Lecturer/Senior Lecturer: Computer Science

LECTURER or SENIOR LECTURER (6 year contract)

Department of Computer Science, and the African Climate Development Initiative (ACDI)

Faculty of Science

The Department of Computer Science and the African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI) jointly seek to appoint a Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in the area of data science or AI applied to environmental and climate science. The successful candidate will hold an academic appointment in the Department of Computer Science and a Research Associateship in the ACDI.

The post-holder will join the Africa Climate Collaborative, a new cross-university programme in climate resilience and sustainability hosted by ACDI in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. The Collaborative brings together researchers across disciplines to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the African continent. This role sits at the intersection of that effort, applying data science and/or AI to climate and environmental problems with direct societal impact. The post-holder will teach and supervise at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in the Department of Computer Science, and contribute to a new Masters programme and a Doctoral Training Academy convened by the ACDI.

Requirements of the job at Lecturer level:

• A PhD degree in a relevant field;
• Ability to teach Computer Science at undergraduate level;
• Demonstrated experience in the application of computational methods, especially AI and/or data science, to climate, environmental, and related sciences;
• A track record of research publications, commensurate with career stage; and
• Commitment to socially engaged research.

Additional requirements of the job at Senior Lecturer level:

• At least two years of post-PhD academic or professional experience;
• Significant teaching experience at university level;
• Experience in supervision of Master’s and/or PhD students;
• A track record of research publications, commensurate with career stage; and
• Evidence of active contributions to administration.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and teach undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Computer Science and/or AI, including one postgraduate course on AI and machine learning applications in environmental, climate and related fields;
• Contribute one teaching block to the new Doctoral Training Programme in Climate and Development;
• Supervise postgraduate students;
• Contribute to Departmental and Africa Climate Collaborative administration;
• Participate in Africa Climate Collaborative activities;
• Pursue a personal research programme that is socially responsive and publish this research in high quality journals; and
• Foster collaboration between the Department of Computer Science, the AI Initiative, ACDI and other UCT groups working on climate and sustainability, including contributing to joint research projects and research proposals.

The annual cost of employment for 2026, including benefits, at the Lecturer level is R974 126

The annual cost of employment for 2026, including benefits, at the Senior Lecturer level is R1 207 358

To apply, please visit UCT Internal Careers site (For Internal Applicants) and UCT Careers site (For external Applicants) to create a profile and submit your application. You will need to attach the following documents:

• Your CV;
• A one-page teaching statement;
• A one-page research statement; and
• A motivation letter that speaks to the specific requirements of the position.

An application which does not comply with the above requirements will be regarded as incomplete.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and may be required to deliver a presentation.

Any enquiries around the application process to be addressed to Ms Abigail Dixon at [email protected] or 021 650 1673

Closing date: 12 October 2026

Website:

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