Research Assistant: Coastal Seawater Dilution & Groundwater

National University of Singapore; Singapore; On-site; SGD 33,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the National University of Singapore invites applications for a Research Assistant position in Geotechnical Engineering. The project focuses on investigating active dilution of seawater using pumping systems and rainfall replenishment in sand-filled reclaimed land, combining 1-g physical model testing with analytical and numerical modeling.

Responsibilities include constructing a 1-g physical model box, data collection with sensors,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Hydrogeology, Environmental Engineering, or closely related field.
• Experience with physical laboratory testing, soil mechanics, or hydrogeology experiments preferred; familiarity with numerical simulation software or coding is an advantage.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English; ability to work collaboratively in a research group.

Responsibilities

• Physical Testing: Construct and manage a 1-g physical model box simulating Singapore's reclaimed land stratigraphy (sand and clay layers).
• Data Collection & Monitoring: Execute extraction and replenishment tests; install and calibrate salinity sensors, piezometers, and flow visualization tools.
• Model Development: Develop analytical drawdown trajectory models and coupled groundwater flow/solute transport models using software such as SEAWAT, MODFLOW, or COMSOL.
• Field Simulations: Perform field-scale numerical simulations to evaluate dilution efficiency, timescales, and key factors under varying soil conditions.
• Research Output: Analyze data, prepare progress reports, and present findings in academic journals and international conferences.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Team collaboration

English communication

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Civil Engineering

Tools

COMSOL

SEAWAT

MODFLOW

Python

MATLAB

Job description

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the National University of Singapore invites applications for a Research Assistant position in Geotechnical Engineering. The project focuses on investigating active dilution of seawater using pumping systems and rainfall replenishment in sand-filled reclaimed land, combining 1-g physical model testing with analytical and numerical modeling.

Responsibilities include constructing a 1-g physical model box, data collection with sensors,