CNST Academic Programme Coordinator

Number of Positions: 1
Reports To: Joint Working Group CNST Project
Duty Station: Soroti University
Terms of Service: Two Years Contract and Renewable Based on Performance

Purpose of the Position

The CNST Academic Programme Coordinator will serve as the technical focal point responsible for driving the institutional establishment of the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Soroti University under the CNST programme framework.
The position will lead the coordination, implementation, and monitoring of key activities required to operationalize nuclear engineering education, including academic programme development, staffing pipelines, institutional partnerships, capacity building, and technical readiness planning.
The Officer will work closely with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) CNST Project Coordinator, Soroti University leadership, and international technical partners to ensure that the Department of Nuclear Engineering progresses from concept to fully operational academic unit capable of supporting Uganda’s nuclear science and technology programme.

Person Specification

1 A Bachelor of Science degree in: Physics or Mathematics or Chemistry or Engineering. 2 Master’s of Science in Nuclear Engineering or Nuclear Science and Technology is an added advantage. 3 Applicants should have at least three (3) years of relevant professional experience in areas such as technical programme coordination, engineering or scientific research environments, academic programme development, science or engineering project implementation. 4 Experience working in energy, nuclear science, engineering, or higher education programme development will be an added advantage 5 Required competencies
i. Strong analytical and technical coordination skills. ii. Ability to manage complex institutional development processes. iii. Excellent report writing and technical documentation skills. iv. Strong stakeholder engagement and negotiation abilities. v. Ability to work in multidisciplinary scientific environments. vi. Strong planning and project tracking skills.

Duties and Responsibilities

A) Coordination of Department of Nuclear Engineering Establishment
i) Lead technical coordination of activities required for the establishment of the Department of Nuclear Engineering and the future School of Nuclear Science and Technology at Soroti University. ii) Develop and maintain an implementation roadmap outlining milestones for departmental establishment, including governance approvals, staffing requirements, infrastructure planning, and academic programme rollout. iii) Coordinate preparation of institutional documentation required for establishing the department within Soroti University governance structures. iv) Track progress of establishment activities and ensure implementation aligns with agreed national programme timelines within the CNST Project. v) Develop and maintain detailed implementation workplans for the establishment of the Department of Nuclear Engineering, including planned activities, timelines, and expected outputs aligned with the CNST programme framework.

B) Academic Programme Development and Curriculum Implementation
i) Drive the development and finalization of nuclear science and engineering academic programmes, including: MSc Nuclear Engineering; BSc Nuclear and Radiation Engineering and Postgraduate Diploma programmes in nuclear related disciplines. ii) Coordinate academic consultations required for curriculum refinement, laboratory planning, and teaching preparation. iii) Facilitate submission and follow-up of academic programmes for National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) accreditation. iv) Participate in the development of laboratory specifications, academic staffing plans, and programme implementation frameworks.

C) Human Resource Development and Staffing Pipeline
i) In consultation with the Joint Working Group, develop and maintain a staffing pipeline plan for the Department of Nuclear Engineering, identifying academic staff requirements, training needs, and recruitment timelines. ii) Coordinate identification and nomination of academic staff for postgraduate training and specialized nuclear education programmes. iii) Facilitate partnerships with international universities and training institutions to support staff development. iv) Track progress of staff training programmes and ensure conformity with long-term departmental staffing requirements.

D) Institutional Partnerships and Technical Collaborations
i) Support the development and maintain technical collaborations with partner universities, research institutions, and nuclear science organizations. ii) Coordinate benchmarking visits, academic exchange programmes, and research collaboration initiatives relevant to nuclear engineering education. iii) Participate in engagements with international partners supporting the nuclear education programme in Soroti University. iv) Participate in the development of institutional collaboration frameworks including Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and academic cooperation agreements.

E) Monitoring of Establishment Progress and Programme Delivery
i) Develop and maintain a Department Establishment Progress Tracker covering: a. curriculum development progress b. accreditation milestones c. staffing pipeline development d. training activities e. partnership engagements.
ii) Prepare periodic technical progress reports on establishment activities. iii) Monitor the implementation of the approved departmental establishment workplans, milestones, and technical guidance provided through the CNST coordination structures. iv) Prepare and submit periodic accountability reports on activities undertaken and expenditures incurred in support of the Department establishment for review by the CNST Joint Working Group and relevant University authorities. v) Maintain organized records of activities, technical outputs, and decisions related to the establishment of the Department of Nuclear Engineering to support institutional reporting, programme monitoring, and audit processes. vi) Identify risks affecting programme development and recommend corrective actions.

Key Outputs

The CNST Academic Programme Coordinator shall deliver the following outputs:
i) A structured implementation roadmap for the Department of Nuclear Engineering. ii) Nuclear engineering academic programmes finalized and submitted for accreditation. iii) Documented staffing and capacity development pipeline for nuclear engineering academic staff. iv) Benchmarking and technical collaboration activities implemented. v) Institutional partnerships with nuclear science and engineering institutions established. vi) Periodic technical reports on departmental establishment progress submitted. vii) A functioning coordination framework between Soroti University, MEMD, and CNST partners.