Job Description

This post was previously advertised as Job ID: 5844. All applications received in response to the previous advertisement will automatically be considered again. Previous applicants therefore do not need to reapply.The fellowship is linked to a competitive research grant obtained from the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The project, South-North flows of information through translation in the global news agency AFP is led by Dr Marlie van Rooyen from the UFS and Prof Lucile Davier from the University of Geneva. The UFS postdoctoral fellow will be based in Bloemfontein and supervised by Dr Van Rooyen.The fellowship will enable an outstanding doctoral graduate to obtain experience in research and innovation at a higher education institution under the mentorship of established researchers. The fellowship is awarded on a competitive basis, considering the applicants' academic achievements and research potential, as well as the relevance of prior experience and expertise. The fellowship is available for a period of two years (2025-2026).Duties and responsibilities:

• Conduct innovative research as part of a research team.
• Travel to conduct fieldwork and collect data from two news agency bureaux on the African continent and the African desk of Agence France Presse (AFP) in Paris.
• Prepare conference papers and present at international conferences.
• Author/co-author at least one (1) publication output per year in the form of DHET-accredited scholarly journal articles or books/chapters in books. The renewal of the fellowship beyond the first year depends on satisfactory performance and the submission of an annual progress report.
• Register and reside as a postdoctoral research fellow at the UFS and participate in relevant activities of the Department of Linguistics and Language Practice at the UFS.

Eligibility criteria

• Graduated with a PhD in a relevant discipline within the last five years. Relevant disciplines include but are not limited to translation studies; news translation; news/media and language; ethnography; digital humanities; discourse analysis; pragmatics; and/or sociolinguistics
• Fluent in at least English and French.
• May not hold full-time salaried employment during the fellowship.
• Must be able to relocate to the UFS for the duration of the fellowship. This is a residential fellowship: the successful applicant must spend 80% of her/his postdoctoral period at the UFS.
• Have a strong socio-political knowledge of Africa.

Recommendations

• Knowledge of and experience in qualitative research methodologies.
• Qualitative data analysis software.
• Prior experience in presenting research papers at conferences and/or seminars.
• Authored/co-authored academic publications.

CompetenciesTo apply, please email the following documentation by 6 October 2024 to Dr Marlie van Rooyen at vanrooyenm1@ufs.ac.za :

• Motivation letter, including a 1-2-page outline of relevant expertise and experience.
• Full CV including a list of research publications, conference papers and other scholarly outputs demonstrating relevant experience and expertise.
• Full transcripts of academic records and copy of doctoral degree certificate.
• Copy of ID document (or copy of passport in the case of foreign applicants).
• Contact details of two academic referees who have taught/supervised the candidate (one referee must be your lead PhD supervisor).

Value of the fellowship:

• R 300,000 annual fellowship.

Closing date:
6 October 2024Commencement of fellowship:
01 January 2025For inquiries, please contact:
Dr Marlie van Rooyen vanrooyenm1@ufs.ac.zaGeneral:
The UFS is a designated employer and is committed to the pursuit of excellence, diversity, and redress in achieving its equity targets in accordance with the Employment Equity Plan of the University and its Employment Equity goals and targets. Preference will be given to candidates from the under-represented designated groups including candidates with disabilities. Our Employment Equity Policy is available at: EEA13_EE Plan UFS 1 March 2022 (003).pdfThe University processes personal information in line with its obligations under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and any personal information provided to the University will be treated as confidential and processed in accordance with the rights provided to data subjects under POPIA.The University reserves the right not to fill the post. The UFS will only consider applications of candidates who meet all the inherent requirements of the position. Applications that are incomplete will not be considered. Communication will be limited to shortlisted candidates only. Should you not be contacted within six weeks of the closing date for applications, you may assume that your application was unsuccessful.How to apply to this jobTo apply, please email the following documentation by 6 October 2024 to Dr Marlie van Rooyen at vanrooyenm1@ufs.ac.za :

University of the Free State