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 Assistant for the Policy Lab Department.
The Research Assistant will be working in a research team that 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 social mobility and inclusion, community solutions, decentralised governance, social policy experiments, homelessness and shelter solutions, and social inequality.
The job scope includes:
• Assisting with the administration and management of research projects, including recruiting and managing participants
• Conducting secondary research (e.g., literature review), data analysis for qualitative and/or quantitative research, and supporting the publication and dissemination of results and findings in reports, policy briefs, and conference and academic journal papers
• Conducting research fieldwork, including surveys, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, participant observations, and writing field notes.
• Undertaking other administrative duties relating to research projects, such as corresponding with stakeholders and working with other departments (e.g., finance and event management)
• Organising and reporting of seminars and conferences
Applicants must:
• Be a Singapore Citizen (owning to the nature of IPS’ workstreams)
• Have at least a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant social science discipline from a reputable university
• 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
• Demonstrate experience and competency in working with and synthesising large bodies of data (gathered through primary and secondary research)
• Have a strong command of the English language and be able to write in a clear and engaging manner, with a passion for grammar, detail and accuracy
• Be resourceful in getting things done and be able to meet deadlines and work well with others
The following are optional criteria that will give your application an advantage:
• Has experience in conducting research, whether qualitative (e.g. interviews and focus groups discussions), or quantitative (e.g. surveys, experiments)
• Has proficiency in Nvivo for qualitative data analyses
• Has proficiency in Qualtrics and SPSS/R/STATA programming for statistical analyses
What you can expect from the job:
Researchers at IPS work on a variety of projects initiated by the Institute, the government and the non-profit sector, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The Research Assistant will be able to engage in a number of research projects and have opportunities to co-author articles and research papers with other members of the research team. He/she will also benefit from exposure to intellectual exchange and networking with various stakeholders linked to the Institute’s work. This job will provide excellent training for a fresh graduate or an early career researcher 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.
To apply:
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 cover letter 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 thank all applicants for their interest; however, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.)