Job Description

Senior/Scientist, Cognitive and Behavioural Modeling, Integrative Social Sciences Horizontal Technology Programme The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A.STAR) is setting up a new research Senior/Scientist, Cognitive and Behavioural Modeling, Integrative Social Sciences Horizontal Technology Programme The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A.STAR) is setting up a new research initiative in the form of an Integrative Social Sciences Horizontal Technology Programme. The Programme, to be hosted in the Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), will focus on integrating social scientific principles with other disciplines to produce impactful, translational research. Candidates should have a background in the cognitive or social sciences, ideally with strong quantitative skills (e.g. for modeling, measurement design/validation, or analysis of high-volume behavioral datasets). We have particular interest in applicants with expertise in one or more of the following areas: Mental health and well-being, esp. with focus on sub-clinical and/or healthy populations Decision-making, habitual behaviour, dynamics of behaviour change Measuring and modeling urban behaviour, esp. related to transit and/or sustainability Dementia and aging, including screening, support for healthy aging and caregiving Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging, related to any of the above domains Multi-modal techniques for cognitive assessment or diagnosis The Programme is seeking candidates to participate in team-based research with a strong translational focus. Selected candidates will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of ongoing projects, and to propose and initiate new projects. Many of IHPC's projects are conducted in collaboration with other research entities, public sector agencies and/or private companies. In keeping with the integrative mission of the Programme, candidates selected for this position will be strongly encouraged to pursue interdisciplinary collaboration with scientists from other Research Institutes across A.STAR, and/or to develop capabilities which can contribute to such collaborative projects. The Programme's key research domains include: Health and wellbeing: Examining the social and psychological determinants of health and well-being, such as health disparities, effects of modern societies and technology on health attitudes and behaviours, or application of technology for health communication/intervention. Social sensing: Measuring psychological or behavioural variables such as attitudes, personality or identity, and/or examining their implications for socially-relevant outcomes such as trust, cohesion, and misinformation susceptibility. Education: Using social and behavioural science or technological innovations to improve learning, motivation, cognitive flexibility, or social-emotional competencies, whether in the context of adult skill training or classroom-based teaching. Urban sustainability and solutions: Integrating cognitive and behavioural effects to better model urban decision making and dynamics and ultimately improve urban environments and enhance residents' quality of life (e.g., enable seniors to better age in place). Major duties and responsibilities: Initiating and conducting innovative research that applies principles and methods of social science to address strategic societal challenges Preparing grant proposals and reports Supporting social science research initiatives across A.STAR by providing relevant domain knowledge and reviewing research proposals Participating in outreach and engagement activities to foster collaborations with industry, government, and academic partners Supporting ongoing social science research activities within the Programme and IHPC Suitable candidates should meet the following core criteria: A PhD from a reputable university in a cognitive or social science discipline relevant to the above. Degrees in quantitatively-oriented disciplines such as AI, statistics or computational modeling will also be considered if the candidate has a demonstrated record of applied work in one or more of the above-specified topic areas. A compelling scientific track record and experience, commensurate with career stage. The ability to contribute to one or more of the four research domains listed above. The following characteristics would be highly desirable in a candidate: Willingness to undertake hands-on development work in rapid prototyping of solutions and development of proof-of-concept systems. Experience working across disciplines (especially collaborations between social and computational sciences) and / or developing solutions to applied societal problems. Mid-career candidates should demonstrate ability, experience, and success in initiating, leading, and completing competitively funded research programmes. Recent graduates should have demonstrable research skills and a record of participation in research-related activity. A.STAR is a catalyst, enabler and convenor of significant research initiatives among the research community in Singapore and beyond. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors, and bring science and technology to benefit the economy and society. Please indicate the role you are applying for, in your application and on all correspondences.