The Institute for Security Studies seeks a Senior Researcher to join the Justice and Violence Prevention team on a research project undertaken in partnership with the University of Exeter (UK): ‘South Africa’s Hidden War (SAHW): Histories of Sexual and Gender-based Violence from Apartheid to the Present.’

Based at the ISS in South Africa and funded by the University of Exeter, the Senior Researcher will work with the project's Principal Investigator, Professor Emily Bridger, and the ISS Justice and Violence Prevention team.

SAHW explores how sexual and gender-based violence has been understood, experienced and responded to in South Africa across the apartheid and post-apartheid periods. In collaboration with the ISS, the project explores how historical research can be used to improve service provision for gender-based violence survivors and their families.

The Senior Researcher will conduct qualitative research and work with civil society organisations, NGOs, practitioners and other stakeholders to translate findings into improvements in service provision. About 40% of the role will focus on research and writing, and the remaining 60% will focus on improving policy and practice.

This is an exciting opportunity for a Senior Researcher who wants to combine excellent qualitative research with meaningful engagement beyond academia. The successful candidate will be intellectually ambitious, emotionally intelligent, highly collaborative and comfortable working across academic, policy and practitioner environments.

Remote working may be possible, subject to project and fieldwork requirements. The role requires regular travel within South Africa, as well as occasional international travel.

Overview of duties

• Design and undertake a participatory research case study involving life history interviews with women and other survivors of gender based violenceAnalyse qualitative interviews to identify patterns, continuities and changes in experiences of violence, help-seeking, engagement with service providers and recovery over time
• Work with ISS and its partners to apply insights from the SAHW project to improve access to services for survivors and their families
• Produce and contribute to academic publications
• Develop practical, public-facing resources such as policy briefs, practitioner guidance, toolkits, training materials and infographics
• Organise and facilitate workshops, meetings and other activities with research, policy and practitioner partners
• Gather evidence of changes in policy, practice, services or organisational activity arising from the research, and help assess and document the project's impact
• Represent the project at meetings, including of the Violence Prevention Forum and other ISS events, and present findings at national and international conferences

Overview of requirements

• A PhD in a relevant discipline, such as history, sociology, gender studies, anthropology, political science, law, public health or a related field
• Evidence of producing high-quality written research outputs appropriate to career stage
• Experience conducting qualitative interviews, including designing interviews and analysing qualitative data
• Demonstrated knowledge of research on sexual and gender-based violence or a related field
• Experience building collaborative relationships with external organisations, community groups or public-sector partners
• Ability to communicate research findings to non-academic audiences and translate them into policy and practice through innovative, impact-focused approaches
• Ability to manage research activities, balance multiple priorities and meet deadlines while working independently
• Experience of obtaining ethical approval and managing sensitive data
• Emotional intelligence and the ability to work sensitively with people from varied backgrounds, professions and sectors
• Fluency in at least one South African language other than English, with the ability to conduct interviews in that language

The contract is for 30 months and may be renewed, subject to funding and satisfactory performance.

Email your application to Rekha Valabh at [email protected]. Applicants must submit a CV, a cover letter or supporting statement, a writing sample of no more than 12 000 words (preferably a published piece), and contact details for at least three referees. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Informal enquiries about the role may be directed to Emily Bridger, Associate Professor in History at the University of Exeter, at [email protected].

Closing date: 4 September 2026