Job Description

The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) is a policy research think-tank in the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.

IPS is looking to hire a Research Associate for the Society & Culture department. The Research Associate will assist senior researchers in the applied policy work that they do. They will also be given the leeway to seek small research grants and conduct independent research projects. The Research Associate will have the opportunity to acquire critical research skills and domain knowledge, develop his/her individual research capacity and build networks with key stakeholders from the public, private and people sectors.

The Research Associate will be working in a research team which contributes to the Institute\'s research programmes, such as social mobility and inclusion, governance of Singapore as a city-state and managing diversities. The department\'s workstreams include: digital inclusion in various domains (e.g. work, integration and digital literacy) and media policy, impact of new technologies on governance, the future of work, social mobility, and health and social care.

Job scope:

• Assist with research projects from project design/conceptualisation, and prepare data collection instruments (e.g. questionnaires, interview guides and experimental design)
• Assist Principal Investigators (PIs) with different aspects of project administration, such as seeking approvals (e.g. for university research ethics board reviews), procurement, budget tracking, summarising project results and preparing progress reports
• Track research developments in relevant policy domains and scope literature reviews
• Conduct data collection, independently and/or with external partners and vendors
• Analyse primary and secondary data, using different quantitative and/or qualitative methods
• Collaborate with colleagues and manage stakeholders across different workstreams
• Attend project meetings, briefings, and subject-matter-expertise seminars as necessary
• Report research to stakeholders via research papers, policy briefs, journals, media commentaries and IPS\' online channels
• Undertake administrative duties such as develop and facilitate research conferences, workshops and closed-door discussions
• Ad-hoc responsibilities include working with senior researchers to conceptualise and organise outreach associated with research workstreams

Job Qualifications

To be considered for this role, candidates should fulfil the following criteria:

• Be a Singapore Citizen (owing to the nature of IPS\' workstreams)
• Have a Master\'s degree with at least 2 years\' relevant work experience, and good knowledge, skills and expertise in relevant field
• Be intellectually curious and possess strong research skills, preferably with some background and a keen interest in issues relating to the department\'s workstreams as stated above
• Able to apply quantitative and/or qualitative research methods to the department\'s research projects - in designing studies, collecting and analysing data
• Has experience in executing some form of research methodology, whether qualitative (e.g. interviews and focus groups discussions), or quantitative (e.g. surveys and experiments)
• Possess strong English communication and analytical skills, with an ability to write in a clear, coherent and engaging manner
• Demonstrates initiative and expertise in information gathering, analysis and review
• Demonstrates strong commitment to meeting deadlines and has a track record of producing work that reflects a maturity of thought
• Be independent, initiated, and attentive to details

The following criteria will give your application an advantage:

• For quantitative researchers:

- Proficiency in Qualtrics and SPSS/R/STATA programming for statistical analyses,

- Preferably knowledge of statistical tools and methods for longitudinal data analysis

• For qualitative researchers:

- Proficiency in qualitative research methods and data analysis
- Has experience in a prior research role (e.g. as Research Assistant)

Other Job Information

What you can expect from the job:

The Research Associate will have the opportunity to work in a research team committed to ensuring high quality of research. Researchers in the department work on a variety of projects initiated by the Institute, government and the non-profit sector using both qualitative and quantitative methods. In addition, the Research Associate will also benefit from exposure to intellectual exchange and networking with various stakeholders linked to the Institute\'s work. There are also training and development opportunities to build the Research Associate\'s skills. This job will be good grounding for a graduate with some working experience, who is seeking to develop a career in the fields of public policy or social science research, whether in academia, the public service, or the private sector.

Application Procedure

To apply (quote CS112023B):

Please upload the following documents via NUS Career Page.

• One-page cover letter (with a brief statement of relevant research experience)
• Curriculum vitae
• Two writing samples (min. 500 words)

Your statement of interest/CV should include details such as your highest qualifications, last drawn salary, expected salary and reasons for leaving your last/current position. Please also state when you expect to be able to begin work, if this position is offered to you.

(We regret that owing to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be notified.)

More Information

Location: Bukit Timah Campus

Organization: Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

Department : Institute of Policy Studies

Employee Referral Eligible: No

Job requisition ID : 22840

National University of Singapore