Job Details

Job Description

Applications for one Senior Postdoctoral fellowship are hereby invited from outstanding and ambitious individuals to join a vibrant and internationally renowned research institute, funded by the European Union and the EDCPT as part of the Southern Africa Research Capacity Network (SOFAR) Fellowship programme. PhD holders who have 2 or more years of experience post-PhD are welcome to apply.

The successful applicant will be awarded a highly attractive salary for 2 years and will receive a generous bursary to attend overseas conferences, travel to network meetings and to attend training programmes of their choice. Additionally, each Postdoctoral Fellow will be awarded 50,000 Euros in project costs to build their own research programme at Zambart, with the view to becoming a fully independent researcher. Successful fellows are invited to apply for a permanent position at Zambart at the conclusion of their SOFAR fellowship.

SOFAR postdoctoral fellows will benefit from a strong network of Southern African researchers also completing their own SOFAR fellowships at our partner institutions, the Biomedical Research and Training Institute in Zimbabwe (BRTI) and Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS) in Mozambique. Our European partners at the Ludwig-Maximillian University of Munich (LMU) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) also support the development, training and networking of our fellows.

Postdoctoral fellows will be supported to grow their own research profile with the mentorship of an academic supervisor at Zambart and an additional supervisor from either LMU or LSHTM dependent on their research interest. The fellows will also be encouraged to spend some time at LMU and/or LSHTM for networking and training. In addition, they will be expected to enrol in courses at other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to develop specific skills and expertise. Successful fellows will be expected to secure future grants by applying for competitive Postdoctoral fellowships or research project grants and support ongoing research studies under Zambart Research Directorate.

Please note: This call is focused on social science post-doctoral candidates.

Eligibility Criteria

1.    A PhD degree in social science preferably in the area of infectious disease.

2.    Experience in conducting TB/HIV related public health research.

3.    Demonstrable experience publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals including as first author.

4.    Some experience with competitive grant writing.

5.    Close engagement with qualitative research methods, data collection and analysis.

6.    Mixed methods expertise (qualitative and quantitative) would be an advantage.

7.    Experience conducting research with communities will be an added advantage.

Application

Interested candidates must submit the following:

1.    Completed application form.

2.    Full curriculum vitae (CV) (including a list of academic outputs to date).

3.    Letter of Motivation (maximum 1 page)

4.    Signed letters of recommendation from three academic references. (Maximum 1 page per letter)

5.    Full transcripts of academic record.

6.    Copy of degree certificates.

Please send your applications alongside the above required documents to: [email protected]

Access the link to the form on the URL Or as below:  https://forms.office.com/r/DBYZSXEhud

Closing Date for Applications: 19th September 2025.

Selection of Candidates

The application form is designed to assess the following 1) your career history to date, 2) your achievements in research to date, 3) your work experience in Zambia or countries in other Southern African countries, 4) how the opportunity will support your academic career development.

Applicants will be shortlisted by a multidisciplinary panel comprising senior research staff at Zambart, and a committee with membership drawn from HEIs and African Partner Research Institutions (APRIs) and other health professionals from research organizations in Zambia.

The fellowship will cover fees, travel, stipends and other research related costs for the 2-year duration of the fellowship.