Associate Professor – Physics (Semiconductor & Photovoltaics)

About the role

The Department of Physics at Nelson Mandela University seeks an Associate Professor to strengthen its teaching, research, and community engagement activities. The successful candidate will lead advanced research in semiconductor physics and photovoltaics while delivering high‑quality undergraduate and postgraduate instruction.

Key responsibilities

• Teach and supervise undergraduate and postgraduate physics programmes.
• Conduct cutting‑edge research in photovoltaics, manage international collaborations, and secure research funding.
• Supervise MSc and PhD students, guiding their theses to successful completion.
• Develop and review curricula to ensure research‑led teaching excellence.
• Provide academic leadership, mentor junior staff, and contribute to departmental and faculty governance.
• Engage with community initiatives and support university outreach activities.

Required profile

• PhD in Physics with at least five years of relevant teaching and research experience.
• Demonstrated leadership in applied research projects and a strong record of successful grant applications.
• Internationally recognised publications and active participation in conferences.
• Experience supervising postgraduate students at master and/or doctoral level.
• Evidence of national and international collaborations; NRF rating and PV industry links are advantageous.

Required skills

• Semiconductor physics
• Photovoltaics
• Advanced quantum mechanics
• Statistical mechanics
• Electrodynamics
• Laboratory techniques
• Experimental design
• Coding