Background: Scaling vaccine manufacturing and R&D across the continent to meet PAVM’s 2040 ambitions will require quadrupling the vaccine workforce to approximately 12,500 full-time employees (FTEs). Currently, there is a scarcity of vaccine development and manufacturing talent in Africa. Today, this talent totals between 2,000 and 3,000 FTEs, of whom many are associated with R&D entities that are not fully vaccine dedicated. Within this existing talent base, there is a lack of key manufacturing capabilities including drug substance and manufacturing R&D.
1- The Challenge
Currently, the development of biomanufacturing talent in Africa is reliant on programmes offered outside the continent to satisfy the short-term needs of vaccine manufacturers and regulators. However, this approach is expensive and unsustainable due to high associated costs and visa challenges. One of the major challenges faced by the continent is insufficient number of industrial placements for vaccine manufacturing to equip graduates with adequate industrial know-how and technical skills.
2. Proposed Solution
Africa CDC, in collaboration with the African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative (AVMI), launched a structured industrial fellowship programme in vaccine manufacturing in 2025. This will enable recent relevant graduates to acquire to the industrial technical skills and make them readily employable by the vaccine manufacturing institutions.
3. About the Industrial Fellowship Programme
The proposed programme is designed to equip recent graduates with the competencies outlined in the Vaccine R&D and Vaccine Manufacturing Competency Frameworks developed by the Africa CDC. Participants will gain valuable, hands-on experience in vaccine manufacturing over 1 year, with a strong focus on current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). The fellows will be placed at an active vaccine manufacturing institution in one of the following countries: Egypt, Senegal, or South Africa.
4. Target Audience and eligibility criteria
The industrial fellowship programme is targeted at recent (not more than 3 years) graduates (Bachelors and Masters) of the following fields:
- Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
- Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Chemical Engineering
- Biomanufacturing/vaccine manufacturing
5. Additional requirements
- Citizens of an African Union Member States
- Must possess a valid passport
- Must be available to participate to the industrial fellowship programme in one of the listed countries
- Must be proficient in English or French
6. Selection process
Africa CDC, PHAHM, and AVMI will establish a committee to review all applications, and only those selected will be contacted for further processing. Only 14 candidates will be selected.
7. Period of industrial fellowship programme
The industrial fellowship programme will be undertaken between July 2026 and September 2027.
8. How to apply
Applications should be submitted by filling in the application form available at the provided link: https://tools.africacdc.org/africacdcrc/surveys/?s=8AENFDHCDCCRHTD4
9. Financing
Africa CDC will provide the funding which includes:
- Return flight tickets to the industrial fellowship site
- Minimal stipend to support daily expenses
- Visa fees
- Documents to facilitate the visa application
10. IMPORTANT DATES
- Deadline for Application: 30th April 2026
- Selected candidates will be notified by 15th May 2026
- Africa CDC welcomes applications from all qualified persons from all AU Member states regardless of their gender, race, disability, religious belief, caste, or marital status. Women are encouraged to apply.
For more information, contact: MwilaC@africacdc.org