Position available: Chief/Senior Research Officer

Founded in 2001 at the University of Cape Town, DataFirst promotes open access to African data. We provide data curation, hosting services, and expertise in research on data quality, usability, and comparability. DataFirst also has a strong history of capacity building, offering training in data curation and data analysis. We have been awarded funding to establish the African Foundational Learning Data Hub (AFLEARN), aimed at improving educational outcomes across Africa by supporting the effective use of foundational learning data for evidence-based advocacy and policymaking.

Our goals include:

1. Creating an African hub for foundational learning data, methods, measurement, data quality, and comparability.
2. Empowering African organizations and ministries to use data for evidence-based policymaking.
3. Expanding the pool of researchers working on foundational learning in Africa.

We are seeking a Chief Research Officer or Senior Research Officer, on a fixed-term contract basis, to play a pivotal role in the AFLEARN Data Hub. The successful candidate will work closely with the DataFirst Director on partnerships, capacity building, data enhancement, and research. The successful candidate will lead and manage research projects, design and deliver capacity-building workshops, enhance foundational learning data, supervise and mentor researchers, and contribute to strategic partnerships and fundraising efforts to advance AFLEARN’s mission of improving educational outcomes across Africa.

To view and apply for this position, please visit the UCT Jobs site View (For Internal Applicants) and View (For external Applicants) to create a profile and to submit your application.

Closing date: 04 April 2025

Reference: ID 1041

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 www.hr.uct.ac.za/hr/policies/employ_equity

UCT reserves the right not to appoint.