Research Group Leader: Passenger Transport

• To generate new knowledge and contribute towards methodological and technological improvements to support well-functioning transport networks for society and industry.

Key Responsibilities:

• Responsible for project coordination and planning, often with multidisciplinary teams, to ensure projects are delivered on brief, budget, and time.
• Develop the business.
• Manage the quality of the outputs (i.e., proposals, reports, client presentations, etc.) to ensure they are responsive.
• Propose, plan and implement Parliamentary Grant and other grant-funded projects and programmes, in consultation with the Impact Area Manager to enhance the technical strength of the research group.
• Manage projects and programmes through robust and integrated planning.
• Coordinate deliverables to fulfil project requirements.
• Conceptualise innovate solutions to fulfil project and programme requirements.
• Build and maintain client responsive teams.
• Lead the research group to deliver on the impact area strategic plan.
• Continuously build the research group to be responsive to current and future transport challenges in South Africa and partner countries.
• Establish the research group as a national leader in passenger transport applied research, with international recognition.

Minimum Requirements for the Role:

• A Master’s in Transport Engineering, Operations Research, Applied Mathematics, Transport Economics, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or equivalent, with at least 10 years’ relevant working experience in transport systems and operations.
• Should preferably be at a principal researcher level or at least a senior researcher on the research career path (with publication history).
• Registered professional scientist or engineer would be an added advantage.
• Good understanding of transport operations and the built environment domains in South Africa.
• Excellent interpersonal and organisational skills.
• Ability to work in a methodical manner is essential.
• Ability to carry out strategic stakeholder interactions at all levels.
• Excellent business management skills (i.e., budgeting, establishing networks, excellent people skills, etc.).
• Ability to present ideas, concepts, plan, and procedures.
• Excellent people management skills (i.e., mentorship, coaching diversity, and diversity management).