Professor

Requirements:

• A PhD in Information Systems, Computer Science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Information Security, or a closely related discipline relevant to cybersecurity management.
• Proven, up-to-date cybersecurity expertise maintained through research, industry engagement and/or professional practice.
• Demonstrable teaching and/or research expertise in cybersecurity management, governance, risk, strategy, digital trust or related areas.
• Solid evidence of a substantial body of recent research output in high-impact publications, preferably in cybersecurity, or cybersecurity related key IS areas.
• Evidence of successfully graduating Masters or PhD students.
• Demonstrable experience in curriculum development and course administration, together with substantial teaching experience, at postgraduate and undergraduate levels.
• Experience leading the implementation and or using educational technologies, including online delivery platforms.
• Evidence of academic citizenship such as leadership and non-remunerated service within the cybersecurity and IS disciplines. This includes active engagement with academic, professional, or governmental bodies; governance roles in professional societies; and sustained contributions to the discipline through editorial work, refereeing, and research evaluation.
• A track record of productive academic administration, academic leadership, staff management and mentoring.

Additional requirements for Professor level:

• The candidate must possess a sustained national, regional and/or international reputation as an authority in the field of cybersecurity or cybersecurity management.
• Evidence of successfully graduating Masters students and more than one PhD.
• A proven track record of successfully attracting competitive research funding.
• Evidence of authoritative research impact and scholarly standing, which could be but is not limited to a National Research Foundation (NRF) rating or equivalent benchmark.
• Demonstrable evidence of intellectual leadership within the discipline, and the broader academic community.
• A distinguished contribution and standing in relevant professional endeavours or cybersecurity-related industry bodies.
• Evidence of high-level management and leadership skills, supported by excellent interpersonal skills necessary for leading complex academic units.

Additional information

The IS Division seeks to recruit individuals for key Information Systems roles, specifically in Cybersecurity (including cybersecurity management, governance, risk management, cyber law, digital trust, organisational resilience, ethical hacking, and digital forensics). Applicants with cybersecurity leadership experience, a record of cybersecurity curriculum innovation, and/or involvement in national or international cyber capacity-building initiatives are especially encouraged to apply.

Expectations of the successful applicant:

• Active contribution to the Division’s cybersecurity research and teaching portfolio, including teaching, curriculum development and postgraduate supervision on the MCom Cybersecurity Management programme. Design and delivery of undergraduate and postgraduate modules, especially in cybersecurity and IS core areas.
• Supervision of research students, with an emphasis on topics aligned to digital trust, security, and resilience.
• Academic citizenship, including administrative roles and mentorship within the Division. An NRF rating (or equivalent), or the capability of obtaining one within three to five years.
• At the level of Professor, development of a cybersecurity research area, including the writing of research grant applications and attraction of research funds external to the university.

As Wits is a research-intensive university, appointed staff members must engage in research and publish in accredited outlets.

Enquiries only: Linda Spark, Head of Division (Information Systems), e-mail: [email protected]

Remuneration: A competitive salary package will be offered.

Detailed Description

Job Requirements

Additional Details

How To Apply

To apply: Submit a cover letter, a detailed CV (with names, addresses and contact details of three contactable referees), a one (1) page statement of teaching philosophy and certified copies of degrees/diplomas by registering your profile on the Wits i-Recruitment platform located at Vacancies - Wits University and submitting your application.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Candidates who have not been contacted within two (2) weeks of the closing date can consider their applications unsuccessful. In accordance with our Employment Equity goals and plan, preference will be given to suitable applicants from designated groups, as defined in the Employment Equity Act, 55 of 1998 and subsequent amendments thereto. The University of the Witwatersrand reserves the right to verify all information provided by candidates. Please note that correspondence will only be entered into with shortlisted candidates. The University of the Witwatersrand reserves the right not to make an appointment or to re-advertise.

Closing date: 02 November 2026

The University is committed to employment equity. Preference may be given to appointable applicants from the underrepresented designated groups in terms of the relevant employment equity plans and policies of the University. The University retains the right not to make an appointment and to verify all information provided by candidates.

Please note that correspondence will only be entered into with shortlisted candidates. The University reserves the right not to make an appointment or to re-advertise.

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Work At Home