Lecturer/ Senior Lecturer _ Environmental Humanities South

LECTURER or SENIOR LECTURER 6-YEAR CONTRACT

Environmental Humanities South (EHS) and the African Climate Development Initiative (ACDI)

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

The Environmental Humanities South (EHS) and the African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI) are seeking to jointly appoint a Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in the field of global change, social and sustainability science with expertise in environmental humanities. The post holder will be an academic member of staff in EHS and a research associate in ACDI.

The post-holder will join the Africa Climate Collaborative, a new cross-university programme in climate resilience and sustainability hosted by ACDI in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

The Collaborative brings together researchers across disciplines to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the African continent, and this role sits at the intersection of that effort – applying an interdisciplinary lens to climate and environmental problems with direct societal impact. The post-holder will teach and supervise at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and contribute to a new Masters programme and Doctoral Training Academy convened by ACDI.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB AT LECTURER LEVEL:

• A PhD degree in an area cognate to environmental humanities.


• Ability to teach at the intersection of environmental humanities and climate change.


• A track record of research publications, commensurate with career stage.


• Experience in supervision or co-supervision of Honours and/or Masters students.


• Evidence of commitment to socially engaged research.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB AT SENIOR LECTURER LEVEL:

• At least two years of relevant post-PhD academic and/or practice experience.


• Evidence of undergraduate and/or postgraduate teaching experience at university level.


• Experience in supervision of Masters and/or PhD students.


• A track record of research publications, commensurate with career stage.


• Evidence of active contribution to institutional administration.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and teach undergraduate and postgraduate courses on social science and humanities-centred perspectives on climate change, and related areas.


• Contribute one or more teaching blocks to the new Doctoral Training Programme in climate and development.


• Supervise postgraduate students.


• Contribute to EHS, university and African Climate Collaborative administration.


• Participate in Africa Climate Collaborative activities.


• Develop a research hub aligned with EHS and ACDI foci, that is socially responsive and publish research in high-quality journals.


• Foster collaboration between the humanities scholars, EHS, ACDI and other groups working on climate and sustainability issues at UCT, including contributing to joint research projects and research proposals.

The annual cost of employment for 2026, including benefits, is at Lecturer level R974 126 and R1 207 358 at Senour Lecturer.

Any enquiries for the position to be addressed to Ms. Natasha Khan at [email protected] or 021650 3469.

To apply, please visit the UCT Jobs site (www.jobs.uct.ac.za) to create a candidate profile and to submit your application.

Please complete/attach the following to your profile before submitting your application:

• A cover letter addressing the specific requirements of the position, including a teaching statement.


• Curriculum Vitae (CV).


• Copy of your ID or passport.


• Three referee names which must include their title and name, position details, relationship to you, their e-mail address and telephone number.

An application which does not comply with the above requirements will be regarded as incomplete and will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and may be required to undergo competency and pre-placement medical assessments. Referee reports may be requested at any stage of the recruitment process.

Telephone:  021 650 3469

                                                                                 Website: www.hr.uct.ac.za

Reference number: 1583                                          Closing date:  15th November 2026       

UCT 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. Our Employment Equity Policy is available at https://uct.ac.za/oic/employment-equity 

When you apply for a position at UCT, we collect your personal information to assess your application, communicate with you, and coordinate interview logistics. Information such as race, gender, nationality, and disability status is used to support our Employment Equity obligations. We also verify your references, qualifications, conduct criminal and, for certain roles, credit checks. For more information about how the University of Cape Town uses personal information and your rights, please email [email protected].

The University reserves the right to extend the closing date for applications if deemed necessary and reserves the right to make no appointment.