Call For Applications:

Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026:

Food Environments

(Two Positions)

The Food Environment Research group (a collective from Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, School of Public Health and the DSI/NRF Center of Excellence in Food Security) at the University of the Western Cape under the leadership of Prof Rina Swart is seeking Post-doctoral Research Fellows to work on projects related to the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), Indigenous and Neglected Crops (INC) and/or Nutrition Surveillance.

REQUIREMENTS

Eligible applicants are required to:

• have completed a PhD in the last five years.
• MUST Be a South African citizen
• the field of specialisation should be in Public Health, Nutrition, Food Security, Agriculture, Communication/Behaviour change or Data Science.
• have a strong academic record with evidence of statistical analyses and peer-reviewed publications.
• be physically present in South Africa, due to the nature of the research projects.
• have not held a previous NRF funded post-doc appointment

Additional requirements

• Fluency in Xhosa will be beneficial.
• Familiarity with nutritional epidemiology will be beneficial.
• Strong data management skills will be beneficial.
• Proven project management skills will be beneficial

The position will provide successful candidates with research and publication opportunities including further training, career development, and collaboration with national and international researchers.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will be required to register as a post-doctoral student at the University of the Western Cape. The fellowships are initially tenable for one year starting in 2026, and is valued at R320,000 per annum (tax free). A one-year renewal is likely, but dependent on satisfactory progress and funding availability.

Application Procedure:  

Eligible candidates should provide the following:

• A cover letter (1-2 pages) motivating for the candidate’s suitability and identifying the specific areas of interest
• A CV including all publications and other scholarly research output
• An academic transcript
• Copy of ID
• Names and contact details of at least 3 referees who have supervised or worked with the candidate and can speak to their experience and skills 

Enquiries and completed application should be emailed to Carnita Ernest, cernest@uwc.ac.za with cc to Rina Swart rswart@uwc.ac.za. Use subject heading:  Application for Postdoctoral Fellowship (Food Environments).

Completed applications need to be submitted by no later than 5pm on 19 June 2026.

Applications by South Africans from historically disadvantaged groups will be prioritized. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview.

The University the Western Cape reserves the right to change the conditions of award or to make no award at all.