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HUMAN SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL (HSRC)
PEER REVIEWERS
Details
Closing Date
2026/08/14
Reference Number
HSR260731-1
Job Type
Freelancer
Job Title
Peer Reviewers
Business Area
Publishing
Department
HSRC Press
Number of Positions
5
Workplace Type
Remote
Location - Town / City
Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban
Location - Province
KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Gauteng
Location - Country
South Africa
Minimum Education Level
NQF 10 - PhD Degree or equivalent
Application Closing Date
14-Aug-2026
Job Category
Publishing
Job Advert Summary
PEER REVIEWERS
(Ref. No. Press-Peer Reviews July 2026 )
Location: Remote
HSRC Press, the publishing division of the Human Sciences Research Council, is a small but prolific and innovative publishing house of social science and humanities scholarship and outstanding non-fiction from and about Africa and the global south. We publish independently evaluated peer-reviewed scholarly and academic works under our HSRC Press and AISA Press imprints, and trade/academic nonfiction under our Best Red imprint. We are looking to appoint a panel of freelance peer reviewers to support our publication outputs. This panel will provide high-quality peer review assessments for book manuscripts, including monographs and edited collections. Peer reviewers would be required to assess proposals and complete manuscripts.
Minimum Requirements
Key requirements:
- Subject expertise - must have recognised academic qualifications, a PhD or equivalent;
- Must have an accredited scholarly publishing record: journal articles, book chapters, authored a monograph or volume editor of an edited collection;
- An academic affiliation will be advantageous;
- Demonstrable research experience in the relevant social sciences and humanities subfields (e.g., sociology, political science, anthropology, history, international relations, economics, etc.). Please indicate your area of specialisation;
- The ability to evaluate methodological rigour and integrity across qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies;
- At least 5 years’ research experience in a research environment;
- Fluency in English with excellent written and verbal communication skills;
- Competency in software such as Microsoft Word, Adobe and online submission platforms.
Duties & Responsibilities
Key responsibilities:
External peer reviewers for scholarly manuscripts are tasked with providing independent, expert evaluations to ensure academic rigour, integrity, trustworthiness, originality, and new contributions to the field. Their scope of work typically includes assessing scholarly quality and integrity, methodological soundness, relevance, and offering constructive feedback for improvement on proposals and complete manuscripts.
External peer reviewers act as gatekeepers of scholarly excellence, ensuring that books meet high academic standards, contribute meaningfully to their fields, and are refined through constructive critique before publication.
Purpose/Scope of work
Deliverables
- A written report summarising findings (Generative AI cannot be used to write the report);
- Specific comments on strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement;
- A clear recommendation for manuscripts’ suitability for publication.
Applications should include:
- A cover letter of motivation detailing your suitability for the position.
- A detailed CV with contact details of 3 referees.
- ORCID identifier
- Proof of qualifications.
- Two reference letters
- List of verifiable scholarly outputs (minimum 10)
Please register and submit your application on-line at https://hsrc.erecruit.co/
Application Instructions:
- Candidates can make use of their mobile devices or any browser to register on the Neptune recruitment site, as well as to make applications for available vacancies; Candidates will be prompted to upload their CV’s;
- Attachments must be less than 1MB, there is an on-screen option to resize.
For further information about the HSRC or the post please consult our website (www.hsrc.ac.za). Enquiries, regarding the application process, can be directed to Aurelia Smith at asmith@hsrc.ac.za or Ms Abongile Mkwelo at amkwelo@hsrc.ac.za and those relating to technical knowledge for the positions (NOT applications or CVs) may be directed to Roshan Cader at rcader@hsrc.ac.za
Closing date: 14 August 2026. We encourage applicants to submit prior to this date. Applicants who have not been contacted within eight weeks should assume that their application has been unsuccessful. Only applicants who are interviewed will be advised of the outcome of their applications.
The HSRC reserves the right not to make an appointment.
APPLICATIONS FROM RECRUITMENT AGENCIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
Policy
In delivering 'social science that makes a difference' in South Africa and the region, the Research Programmes of the Human Sciences Research Council initiate and undertake policy-oriented research projects and programmes from its offices in Cape Town, Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Pretoria. Its public-purpose mandate is set out in the Human Sciences Research Council Act No.17 of 2008.
The HSRC aims to attract and retain high-calibre skills and human resources necessary to effectively execute both its mandate to conduct research and to support the strategic intent of the organisation.
The HSRC is committed to accelerating the improvement in the proportion of South African Citizens who are black, female, or disabled towards achieving Equity goals.
The HSRC reserves the right not to make an appointment.
Application from recruitment agencies will not be accepted.
