Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor & Professor (Three Posts) - Department of Jurisprudence - Faculty of Law
University of Pretoria
UP Posting - Academic
FACULTY OF LAW
DEPARTMENT OF JURISPRUDENCE
POST TITLE: LECTURER X1
POST TITLE: SENIOR LECTURER/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR/PROFESSOR X2
The University of Pretoria is one of South Africa's top research-intensive universities, dedicated to producing high-quality, impactful research that addresses complex contemporary issues. It is one of the most significant producers of research and makes a major contribution to postgraduate and postdoctoral fellowship training, as well as nurturing and supporting researchers at different stages of their research careers. It is home to the largest number of National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated researchers.
The University's nine faculties and business school offer a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes recognised internationally. It offers quality education to a cohort of approximately 55 000 students from across the diversity of the South African population and awards approximately 14% of all degrees conferred annually by public universities in South Africa.
The Faculty of Law at the University of Pretoria strives to be an internationally recognised leader in socially relevant legal research and education in South Africa and the world. In pursuing its vision, the faculty's mission is the creation and sustenance of a research and education environment that is grounded in the values of social justice and excellence. We have the necessary structures and systems in place to ensure that our graduates have the guidance and support to graduate on time.
The faculty is currently resourced with over 66 dedicated full-time academics, of which over 70% have doctoral degrees in various fields of law, enabling them to prepare our student community for various law-related career opportunities. The faculty prepares our students to become bespoke jurists and leaders of their communities where they can promote social justice effectively. It has a vibrant student life and active student bodies which pursue the rule of law through excellence.
In pursuit of the ideals of excellence and diversity, the University of Pretoria wishes to invite applications for the following vacancy.
The University of Pretoria's commitment to quality makes us one of the top research Universities in the country and gives us a competitive advantage in international science and technology development.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- The incumbents will be responsible for:
- Teaching in and coordinating any of the modules offered by the department of jurisprudence at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, which involves: taking a contextual and transformative approach to: Introduction to Law and Legal Skills; Law and Society/Socio-Legal approaches; Legal Theory/Legal Philosophy (with emphasis on social justice, intellectual history and critical theories of law); Research Methodology; Law and Political Justice; Legal History;
- Experience and engagement in combining jurisprudential and philosophical approaches in the context of other sub-fields of law and broad inter-; multi-; transdisciplinary scholarship will be a strong advantage;
- Conducting academic scholarly research and public engagement;
- Engaging with the community through teaching, supervision and research that is embedded in and responsive to the African and South African social context;
- Supervising masters and/or doctoral students;
- Mentoring students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels;
- Academic administration and management experience appropriate to level of appointment;
- Performing other duties as delegated by Head of the Department;
- The Department of Jurisprudence has a strong tradition of postgraduate supervision. Annually, the Department attracts and admits postgraduate students interested in researching law from diverse theoretical perspectives, particularly critical, transformational or transdisciplinary ones. Applicants with jurisprudential specialisations and / or supervision experience in the following subject areas or fields are especially encouraged to apply:
- African philosophy;
- Critical legal theory;
- Critical constitutional theory / constitutionalism;
- Decolonial legal theory;
- Legal pedagogy and curriculum transformation;
- Law and political economy;
- Law and society;
- Transformative private law.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
For Lecturer:
- At least a master's degree or an equivalent degree in the discipline of Jurisprudence/Legal Philosophy/Law and Social Theory/Legal History or related areas;
- One (1) accredited or peer-reviewed quality publication output or any publication of a scholarly nature demonstrating the candidate's potential to develop.
For Senior Lecturer:
- A doctoral Degree;
- Three (3) years' relevant Tertiary or vocational teaching experience, or five (5) years post-qualification experience in the legal profession or related field;
- Evidence of a successful teaching practice, teaching excellence and compliance with applicable Faculty and University performance standards on teaching
- Five (5) accredited or peer-reviewed quality publication outputs of which at least two (2) must be sole authored;
- Two (2) conference papers delivered at either national or international conferences.
For Associate Professor:
- A doctoral degree in one of the abovementioned fields or related fields;
- Six (6) years' tertiary teaching or vocational experience, or 8 years' post- qualification experience in the legal profession or related field, or a proportionate combination of the aforementioned experience;
- 12 accredited or peer reviewed publication outputs of which at least six (6) must be sole-authored;
- Six (6) Conference papers delivered at conferences, of which two (2) must be international;
- An NRF research rating, or a positive substantive peer review support, or other proof of academic standing, indicating local and some recognition in the field of expertise;
- Evidence of successful supervision of two (2) research master's or four (4) coursework master's mini dissertations;
- Experience in curriculum development and transformation.
For Professor:
- A doctoral degree in one of the abovementioned fields or related fields;
- Evidence of a successful teaching practice and teaching excellence;
- Eight (8) year's tertiary or vocational teaching experience, or Ten (10) year's relevant post-qualification experience in the legal profession or related field, or proportionate;
- 25 accredited or peer reviewed publication outputs of which at least 12 must be sole-authored;
- Eight (8) Conference papers delivered at conferences, of which four (4) must be international;
- A well-established and internationally recognised record of research supported by publications in high-quality peer-reviewed journals;
- Extensive experience in curriculum development and transformation;
- Evidence of at least one (1) completed successful doctoral supervision or co-supervision, successful master's supervision of at least three (3) research master's or seven (7) coursework masters mini-dissertations;
- Extensive record of academic leadership, administration and academic citizenship.
REQUIRED COMPETENCIES (SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIOURAL ATTRIBUTES):
- Ability to work in a team;
- Ability to work under pressure;
- Good language and communication skills;
- Participation in national and international academic conferences, seminars and workshops;
- Ability to independently plan and initiate discipline-related research;
- An established network of collaborative researchers.
ADDED ADVANTAGES AND PREFERENCES:
For Lecturer:
- Registration for, or progress with, Doctoral studies will be a strong recommendation;
- Relevant tertiary or vocational teaching experience or post-qualification experience in the legal profession or related field will be a strong recommendation;
- A demonstration of how community and public engagement can be integrated into the candidate's teaching and research will be to the candidate's advantage
- Relevant academic administration experience will be a recommendation;
- Experience in peer review and internal examination;
- Academic administration experience will be a recommendation;
- Experience in or exposure to postgraduate supervision will be to the candidate's advantage.
For Senior Lecturer:
- Experience in curriculum development and curriculum transformation is recommended;
- Successful supervision of at least 1 research master's degree or 2 coursework master's mini-dissertations will be a strong recommendation unless there are subject-specific factors that require deviation;
- Other indicators of the quality and impact of a candidate's research which will contribute significantly to the candidate advantage include (but are not limited to):
- prestigious scholarly awards;
- fellowships and research collaborations;
- contribution to educational material in the field; citation by courts;
- membership of national and international academic bodies and invitations to present keynote lectures.
- Evidence of community and public engagement being embedded in the candidate's research and/or teaching will be a strong recommendation
- Proven record of academic and / or legal administration and academic citizenship will be a strong recommendation. This could include the following:
- Journal review and editing;
- Participation in departmental committees;
- Serving as external moderator or reviewer for other academic and non-academic institutions;
- Guest lectures at other academic and non-academic institutions;
- Any other engagements and activities which may broadly demonstrate academic leadership and citizenship.
For Associate Professor:
- A postgraduate qualification in one of the mentioned fields above;
- Evidence of a successful teaching practice, teaching excellence and compliance with applicable department standard on teaching;
- Evidence of completed successful doctoral supervision or co- supervision will be a strong recommendation;
- Sucessful master's supervision of at least 2 research master's or 4 coursework master's mini-dissertation;
- Evidence of community and public engagement being embedded in the candidate's research and/or teaching will be a strong recommendation;
- Strong record of academic and/or legal administration and academic citizenship.
For Professor:
- A postgraduate qualification in one of the mentioned fields above;
- Preference will be given to candidates who have teaching and research expertise that complement the Department's research focus area;
- Evidence of a successful teaching practice, teaching excellence and compliance with applicable Faculty and University performance standard on Teaching;
- Extensive Experience in curriculum development and curriculum transformation;
- An NRF research rating, or a positive substantive peer review support, or other proof of academic standing, indicating local and international recognition in the field of expertise is recommended;
- Recognition of scholarly contribution and impactful research such as:
- Prestigious scholarly awards;
- Fellowships and research collaborations;
- Contribution to educational material in the field;
- Citation by courts;
- Membership of national and international academic bodies;
- Invitations to present keynote lectures.
- Evidence of community and public engagement embedded in research and / or teaching;
- Demonstration of how community and public engagement can be integrated into the candidate's teaching and research will be to the candidate's advantage;
- Proven ability to independently plan, initiate and lead research projects;
- Extensive record of academic and / or legal administration and academic citizenship.
The annual remuneration package will be commensurate with the incumbent's level of appointment, as determined by UP policy guidelines. UP subscribes to the BESTMED and UMVUZO medical aid schemes and contributes 50% of the applicable monthly premium.
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In applying for this post, please attach:
- A comprehensive CV;
- Certified copies of qualifications;
- Names, e-mail addresses and telephone details of three referees whom we have permission to contact;
- Names and contact details of peer reviewers (academic and research);
- Self-evaluation, Teaching and Research Portfolio
CLOSING DATE:
15 June 2026
No application will be considered after the closing date, or if it does not comply with at least the minimum requirements.
Should you not hear from the University of Pretoria by
30 November 2026, please accept that your application has been unsuccessful.
The University of Pretoria is committed to equality, employment equity and diversity.
In accordance with the Employment Equity Plan of the University and its Employment Equity goals and targets, preference may be given, but is not limited to candidates from under-represented designated groups.
All candidates who comply with the requirements for appointment are invited to apply.
By applying for this vacancy, the candidates consent to undergo verification of personal credentials and related information including, but not limited to, qualifications, criminal record, credit record, current and historic disciplinary proceedings as part of the selection process.
The University of Pretoria reserves the right to not fill the advertised positions.