Job Description

What the role is:
Republic Polytechnic's School of Engineering is seeking one new Research Staff for a duration of 12 months to work on a project for Automated Smart Tagging for Digital Twin-Based Infrastructure Inspection and Analysis with the following. We are looking for a driven and detail-oriented Software Engineer to develop image annotation and visualization tools supporting 2D-to-3D data tagging in infrastructure inspection applications. You will work closely with engineers and domain specialists to build intuitive web-based platforms that process, tag, and visualize visual datasets from drones and manual inspections. Your work will contribute to safer, smarter building and structural assessments through digital twin and AI-driven analysis.
What you will be working on:

• Build web interfaces for annotating and tagging 2D images and 3D models of buildings, facades, and critical infrastructure.
• Implement 3D scene navigation (e.g., orbit, pan, zoom) and overlay of defect tags such as cracks, spalling, corrosion, or misalignment using Three.js or similar libraries.
• Integrate annotation tools with drone-collected datasets and inspection image repositories.
• Develop tools to align 2D images with 3D mesh or point cloud representations for accurate defect localization.
• Store and retrieve tagging metadata, timestamps, coordinates, and inspector notes via REST APIs and a PostgreSQL backend.
• Collaborate with engineers and inspection teams to define tagging schemas and use cases (e.g., BCA TR78 facade defects).
• Optimize rendering and loading for large 3D models (e.g., tiled mesh or segmented point clouds).
• Support analytics and reporting features for tagged infrastructure issues, inspection status, and defect progression.

What we are looking for:

• Relevant qualification in computer engineering, electronics and communication, or a related discipline.
• Strong front-end development skills (JavaScript, ReactJS, HTML/CSS, Bootstrap).
• Experience with 3D visualization libraries (e.g., Three.js, Potree, CesiumJS).
• Familiarity with inspection data types such as high-resolution images, 3D meshes (OBJ/glTF), or LiDAR point clouds.
• Understanding of coordinate mapping between 2D imagery and 3D spatial data.
• Experience in backend integration using NodeJS/ExpressJS and database management with PostgreSQL.
• Experience with cloud deployment (e.g., AWS) and web technologies (JavaScript, TypeScript, MongoDB) is advantageous.
• Exposure to infrastructure or civil engineering inspection workflows is a plus.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to collaborate with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

About Republic Polytechnic:
The first educational institution in Singapore to leverage the Problem-based Learning approach for all its diploma programmes, Republic Polytechnic (RP) has seven schools offering courses in Applied Science, Engineering, Business, Hospitality, Infocomm, Sports and Health, and Technology for Arts, Media and Design. To support Singapore's national effort to promote continuous, lifelong learning, our Academy for Continuing Education (ACE) offers a wide range of part-time programmes. We welcome you to grow with us! Discover a people- and family-oriented culture, where you are inspired to improve as you nurture lifelong learners. For more information from RP, please visit https://www.rp.edu.sg/careers or follow us on LinkedIn.