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Position Title
Faculty
Department
POSITION DETAILS
CARIAA (ASSAR) Research Fellow
Science
ACDI (African Climate and Development Initiative)
ORGANOGRAM
PURPOSE
The ACDI is a cross faculty entity, one of four UCT Strategic Initiatives, with a remit to coordinate and stimulate interdisciplinary research and teaching on climate change and development at UCT, and to develop research and teaching partnerships with other African and international organisations. It is supported administratively (finance, teaching, admissions, examining and HR) by the Science Faculty, but reports directly to the VC via the DVC Research.
From Jan 2014 to Dec 2018, ACDI will be the leading a multi-partner, CAD$ 13.5 Million research project, ASSAR (Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions). ASSAR is as part of a larger multiconsortium research programme, CARIAA (Collaborative Adaptation Research in Africa and Asia) funded by IDRC and DFID. The project involves research programmes in four regions: Southern
Africa, East Africa, West Africa and South Asia. In addition to leading the consortium, UCT is also responsible for the Southern African research programme.
The purpose of the CARIAA/ASSAR Research Fellow is to act as the focal point for the research
Page 1 of 5 ACDI Masters Course Lecturer/Convenor – Job Description

Документ1 components of the Southern African regional research programme. This includes oversight of the design of the research (with support from the project PIs and Co-Is – New, Hewitson,
Ziervogel, Visser, Masindere, Angula), responsibility for supervision of the research and the researchers (2 postdoc fellow, several PhD students and Masters students), and for overall analysis and writing of research reports and papers. The Research Fellow will also be involved in cross-consortia research activities, especially with respect to synthesis and comparative studies across the regions, in partnership with senior researchers leading the other regional research programmes.
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JOB CONTENT
Key Performance Areas
1) Research Management
2) Research
% of time spent
20%
Activities / Objectives / Tasks
50%
Results / Outcomes
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Work with PIs, Co-Is and Project
Manager and external consultants to design research programme
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Manage implementation of research design
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Manage interactions between SA and other regional research programmes.
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Contribute to research reporting, internal research knowledge management, and research into use activities
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Undertake field and desk based research related to the regional research programme.
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Analyse and write up regional research into working papers and journal papers.
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Assist and work with other researchers to design, write and edit working papers.
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Work with consortium partners in cross-consortia activities: writeshops, special issues, researcher training , special issues
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Contribute research data to the knowledge management system.
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Regional research programme designed and implemented
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Cross regional activities effectively managed
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Good relationships and communication between researchers and rest of project team.
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Research outputs completed on time to a high standard
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Regional research data and products successfully incorporated into knowledge management system

Personal research activities successfully completed
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Research outputs (working papers, journal articles) delivered on time
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Other researchers produce required research outputs.
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Cross consortia research activities and outputs successfully delivered.
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Regional research outputs timeously available on knowledge management system.
Competencies
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Research design
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Knowledge / experience in climate change impacts, vulnerability

Communication, interpersonal and relationship skills
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Project management
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Multi-tasking
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Office and internet computing software
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Research methodologies in social and/or natural science
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Literature reviews
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Multi-disciplinary analysis
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Academic writing
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Academic reviewing and editing
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Research data management and analysis
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3) Communications
4) Supervision
10%
20%

Work with communications staff in conceptualizing and designing communications products.
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Summarize research outputs (journal articles) into forms suitable for communication products.
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Contribute written, audio and video material to communications products
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Review communication products
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Mentor post-doc fellows
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Co-supervise and mentor PhD students
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Supervise Masters projects
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Well-designed, accurate comms products
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Research translated into accessible products for wiser audience
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Post-docs, PhDs and Masters students successfully complete research projects.
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Post-docs, PhDs and Masters students further develop their research skills
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Ability to synthesize multiple sources of information
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Good verbal communications
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Excellent writing and editing skills
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Supervision and mentoring
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Minimum Qualifications
Minimum Experience
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
PhD in a field of study relevant to climate vulnerability, impacts and adaptation
At least three years post-doctoral research experience in climate change vulnerability, impacts and/or adaptation
Research coordination or management
Supervision or co-supervision of research at Masters level, ideally PhD level
Page 5 of 5 ACDI Masters Course Convenor – Job Description