Professor/Associate Professor (permanent) & Head of Department rotational contract: Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering (5-year contract) at Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Job Purpose

Head of Department (HOD)

•  The successful candidate will be appointed permanently in the Department as a Professor or Associate Professor and will be appointed as a rotational HOD in line with the rotational HOD guideline for a 5-year period and at the expiry of the 5-years rotational HOD appointment the incumbent will revert back to the level at which the appointment was made on a permanent basis – Professor/Associate Professorial level whichever level is relevant.
• HOD responsibility: The person should be eligible to be appointed as the rotating HOD and manage the department effectively and efficiently in line with the CPUT policies and procedures specifically but not limited to (i) academic project management; (ii) research management; (iii) HR and staff management; (iv) financial management; and (v) student management.
•  Teaching: The person must be able to teach at both undergraduate and postgraduate level and produce prospective Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering graduates that are able to advance to higher qualifications in Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering.
•  Research: The person must be active in research, and successfully supervise undergraduate final year research projects; and postgraduate students.
• Professor/Associate Professor
•  Develop and lead research in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
•  Successful recruitment and supervision of postgraduate students
•  Strengthen collaborations and successful research external funding
•  Contribute to faculty goals in teaching & learning, research & innovation, community engagement and work integrated learning.
• Incorporate research outcomes into the academic project.

Job Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Head of Department

•  A doctoral qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics or related field. All underpinning qualifications must be in the Mechanical or Mechatronic Engineering field.
•  A minimum of 5 years relevant Mechanical or Mechatronic Engineering experience in an industrial environment or 5 years’ higher education lecturing and research experience (with at least 3 years’ experience as a Senior Lecturer).
•  Management experience with an understanding of curriculum development; quality assurance; professional body accreditation processes; financial and HR management of a department.
•  A track record in post graduate supervision with successful postgraduate students.
•  A track record in research output in accredited journals.

Associate Professor

•  A doctoral qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics or related field. All underpinning qualifications must be in the Mechanical or Mechatronic Engineering field.
•  A minimum of 5 years’ qualification relevant Mechanical Engineering/Mechatronics teaching and research experience in higher education.
•  Successful supervision of Master’s and Doctoral students.
•  A track record of publications in peer reviewed/accredited journals.
• (The selection panel’s recommendation and assessment will be aligned with the institutional promotions criteria)

Professor

•  A doctoral qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field.
• A minimum of 6 years relevant Mechanical or Mechatronic Engineering or related experience in higher education
•  Successful supervision of Master’s and Doctoral students.
•  A track record of at least 15 publications in peer reviewed/accredited journals, 8 of which during the past 5 years.
• Successful external national and international funding
•  Recognised as an international leader in research and innovation
• (The selection panel’s recommendation and assessment will be aligned with the institution’s promotion criteria)
• Recommendations
• Preference will be given to applicants registered with ECSA and that have been involved in accreditation process both internally and externally.

Key Performance Areas / Principal Accountabilities

• Head of Department
• Academic leader of the department
• Representative of the department to the rest of the university community
• Representative of the university leadership in the departments Representative of the university to external bodies

The HOD roles and functions cover a broad area and include but are not limited to the following:

• Financial management and management of the budget Human resource management
• Academic management and academic administration Quality promotion and quality management
• Academic planning and the development of the departmental PQM
• Implementation of OHS Act
• Professional development of academic and support staff
• Implementation of the performance management system
•  Management of research and innovation activities
• Management of workplace-based learning and service learning
• Management of stakeholder partnerships
• Initiating and engaging in fundraising activities
•  Overseeing marketing and recruitment strategy of the department
•  Development of a departmental strategic plan and overseeing its implementation.

Academic duties will include:

•  Lecturing on all programmes within the department
•  Planning and executing all teaching and learning activities for Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering academic administrative tasks
•  Promotion of community participation and linkages
•  Promote and manage research supervision of undergraduate projects and postgraduate students where applicable
•  Promote and assist staff with research funding both internally and externally

Professor/Associate Professor

•  Research and Innovation capacity building
•  Teaching and learning (specially at the postgraduate level)
•  Successful recruitment and supervision of postgraduate students
• Provide academic leadership in the department
• Participate in curriculum development of undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications
• Preparation and participation in quality assurance and professional body accreditations
• Successful sourcing of external national and international funding
• Develop and maintain national and international industry linkages