Research Assistant (Institute of Policy Studies) (34971)

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

Job summary

The Institute of Policy Studies at the National University of Singapore is seeking a Research Assistant for Policy Lab to help organise an international conference, learning journeys and study trips, and to engage expert speakers. You will assist in managing a network of researchers and non-profit partners, help design pilots and policy experiments, and build a cohesive knowledge base on social mobility.

The role involves qualitative research, writing, project management and event coordination,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with relevant work experience.
• Familiarity with qualitative research methods and data analysis tools.

Responsibilities

• Assist in organizing an international conference, learning journeys and study trips.
• Curate and engage expert speakers; manage a network of researchers and non-profit organisations.

Skills

Qualitative research

Qualitative analysis

Nvivo

Qualtrics

English writing

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Nvivo

Qualtrics

Job description

Company description

The National University of Singapore is the national research university of Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest higher education institution in Singapore

Job Description

The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) is a think-tank in the National University of Singapore. IPS is looking to hire Research Assistants for Policy Lab, a R&D unit that develops and tests solutions with potential for transformative change. We co-create innovative programmes and test their viability through pilots and experiments, working closely with diverse stakeholders from the people, private and public sectors.

This specific role will focus on a Social Mobility workstream and involves supporting the organizing of an international conference, associated learning journeys and study trips, helping to curate and engage expert speakers, and assist in managing a network of researchers and non-profit organisations, implementing pilots and policy experiments to test new ideas, and ultimately creating a cohesive body of knowledge on social mobility.

The job scope includes supporting the:

Applied Research:

• Environmental scans on emergent policy issues and evidence-reviews to curate ideas
• Conceptualise policy experiments and co-design solutions with communities or partner agencies
• Evaluating pilot projects for learning and improvement. Data collection may include conducting simple surveys and ethnographic fieldwork, including participant observations, writing fieldnotes, and in-depth interviews

Writing and Publications, clear and concise writing for:

• Short-form concept papers to communicate ideas to potential partners
• Detailed grant or research proposals to secure funding and support from government agencies
• Academic papers or project reports that communicate the findings of studies

Project Management, Administration and Event Organisation:

• Assist in managing project milestones, preparing stakeholder updates, coordinating with partner organisations, and recruiting and managing undergraduate student researchers. Support procurement and liaise with Finance, HR and Legal teams. Coordinate conferences, workshops, closed-door discussions, networks, local learning journeys and overseas study trips, including conceptualising programmes, curating speakers and liaising with partners and funders

Qualifications

• Have an excellent academic track record, including a Bachelor's with relevant work experience
• Have keen interest in research and development to co-develop and test policy solutions with relevant communities and stakeholders
• Have familiarity with qualitative research methods, qualitative analysis and data analytical tools such as Nvivo and Qualtrics
• Have strong English communication, with an ability to write in a clear and engaging manner
• Have initiative and demonstrated ability to coordinate and manage projects
• Demonstrate commitment to meeting deadlines and have a track record of producing work that reflects a maturity of thought

What you can expect from the job:

• The Research Assistant will have the opportunity to work with academics, government and the non-profit sector to incubate actionable social change projects or engage in policy experiments to test hypotheses about what works. The close relationships that IPS has with government, funders and non-profit sector means that solutions conceptualised in Policy Lab have a decent chance of longer‑term social impact if they prove to be effective
• You will be able to build a research portfolio by authoring research reports, opinion pieces and journal articles related to these projects for the purpose of communicating results or public education

More Information

Location: Bukit Timah Campus

Organization: Institute of Policy Studies

Department : Institute of Policy Studies

Employee Referral Eligible: No