Natural Science Collections Facility (NSCF) Postdoctoral Fellowship

Call for applications for a postdoctoral fellow to carry out a research project titled: Understanding Knowledge Flows, Societal Impact, and Value Chains of South African Taxonomic Research and Digitised Collections.

The Natural Science Collections Facility (NSCF), which is funded by the Department of Science, Technology & Innovation (DSTI) and hosted by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), is offering a 12-month postdoctoral fellowship to carry out research on the use, impact, and value of biodiversity information derived from South Africa’s natural science collections, including specimen data, images, measurements, and taxonomic knowledge.

The objective of this postdoctoral fellowship is to develop and apply reproducible methods to quantify the use of biodiversity information and map knowledge flows from collections and digitised datasets through to research outputs, policy processes, and societal impact. The primary focus will be on integrating data-use metrics (e.g. GBIF downloads and citations), bibliometric and policy analyses, and targeted case studies to identify patterns of uptake, establish baseline indicators of use and impact, and identify gaps in mobilisation and pathways of influence across sectors such as conservation, agriculture, and biosecurity. There will also be scope, depending on progress and interest, to explore emerging methods, including AI-assisted workflows, to enhance the extraction, integration, and use of information from collections (e.g. specimen labels, images, and traits).

The postdoctoral fellow will work closely with a cross-institutional NSCF task team comprising collection managers, data specialists, and taxonomists from partner institutions. The fellow will co-develop aspects of the work with this group.

The successful candidate will:

• Develop a conceptual and analytical framework for assessing how collections-derived information is used and where it has impact.
• Design and apply analytical workflows to quantify data use (e.g. downloads, citations, reuse), establish baseline indicators, and identify patterns, gaps, and biases.
• Align impact indicators with national priorities, international frameworks (e.g. GBF), and policy and regulatory needs.
• Develop a set of targeted case studies demonstrating how collections inform research, policy, and decision-making.
• Produce peer-reviewed publications and technical outputs on collections use, knowledge flows, and societal impact.
• Contribute to the development of evidence-based indicators and reporting approaches to support NSCF strategic planning.
• Explore the potential of collections-derived information (e.g. images, measurements, identifications) and AI-assisted approaches to enhance data extraction, integration, and downstream applications. (Optional / exploratory)

Eligibility:

Applicants must:

• Hold a PhD (awarded within the last 5 years or if longer then with evidence of a period of absence from research due to family responsibilities) in a relevant discipline with experience in both the use of natural science collections as well as data analysis.
• Not be employed on a full-time basis or hold another postdoctoral grant.
• Be a South African citizen or permanent resident.
• Be available to take up the postdoctoral fellowship by 1 July 2026.
• Have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Have an unendorsed driver’s license which has been held for more than one year and willing to travel nationally.

Details of the postdoctoral fellowship:

• The fellowship is offered for 12 months at a value of R400,000.00 per annum, with provision for extension. Payment will be made directly to the postdoctoral fellow in four payments per annum depending on satisfactory progress.
• Operational costs for the project will be covered separately.
• Submission of at least one paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Relevant data will be compiled into a report to be submitted to SANBI and DSTI.
• Recipients will be expected to sign an agreement with SANBI. Should the signed agreement not be complied with, SANBI reserves the right to withdraw the fellowship.

Application process: 

Each application is to be accompanied by:

• standard bursary application cover sheet (attached to this advert);
• two-page cover letter, detailing interest in the project and suitability, and details of experience relating to research or management of natural science collections
• full CV, including a record of publications and conference presentations;
• certified copy of a PhD certificate;
• certified copy of ID;
• two letters of reference (one must be from an academic supervisor)

 Send all documents to students@sanbi.org.za and cc students.sanbi@gmail.com with NSCF postdoctoral fellowship in the subject line.  Ideally, all documents should be submitted in a single pdf file.

SANBI reserves the right not to fill the postdoctoral fellowship. If no response has been received within 28 working days of the closing date, applicants may assume that their applications were unsuccessful.

Contact details:

For queries relating to the postdoc contact Usisipho Sotshangane

For queries relating to the application process please contact René du Toit