FACULTY OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY
VACANCY NO: IRC 3353
The University of Botswana (UB), a premier state-owned tertiary institution dedicated to shaping the future through excellence, research, innovation and meaningful societal impact, invites applications from accomplished and suitably qualified professionals for the position of Professor in Mineralogy/Geology in the Department of Geology.
The Professor in Mineralogy/Geology is responsible for making original contributions to the Geology discipline, research and scholarship. The incumbent plays a critical role and provides leadership in scholarship and research internationally and makes significant contribution in the governance of the institution.
Duties: The successful candidate will be expected to (i) Teach at least three of the following: Mineralogy/Crystallography, Optical Mineralogy and Petrography at undergraduate and graduate levels. (ii) Take an active role in supervising and assessing. (iii) Guide and support students in the adoption of a broad range of learning practices appropriate to the discipline. (iv) Provide Exemplary evidence of inquiry-based teaching and learning across a range of levels. (v) Demonstrate coherence between philosophy and practice. (vi) Review programmes/ courses to ensure they are relevant to and up to date with local, international, global and disciplinary contexts, as well as engagement with students, stakeholders and peers. (vii) Ensure alignment between programmes/ courses and respective outcomes, teaching and learning activities, and assessment methods and criteria. (viii) Analyze assessment processes and student assessment results to inform curriculum practice. (ix) Secure external funding to support research and elevate the university's reputation. (x) Mentor graduate students, postdocs, and junior faculty for their scholarly development. (xi) Shape future research agendas within the Geology discipline and broader society. Serve consistently as external reviewer of other international institutions. (xii) Contribute to the development of intellectual property that benefits the university. (xiii) Demonstrate excellent leadership in policy formulation and Research Institute management within the university. (xiv) Provide effective leadership in change management across the entire university. (xv) Contribute to curriculum development and governmental advisory groups. (xvi) Promote ethical research conduct and high academic standards. (xvii) Represent the university in professional networks and forums, enhancing the institution's reputation. (xviii) Participate in the identification and mitigation of operational risks. (xix) Provide leadership in programme development, quality assurance, and staff and student support. (xx) Engage in thesis examination and committee activities. (xxi) Undertake any other duties as required by the University in line with this role. The Department reserves the right to allocate additional courses beyond those outlined above.
Qualification Requirements: A PhD/ Doctoral degree in Mineralogy/ Crystallography/Geology is required.
Experience Requirements: At least nine (9) years of relevant teaching experience at a university or comparable institution.
Professional registration: Membership/Registration (or eligibility for registration) with BQA or a relevant and recognized professional body.
Other Requirements: (i) A minimum of 24 pieces of research products (e.g. articles, book chapters, peer-reviewed conference proceedings, among others) published by recognised publishers twelve (12) of these must be articles in refereed/accredited journals in internationally recognised indexing databases. The remaining twelve publications could be journal articles, book chapters, peer-reviewed conference proceedings, etc., published by recognised publishers; (ii) An academic book may be equivalent to a maximum of 4 articles in refereed/accredited journals, depending on the quality of standing; (iii) sustained research output: a minimum of 3 peer-reviewed publications every four years; (vi) Sustained research activity: on-going externally supported research (e.g., funded/commissioned); (iv) paper/poster presentations at international conferences at least once every two years; (v) be lead and/or single author in at least one-quarter of the required journal publications in Mineralogy/ Crystallography, Optical Mineralogy, and Petrography. (vi) evidence of mentorship of early career scholars/graduate students; (vii) publications should be spread internationally and across journals; (viii) significant research impact, including but not limited to citations, the h-index, patents, policy applications, peer reviews, publications that are prescribed texts in other institutions etc. (required in at least 3 of the these); (ix) acknowledged by peers as being of national and international research standing (e.g. peer review of new research proposals; reference in research committees; editor/guest editor/reviewer of refereed/accredited national and international publishers; editorial board member of an international publisher in a relevant field; invitations as keynote speaker at national and international/symposia (required in at least 3 of the these); (x) evidence of governance and social engagement; (x) research collaborations with other institutions or organisations; (xi) research collaboration with cognate disciplines in the University; (xii) evidence of being an external examiner for Masters and/or PhD theses internationally. (xiii) Demonstration and evidence of academic leadership in a University environment.
The following will be an added advantage: Research awards and other forms of research recognition.
The curriculum vitae (CV) should contain a detailed list of publications, clearly specifying the titles of publications, ISBN numbers (for books, book chapters, and conference proceedings), dates published, names of publishers, names of co-authors (if any), and the number of pages. The work should be categorised into books, book chapters, refereed journals, non-refereed works, and consultancies.
How to Apply: Applicants are to address the stated qualification and provide any other information to assist the University to determine the applicant’s suitability for the position. Applicants should quote the vacancy number of the post applied for; provide current CVs (including telephone and e-mail), certified true copies of educational certificates, transcripts, three work-related references and send complete documentation to: The Senior Professional: HR Business Partnering, Faculty of Natural and Applied Science, Private Bag UB 00704, Gaborone. Botswana. Tel: (267) 3552969/2454; E-mail: fosvacancies@ub.ac.bw
Hand-delivered applications should be submitted to the University of Botswana at the corner of Notwane and Mobuto Road at Faculty of Natural and Applied Science Block 233, Office NO. 221/236
Remuneration: The University of Botswana offers a competitive salary and benefits commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Applicants should inform their referees to: i) Quote the Vacancy number and position applied for and ii) submit their references directly to the above address before the stipulated closing date.
NB: Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
Closing Date: 10 August 2026