Policy Research Associate: Data-Driven Insights

National University of Singapore; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

National University of Singapore's Institute of Policy Studies is seeking a Research Associate to support literature reviews, data collection and analysis, and the preparation of research materials and reports. The role involves coordinating with the fieldwork team, managing sampling and questionnaires, and contributing to scholarly outputs for internal and external audiences.

The candidate should hold a Master's in a social sciences discipline, be proficient with SPSS/R/Qualtrics, and

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a social sciences discipline from a reputable university.
• Strong grounding in quantitative methods and proven ability to handle and analyse large datasets.
• Familiar with statistical and programming software (SPSS, Qualtrics, and/or R) and data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Scoping and collating literature reviews.
• Collecting, cleaning, formatting, and analysing data using statistical software.
• Managing and running research-driven programming and events.
• Preparing documentation for research ethics board reviews.
• Preparing interview/focus group questionnaires.
• Assisting in the design of survey instruments and experiments, including sampling strategies and data-collection protocols.
• Managing fieldwork administration in partnership with fieldwork operations.
• Engaging and managing stakeholders across workstreams.
• Attending project meetings and seminars.
• Summarising project results and preparing progress reports for the PI and funding agencies.
• Writing papers, articles, reports, chapters, and presentations for internal, stakeholder, and public consumption.
• Presenting findings or analyses as necessary.
• Ad‑hoc: Assisting with events and outreach, and other administrative tasks.

Skills

Quantitative methods

Data analysis

English communication

Education

Master's degree in social sciences

Tools

SPSS

R

Qualtrics

Job description

Job Title: Research Associate (Institute of Policy Studies) (33657)

University-Level Unit: Institute of Policy Studies

Faculty/Department-Level Unit: Institute of Policy Studies

Employee Category: Research Staff

Location_ONB: Bukit Timah Campus

Posting Start Date: 08/07/2026

Job Description

The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) is an autonomous research institute within National University of Singapore. IPS is looking to hire a Research Associate.

Core Responsibilities

• Scoping and collating literature reviews
• Collecting, cleaning, formatting, and analysing primary/secondary data using statistical software (SPSS / R)
• Managing and running research-driven programming and events
• Preparing documentation for research ethics board reviews
• Preparing interview/focus group questionnaires
• Assisting in the design of survey instruments and experiments, including sampling strategies, questionnaire development, and data-collection protocols
• Managing some aspects of fieldwork administration including field interviewer briefings, project progress monitoring, and data quality controls, in partnership with a dedicated fieldwork operations team
• Engaging and managing stakeholders across workstreams
• Attending project meetings, briefings, and subject-matter-expertise seminars as necessary
• Summarising project results and preparing progress reports for the PI and funding agencies
• Writing papers, articles, reports, chapters, and preparing presentations for internal, stakeholder, and public consumption
• Presenting findings or analyses for internal, stakeholder, and public consumption as necessary
  
  

Ad-hoc Responsibilities

• Assisting with events and outreach associated with research workstreams, such as rapporteuring, planning, and hosting conferences and workshops
• Other administrative tasks as assigned
  
  

Qualifications

• Have an excellent academic track record, including a Master's in a social sciences discipline from a reputable university
• Have strong grounding in quantitative methods and proven ability to handle and analyse large datasets
• Be familiar with statistical and programming software (especially SPSS, Qualtrics, and/or R) and data analysis
  
  

Additionally, You Will Be Favourably Considered If You

• Possess strong English language communication skills, with an ability to write in a clear, engaging, coherent, and expedited fashion
• Exhibit keen interest in research pertaining to social issues, sentiments, and policies
• Possess experience in conducting survey fieldwork or other forms of research data collection
• Demonstrate strong commitment to meeting deadlines and have a track record of producing work that reflects a maturity of thought
• Are highly attentive to detail and committed to data accuracy and quality
• Be independent and initiated
  
  

More Information

Location: Bukit Timah Campus

Organization: Institute of Policy Studies

Department : Institute of Policy Studies

Employee Referral Eligible: No

Job requisition ID : 33657

Req ID: 33657