Chief Specialist Scientist

South African Medical Research Council

2026/05/27 Cape Town

Job Reference Number: R951A

Department: Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform

Industry: Academic

Job Type: Permanent

Positions Available: 1

The SAMRC invites suitably qualified candidates to apply for a Chief Specialist Scientist position within the Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), based in Cape Town.

The successful candidate will provide strategic scientific leadership and contribute towards strengthening BRIP's international reputation in cancer and non-communicable disease (NCD) research. The incumbent will be expected to initiate and lead pioneering multidisciplinary research programmes, secure national and international grant funding, supervise postgraduate students and early-career scientists, and publish extensively in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.

The post holder will further drive innovation, translational research, capacity development, and form local and international strategic partnerships, while contributing towards unit management, transformation initiatives, and the advancement of precision medicine, risk prediction, and early disease detection approaches within BRIP.

• Provide strategic leadership in cancer and/or NCD molecular research within the unit.
• Initiate, lead, and manage novel national and international multidisciplinary research programmes.
• Conduct high-impact translational research and publish in peer-reviewed ISI-indexed journals as first and/or senior author.
• Secure and manage substantial national and international grant funding as Principal Investigator.
• Lead and implement research strategy, innovation, and capacity development initiatives within the unit.
• Supervise and mentor postgraduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and early- and mid-career scientists.
• Foster and maintain strategic collaborations with academic, governmental, clinical, and international stakeholders.
• Translate research findings into public health impact, policy contributions, intellectual property, and innovation outputs where applicable.
• Present research findings at national and international scientific conferences, including keynote presentations.
• Contribute towards unit management, budgeting, operational oversight, reporting, and risk management.
• Support transformation and equity initiatives within the SAMRC and BRIP.

Permanent

R 1,695,807 per annum

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, 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 B-rating 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 Masters and PhD students, minimum of 10 students graduated.
• Proven Leadership and management experience in cancer research with 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.
• Work collaboratively to build 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.

• Proven track record of international collaborative partnerships in cancer and/or NCD research.
• Experience in cancer epidemiology and translational precision medicine research.
• Strong understanding of ethical standards in human subjects research.
• Experience in intellectual property development and research translation.
• Demonstrated contribution to national and international scientific guidelines, policy documents, or advisory committees.