Research Assistant/Project Officer (Animal Movement Ecology)

Nanyang Technological University; Singapore; On-site; SGD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

The Asian School of the Environment (ASE) at Nanyang Technological University is hiring a research assistant/project officer to support the establishment and running of a new lab in movement ecology and conservation in Singapore.

You will contribute to fieldwork, data management, procurement, and regulatory tasks, with opportunities to gain experience in laboratory techniques such as DNA metabarcoding and GIS data handling for shorebird and urban bird tracking projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or polytechnic diploma with relevant working experience (3 years) in ecology, environmental science or related field.
• Strong organizational skills and meticulous data management.
• Good written and oral communication; highly independent and team-oriented.

Responsibilities

• Provide general administrative support and procurement related to the lab’s projects.
• Manage inventory and oversee equipment maintenance; assist with permits for fieldwork.
• Assist in laboratory work including identifying macrozoobenthic species and DNA metabarcoding; support field operations and tracker deployment.
• Manage databases for research data and specimens; ensure health, safety and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Organized

Communication

Independent

Team player

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Ecology or Environmental Science or Biology

Tools

GIS software

R programming

PCR

Job description

The Asian School of the Environment (ASE) at Nanyang Technological University is an interdisciplinary school that aims to be a world leader in environmental research focused on Asian environmental challenges. The ASE integrates earth and environmental life science, ecology, engineering and technology, human ecology, humanities, and the social sciences to address key issues of the environment and sustainability. For more details, please view https://www.ntu.edu.sg/ase. We are hiring a research assistant/project officer to provide operational support for the establishment and running of a new lab in movement ecology and conservation. The RA will be supporting a project on tracking shorebirds in Southeast Asia and other projects on tracking urban birds in Singapore. This role covers a variety of work and responsibilities, including field work, lab work, data management and administrative tasks.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide general administrative support and conduct procurement related to the lab’s ongoing research projects.
• Manage the inventory of laboratory and field consumables and oversee equipment maintenance.
• Assist in applying for permits for fieldwork and import of specimens.
• Assist in laboratory work, including identifying macrozoobenthic species from sediment samples and determining their biomass, and DNA metabarcoding.
• Support field operations, including bird catching and deployment of bird trackers in the field.
• Manage, curate, and maintain databases for research data and biological specimens.
• Assist in ensuring lab operations compliant with university health, safety, and environmental regulations.
• Write and update Risk Assessments and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for both lab work and fieldwork.
• Coordinate logistics of overseas fieldwork.
• Provide training and technical support to students conducting research in the lab.

Job Requirements

• Possess a Polytechnic Diploma with 3 years of relevant working experience or Bachelor’s degree in Ecology, Environmental Science, Biology, Animal Behaviour, or a closely related field.
• Organized and meticulous, able to curate and manage large amounts of specimens and data.
• Good written and oral communication skills.
• Highly independent, proactive and a good team player.

Preferred Qualifications (Advantageous but not required)

• Basic skills and experience in basic molecular taxonomy, such as DNA extraction, PCR, running gels, and processing of sequence data.
• Prior field experience in bird handling, including mist-netting, bird ringing, and tracker deployment.
• Familiarity with spatial data, GIS software or basic programming in R for handling ecological data.
• Familiar with relational databases, data quality control and cleaning.
• Familiar with local university’s administration, procurement systems and regulations.

We regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Hiring Institution: NTU A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has 33,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the Engineering, Business, Science, Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, and Graduate colleges. It also has a medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, established jointly with Imperial College London. NTU is also home to world-class autonomous institutes – the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering – and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) and Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N). Ranked amongst the world’s top universities by QS, NTU has also been named the world’s top young university for the past seven years. The University’s main campus is frequently listed among the Top 15 most beautiful university campuses in the world and has 57 Green Mark-certified (equivalent to LEED-certified) buildings, of which 95% are certified Green Mark Platinum. Apart from its main campus, NTU also has a campus in Novena, Singapore’s healthcare district. Under the NTU Smart Campus vision, the University harnesses the power of digital technology and tech-enabled solutions to support better learning and living experiences, the discovery of new knowledge, and the sustainability of resources. For more information, visit www.ntu.edu.sg About NIE About RSIS About LKCMedicine About NTUItive.