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Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

Employer: University of Cape Town
Location: Western Cape
Salary:
Date posted: 13 Sep 2018

Job Description:

The DST/NRF SARChI Research Chair: Mineral Law in Africa (“the Chair”) invites suitably qualified doctoral graduates to apply for a postdoctoral research fellowship. The Chair is keen to award the fellowship to an individual willing to explore issues in mineral resources law, i.e. law and socioeconomic development pertaining to the sectors of minerals, oil and natural gas (“the extractives sector”) in Africa.

The successful candidate must be capable of participating in most of the following research areas:

1. The balancing of distinctive duties and functions of national and local governments; in particular how intra-governmental relationships should be managed in respect of the award and implementation of mining rights.

2. The comparison of particular segments of the extractives sector [e.g. diamond mining, or oil extraction] of two or more African countries and the insights to be gained with regard to improving indicators of good governance in the legal framework; in particular those pertaining to accountability, transparency, rule of law and mineral tenure security.

3. Appropriate designs for a legal framework to ensure that resource rent and/or taxation benefit a particular community affected by the extractive activity at stake.

4. The implications of shifts in regulatory regimes for mineral resources on existing proprietary positions.

5. The relation between gender issues and the extractives sector.

6. The impact of different proprietary theories on how mineral resources are shared and distributed.

The ability to guide research in relation to Mining and Business (including issues of Labour Law, Investment Practice, Indigenisation / Local Content / BEE, Corporate Social Responsibility etc) would be particularly attractive.

Conditions, Value and Tenure of the Fellowship:

The postdoctoral fellowship is to commence in or around January 2019, or earlier where appropriate. The fellowship has a value of R220,000 per annum, is tax-free and tenable for one year, with a possibility of a one-year renewal upon satisfactory progress being made. Relocation costs are not funded. Modest funds (up to R20 000) are available upon application to the Principal Investigator for travel and research costs. The release of funds is dependent on satisfactory progress reported. The fellow’s performance will be evaluated formally per semester, for which purpose the submission of progress reports will be required in June and October.

In addition to complying with all of the University’s policies, procedures and practises for the postdoctoral sector, the fellow will be expected, under the auspices of the Chair, to prepare at least three subsidy-bearing journal articles (or the equivalent) for publication over the course of the 12- month duration of the fellowship. The fellow will also be expected to support the operation of the Chair actively and will be given opportunities to develop his/her professional profile through teaching and/or postgraduate supervision experience.

REQUIREMENTS: 

Applicants must hold a doctoral degree which was awarded within the past 5 years, in any relevant field, but preferably Law; or must provide proof that their PhD examination process will be succressfully completed by the time the fellowship is taken up, and no later than December 2018. An applicant’s established or emerging publication record must demonstrate congruence between his/her research interests and the research areas outlined above. Applicants should not have held any previous permanent professional or academic posts.

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate his/her willingness and/or ability to be both a team player and a team leader, and conduct research in an interdisciplinary environment. His/her good organizational and management skills; and excellent written and oral communication skills will be apparent from his/her curriculum vitae.

Applications must include the following:

1. The applicant’s full curriculum vitae and list of publications.

2. The names and contact details of at least two academics who have taught, supervised or worked alongside the applicant.

3. Certified copies of all academic transcripts and degree certificates.

4. A specimen of the applicant’s writing, such as a journal article already published / accepted for publication or a chapter from the applicant’s doctoral thesis.

5. A proposal of the coherent body of research to emanate from the fellowship, indicating the overarching research pursuit, and the workplan that will result in the required number of publications, with potential topics.

The Chair will consider only eligible and complete applications, submitted on or before 15 October 2018 to Prof Hanri Mostert, Faculty of Law, UCT, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701. Enquiries and applications to: mlia@uct.ac.za with CC to andrea.thornton@uct.ac.za

Further information about the Chair is available on http://www.mlia.uct.ac.za.

The University reserves the right to disqualify ineligible and/or incomplete applications, and to change the conditions of award and/or to make no awards at all.

Contact Details

Contact Person: Andrea Thornton
Contact Number: +27 (021) 650-4592
Contact Email: andrea.thornton@uct.ac.za

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