Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Disability Rights (1-year contract, renewable up to 3 years) Job ID 6422

The Office of the Dean at the Faculty of Law University of the Free State invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for postdoctoral fellowships. Candidates interested in pursuing an academic career focused on human rights in particular disability rights and whose research relates to human rights and their relationship with transformation are encouraged to apply.

The fellowship will enable outstanding doctoral graduates to obtain experience in research and innovation at a higher education institution under the mentorship of established researchers. The successful candidate will be required to conduct innovative interdisciplinary research and produce publications on any aspect of disability rights human rights and transformation.

The fellowship is awarded on a competitive basis taking into account the applicants academic achievements publication outputs and research potential as well as the relevance of prior experience and expertise. Particular weight will be attached to the extent to which applicants medium-term research planning their research focus and their proposed research projects engage the theme of disability rights inclusion and transformation in particular in the areas of poverty and access to basic resources such as land housing food water education and healthcare; and political and democracy-related rights. The fellowship is available for a period of one year renewable for up to three years subject to satisfactory performance.

Duties and responsibilities:

Assist the disability rights unit in terms of research administration and other tasks.
Work in collaboration with the deans office when it comes to research administration and other tasks.
Conduct interdisciplinary research on the relationship between disability rights human rights and transformation.
Collaborate around shared interdisciplinary themes related to disability rights institutionally nationally and internationally.
Assist in postgraduate supervision.
Participate in teaching in the faculty.
Author/co-author at least 3 publication outputs per year in the form of DHET-accredited scholarly journal articles or books/chapters in books.
Register and reside as a postdoctoral research fellow at the UFS and participate in relevant activities of the Faculty the Free State Centre for Human Rights the School of Postgraduate Studies and the Directorate of Research Development.
Prepare and present papers during seminars and other research events.

Eligibility Criteria:
Open to all South Africans and foreign nationals for full-time research at the University of the Free State (UFS).
Graduated with a doctoral degree in human rights in general and disability rights in particular within the last five years.
Successful applicants may not hold full-time salaried employment during the fellowship.
Successful applicants must be able to relocate to the UFS for the duration of the fellowship. This is a residential fellowship: the successful applicant is required to spend 80% of her/his post-doctoral period at the UFS.
Candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply

Application:
To apply please email the following documentation by 04 May 2026 to (Please note despite a set deadline applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the fellowship may be awarded before such deadline)

Motivation letter including a 1- 2 page outline of relevant expertise and experience and of the research project proposed for the fellowship.
Full CV including a list of research publications conference papers and other scholarly outputs.
Certified copies of full transcripts of academic records and of the doctoral degree certificate.
A SAQA Certificate for qualifications obtained outside South Africa.
Certified copy of ID document (or copy of passport in the case of foreign applicants).
Contact details of two academic referees who have taught/supervised the candidate.

Value of the fellowship:
R240 000 annual fellowship (not taxed).
R30 000 additional research expenses fund (not taxed)

Closing date:
04 May 2026

Commencement of fellowship:
1 June 2026 or as soon as possible.

For enquiries please contact:
Email: Khothalang Moseli at

General:
The UFS 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 including candidates with disabilities. Our Employment Equity Policy is available at:

The University processes personal information in line with its obligations under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and any personal information provided to the University will be treated as confidential and processed in accordance with the rights provided to data subjects under POPIA.

The University reserves the right not to fill the post. The UFS will only consider applications of candidates who meet all the inherent requirements of the position. Applications that are incomplete will not be considered. Communication will be limited to shortlisted candidates only. Should you not be contacted within six weeks of the closing date for applications you may assume that your application was unsuccessful.