Cape Peninsula University of Technology Innovation for Smart and Sustainable Development in Materials and ProcessRelated Technology
Call for Applications for a Postdoctoral Fellowship The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) invites applications from outstanding early-career researchers for a postdoctoral fellowship commencing later in 2026. The fellowship will contribute to research aligned with national priorities for sustainable growth, social equity and technological advancement in the South African healthcare, pharmaceutical technology and materials-development sectors. The fellowship forms part of CoMPaSS: Characterisation of Materials - a Partnership for Synchrotron Science, funded by UK Research and Innovation through the Science and Technology Facilities Council under the International Science Partnerships Fund. Postdoctoral Fellowship (one position available) • Duration: One year, renewable annually subject to satisfactory progress and • •
continued funding availability, but not beyond 31 March 2029. Annual stipend: R320 000 (tax-free). Location: Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Bellville Campus, Cape Town, South Africa.
Eligibility • Candidates must have obtained a doctoral degree within the five years preceding the
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closing date. Applicants with expertise in electronic engineering, communication networks or Internet of Things applications, and an interest in multidisciplinary research in the chemical engineering and pharmaceutical domains, will be preferred. Relevant research interests include sensor design and instrumentation; electronic measurement systems; embedded systems and data acquisition; signal processing; computational modelling or simulation; optical or image-based sensing; biosensors; experimental system development; protein crystallisation or structural biology; and data science or machine learning applied to experimental data. The successful fellow will work within the CoMPaSS project, with a particular focus on protein crystallisation systems. The fellowship is subject to the CPUT Conditions of Grant and all applicable institutional approval processes. The fellow must devote their working time to the research programme and may not hold concurrent paid full-time employment. This is a full-time postdoctoral fellowship and does not constitute employment at CPUT.
Application Requirements Applicants must submit the following:
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A letter of motivation outlining suitability and research aspirations A current curriculum vitae
Contact details of two academic referees A two-page summary of research interests A sample of academic writing, such as a published article, thesis chapter or equivalent scholarly work
Applications must be emailed to periolaa@cput.ac.za. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview, either in person or online, within two weeks after the closing date. CPUT reserves the right not to make an appointment. Closing Date Close-of-business, Friday 6 November 2026.