The Copperbelt University (CBU) is a public university located in the Copperbelt Province, Zambia. In October 2020, the University secured funding for the Professorial Chair in Environment and Development in honour of Oliver R Tambo, called Oliver R Tambo African Research Chair Initiative (ORTARChl), through the successful research proposal entitled “Developing Models for Mining Landscape Restoration and Management of Pollution associated with Mining in Zambia. ORTARChI is an initiative of South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), in partnership with the Oliver & Adelaide Tambo Foundation (OATF), Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and seven councils of the Science Granting Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa (SGCI).The CBU ORTARChI Chair, together with other ORTARChI Chairs in sub-Saharan Africa, focuses on developing professional capacity for the next generation of research leaders in a number of subject areas related to mining and environmental management. The ORTARChI Chair at Copperbelt University has two thematic areas namely; Socio-ecological landscape, and Mining pollution and remediation.
The Copperbelt University is hereby requesting for applications for Post-Doctoral position that will focus on Mining pollution and remediation under the ORTARChI Chair of Environment and Development.
JOB DESCRIPTION AND POST-DOC DELIVERABLES
·Assist the Research Chair in developing research concepts to be undertaken for a particular research year.
· Plan and carry out independent research focused on mining pollution and remediation studies with a research focus on;
Bioaccumulation of heavy metals at different trophic levels and impact on on both the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
Soil amendments
Environmental risk assessment and management
Plant rhizosphere bacterial morphology
§ Help in the supervision of postgraduate students at both MSc. and PhD levels registered in the mining pollution and remediation thematic area, especially in the context of fieldwork, data handling and analysis, as well as manuscript development.
§ Write competitive grant proposals to attract research funding.
§ Publish at least five (05) journal articles in international peer reviewed journals of good reputation (Target impact factor of 2 or better) per year, in which one of them should be the first author.
§ Disseminate research results at international conferences and be able to build beneficial research networks within the country, region and beyond.
§ Carry out administrative duties that may be assigned by the Research.
Qualifications and qualities:
A PhD degree in Environmental engineering, Ecological engineering, Ecotoxicological studies, wasteland geochemistry/pollution studies, or Plant-bacterial-heavymetal interactions.
§ Good publication record reflective of the expertise needed
§ Strong background in biostatistics
§ Team player and able to work in a multi displinary environment
§ Able to work independently
§ Able to effectively communicate in English (both in writing and orally) their research to colleagues and the scientific community.
§ Able to conduct field work in the scope of the research chair
Employment conditions and duration of the contracts
The initial appointment is for the period of 1 year with the possibility for renewal based on the performance.
Remuneration will be in accordance with the Copperbelt University conditions of service for post-docs
The post-doc researchers will work under the supervision of the Research Chair
Application Requirements
Applicants should have a PhD in the relevant field as indicated above.The applicants are expected to take up their positions by 1st February, 2027.
To apply, please submit the following documents:
i. Cover letter
ii. A detailed curriculum vita that includes a list of relevant publications
iii. Certified academic transcripts and certificates or proof of having completed PhD studies if the candidate has not yet graduated.
iv. A brief description of your research interests (1000 characters max.)
v. A description of your scientific goals for the fellowship (5000 characters max.).
vi. Two names of academic referees from credible institutions that can easily be contacted to provide reference for the candidate.
The application should be addressed to the undersigned not later than 20th October, 2026:
ORTARChI Chair of Environment and Development
The Copperbelt University
P.O. Box 21692
Kitwe, Zambia
The application should be emailed to ortarchi@cbu.ac.zm and copied to
mabwala.cm@gmail.com and mwamba.theo@yahoo.com with the subject area of the email indicating one is applying for Post doc Fellowship in Mining, pollution and remediation
