Postdoctoral Fellow in Dietary Intake Assessment and Nutrition Research

NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY (POTCHEFSTROOM CAMPUS) FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES - CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR NUTRITION VACANCY: POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW IN DIETARY INTAKE ASSESSMENT AND NUTRITION RESEARCH EMPLOYMENT TYPE: FIXED-TERM APPOINTMENT

The Centre of Excellence for Nutrition (CEN) at the North-West University (NWU), Potchefstroom, invites

applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow with expertise in dietary intake assessment and applied nutrition

research. We are seeking a highly motivated Dietitian or Nutritionist to join our dynamic team as a

Postdoctoral Researcher. This position is embedded in the StartWell and Grow Research Project — a

longitudinal intervention study evaluating the effect of a multi-grain legume-based cereal on growth,

development, and diet quality in 2- to 5-year-olds at Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in the

JB Marks District, North West Province, South Africa. The study includes dietary intake assessment to

evaluate the nutritional adequacy and diet quality of meals provided to young children. Beyond this project,

the successful candidate will contribute to other CEN studies that require dietary intake assessment

expertise and will be encouraged to apply innovative approaches in this field. This is a hands-on research

position that requires someone who is independently driven, precise, and committed to producing work of

the highest quality.

You will join the team at CEN, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. CEN is a leading

research institution in health and nutrition, recognised for its contribution to advancing nutrition and

promoting evidence-based interventions to improve population health. CEN’s overarching research theme

is “Nutrition for health and development of all South Africans”. As a postdoctoral researcher, you will have

access to state-of-the-art facilities, collaborative research opportunities, and a supportive environment that

nurtures professional growth.

This position is available for a period of one to three years (depending on progress).

Job specification and responsibilities

• Contribute to the execution of the StartWell and Grow research project.
• Contribute to collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of data from the StartWell and Grow research project.
• Communicate and liaise with the StartWell and Grow community professionally and ethically.
• Assist with data management for the StartWell and Grow study.
• Collaborate on established research projects, with a particular focus on studies incorporating dietary assessment methodologies.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary research groups to advance scientific knowledge in the field.
• Support statistical analyses and interpretation of results using appropriate methods.
• Assist with grant writing and funding applications.
• Postgraduate student supervision.
• Write manuscripts and contribute to publication in peer-reviewed journals.
• Present research findings at national and international conferences.

• A Ph.D. in Dietetics or Nutrition.
• Demonstrated expertise in dietary intake assessment — including the collection, capturing, analysis, and interpretation of dietary intake data using multiple methods (e.g. 24-hour recalls, food records, food frequency questionnaires, menu evaluation, diet quality scoring tools, and other indicators).
• Proficiency in nutritional analysis software used in the South African context (e.g. FoodFinder).
• Solid statistical knowledge and practical experience with statistical software (e.g. SAS, R, or SPSS); experience with mixed models or longitudinal data analysis is advantageous.
• A track record of scientific productivity demonstrated by publications in reputable journals.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and manage competing priorities without constant supervision.
• Ability to also work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.
• Demonstrated reliability, precision, and commitment to research quality.

A tax-free remuneration of R320 000 per year is offered which is comparable to a salary of a lecturer

and is sufficient to cover living expenses for a single person. We also offer a small research grant (R50

000), as well as a travel grant of R20 000 for international candidates.

Potchefstroom is a university city of about 150 000 people in the North West Province of South Africa

approximately 130 kilometres south-west of Johannesburg. The North-West University comprises of three

campuses of which the Potchefstroom campus is the largest. The Centre lies within the Faculty of Health

Sciences and cooperates closely with various national and international research groups. The research

team is very active and has been doing top quality research for more than 20 years.

Application for this position must be done in writing and should include a detailed CV.

Applications are to be emailed to the email address below.

The closing date for the application of this position is 31 July 2026 and the starting date will as early as possible thereafter.

Address

Dr Cornelia Conradie

Centre of Excellence for Nutrition

North-West University

Potchefstroom, 2520

E-mail: ***email_hidden***

Tel: 27 18 285 2516

South Africa