLE PDF:
- A letter describing their research interests and their suitability for the fellowship.
- A CV that includes the complete details of:
- Research studies conducted and their role(s) in the study;
- Range of research methods used for study analyses;
- Research output, including conference abstracts, peer-reviewed publications and any other scholarly research output;
- The names of at least two academic referees who have taught/ supervised the candidate at university and can speak to their skills.
- A copy of their academic transcript and degree certificates;
- A published written sample of their work that includes quantitative research analysis led by the applicant.
Enquiries and completed applications should be forwarded to:
Associate Professor Andrew Medina-Marino: [email protected] and
Mr. Riaan Beukes: [email protected]
Closing date for receipt of applications: September 17, 2023, or until the position is filled.
Please reference “2023 DTHC Postdoctoral Research Fellow” in the email subject line.
