The African Centre for Cities (ACC) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) has advertised for a Junior Research Fellowship to investigate the intersections of urban health and sexuality.
The ACC is undertaking research on urban sustainability as it relates to southern urbanism to build capacity-making on the urban future, as part of the RCUK PEAK Urban Grand Challenges grant. The work package for this appointment focuses on understanding how to address the urban sexual health needs of the ‘Key Populations’ and in particular Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) related to HIV/AIDS and other communicable infections. Work here will examine the health and wider needs of Key Populations, the types of services they require and the quality of these services, and the wider relevant multiscale institutional and policy frameworks. A particular focus is on Cape Town and on vertical governance related to national and international structures.
The appointment will also involve active participation in, and support to enable, PEAK Urban summer schools designed to connect and help further emergent urban researchers. These summer schools will be held annually at PEAK Urban partner locations including the UK, Colombia, China, India and South Africa and involve working with other PEAK Urban researchers from these locations. An opportunity to take part in a three-month internship at another PEAK Urban site at some point during the length of the appointment is also a possibility, dependent on agreement with PEAK partners and approval by ACC.
The ACC therefore invites applications for a full-time Junior Research Fellowship post to start on 1 April 2018 or as soon thereafter, until December 2021. The post will undertake primary research and analysis aimed at understanding and conceptualising the health needs, services and multiscale policy dynamics related to Key Populations, and supporting the PEAK Urban summer schools.
Minimum requirements:
- A PhD in Geography, Urban Studies, Anthropology, Sociology or other related discipline with some academic experience post-PhD.
- Good qualitative and quantitative research skills.
- Evidence of academic writing ability.
- An awareness of actors, challenges and opportunities related to urban sustainability approaches and Key Population health needs and policies.
- Competency in an additional language appropriate to other PEAK partners will be beneficial.
Responsibilities include:
- Plan for and undertake relevant research related to Urban Sustainability, with a particular focus on Key Population (especially Men who have Sex with Men) health needs, services and policies.
- Publish research outputs in ISI journals and scholarly books.
- Present research findings at seminars and conferences at local, national and/or international events.
- Interface effectively with other PEAK Urban researchers, locally and internationally.
- Support the planning and implementation for yearly PEAK Urban summer schools.
- Take part in the PEAK Urban summer schools.
- Supervise dissertations and students.
- Attend strategic planning meeting, ACC staff meetings and other relevant events.
- Provide regular progress reports on project status
- Ad hoc involvement in ACC activities as identified by the Director, Deputy Director and Research Manager of the ACC.
- Undertake work that is of direct policy relevance.
For further information, please contact Associate Professor Andrew Tucker.
The annual cost of employment for this fixed term contract is between R415,578 and R575,865.
To apply, please e-mail the below document in a single pdf file to Ms Abigail Dixon:
- UCT application forms (click here to download);
- Motivation letter;
- Curriculum Vitae (CV); and
- A note (maximum of 800 wordS) on how you will approach the topic (health and sexuality with a focus on Cape Town) over the life of the project.
Please ensure the title and reference number are indicated in the subject line.
An application which does not comply with the above requirements will be regarded as incomplete.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and will be required to undergo an assessment
Reference number: E18138
Closing date: 7 March 2018
UCT is committed to the pursuit of excellence, diversity and redress in achieving its equity targets. UCT’s Employment Equity Policy is available here.
UCT reserves the right not to appoint.
