Lecturer Geosciences – University of the Witwatersrand

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LECTURER.2.01
Location Johannesburg, ZA
Organization Name School of Geosciences

Department Description
FACULTY OF SCIENCE

SCHOOL OF GEOSCIENCES

Specialist in Geophysical Research and Computational Instrumentation (Lecturer-Level Position)

The School of Geosciences and the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand invites applications for a dynamic academic with expertise in geophysical instrumentation, geodata systems, and applied computing to support our expanding geophysics and Earth systems research and training programmes. This successful candidate will manage and advance the School’s extensive collection of field-based geophysical instrumentation — ranging from seismic arrays, seismic sources to magnetic, gravity, and electrical resistivity tools — as well as the physical properties lab and computational infrastructure and geodatabases. The successful candidate will play a central role in supporting and driving research, training students, and maintaining operational excellence across field and lab-based geophysical and geodata activities. The successful candidate will join one of Africa’s largest and most diverse geosciences institutions, contributing to our academic training programs, while developing their own research team and themes.

Brief Description

Key responsibilities will include:

Oversee the management, calibration, maintenance, and deployment of a large suite of geophysical field and laboratory instruments.
Provide technical support and training to students and researchers in the use of geophysical instrumentation for field acquisition and lab-based studies.
Lead development and maintenance of digital infrastructure for managing geophysical and geological datasets (particularly legacy datasets), including data archival, cloud storage, and access systems.
Lead the creation and curation of integrated digital geodatasets and geodatabases pertaining to both legacy and ongoing data gathering campaigns including, but not restricted to, laboratories, collections and research campaigns of the School and Institute.
Creation of a geospatial portal to market and share data generated by the School for research purposes, alongside developing DOI identification for appropriate datasets.
Support field logistics, including planning, procurement, and coordinating commercial surveys or inter-institutional instrument sharing where needed, together with the School’s Earth Quest Solutions team.
Maintain and support the School’s geophysical computing facilities, including servers, specialist software, and remote data processing capabilities.
Supervise postgraduate students and develop an independent, externally-funded research programme, focused on high-quality scientific endeavour.
The School of Geosciences at Wits University, together with the Evolutionary Studies Institute (ESI), is a recognised leader in Earth and palaeoscience research and training in Africa. The School hosts cutting-edge research centres such as the AfricaArray Geophysics Programme, the Wits Seismic Research Centre, and the African Research Centre for Ore Systems Science (CORES), supported by world-class analytical and geophysical facilities within the Earth Observatory super-laboratory. The ESI is home to one of Africa’s largest and most significant fossil collections and has a long-standing collaborative teaching and research relationship with the School. Together, they offer a dynamic and interdisciplinary environment that addresses critical scientific questions in geology, palaeontology, geochemistry, geophysics, climate change, and resource sustainability. Located in Johannesburg—surrounded by exceptional geological, palaeontological, and archaeological sites—the School and Institute maintain strong global industry and academic partnerships, and are committed to producing skilled graduates equipped for the international workplace.

Requirements & Competencies

A PhD in Geophysics, Geosciences, or a related Electrical Engineering discipline with an emerging research track record.
Some experience in managing geophysical instrumentation, ideally including seismic, electromagnetic, and potential field methods.
Sound knowledge of electronics, signal processing, and instrumentation engineering principles.
Experience with geodata processing and management platforms, such as SEG-Y, GIS systems, Earthworm, or ObsPy, and programming in Python, MATLAB, or similar environments.
Experience and familiarity in the creation and maintenance of integrated relational geodatasets and geodatabases across a wide array of platforms (e.g., Microsoft Access, Micromine, Leapfrog, Datamine, etc) and programming in those particular standards (i.e. VBA, SQL, Python).
Demonstrated ability to train and supervise students, particularly in field methods and instrumentation use.
Familiarity with computing environments and IT infrastructure (e.g., managing Linux- and PC-based computing clusters or cloud-based data systems).
A developing track record of peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Evidence of independent research and research funding would be beneficial.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across disciplines and support a vibrant academic community.
The successful candidate is expected to establish an active and well-funded research programme, publishing research in internationally accredited journals, as well as attracting and graduating talented postgraduate students. The main focus of this will be on instrument/computing competencies and training — as such undergraduate and postgraduate teaching requirements will be minimal.

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