Research Assistant (Psychology)

Nanyang Technological University; Singapore; On-site; SGD 47,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore invites applications for a Research Assistant to join an inter-disciplinary Science of Learning team between Psychology and the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. The role focuses on developing brain‑based machine‑learning predictive models to identify mathematical learning difficulties in young students.

The successful candidate will manage day-to-day project operations, conduct literature reviews, and support data collection and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (psychology, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, or related).
• Experience with cognitive neuroscience/neuroimaging is preferred.
• Strong data management and statistical analysis skills required.
• Familiarity with machine learning concepts and data pipelines is desirable.
• Ability to work independently and in multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the research project on brain-based predictive models.
• Conduct literature reviews and prepare progress and policy reports.
• Coordinate neuroimaging studies and data analysis pipelines.
• Develop and manage data analysis pipelines and ensure data integrity.
• Organize regular meetings with collaborators and stakeholders.

Skills

Statistical analysis

Data management

Programming: Python

Programming: R

Programming: MATLAB

Neuroimaging

Cognitive neuroscience

Project coordination

Excellent communication

Education

BSc in psychology/biomedical engineering

Tools

SPSS

R

MATLAB

Python

SPM

AFNI

FSL

Job description

We are excited to announce an opportunity at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. We are looking for passionate individuals to join our inter-disciplinary Science of Learning research team between Psychology and the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. SPMS is a School under NTU College of Science. Our School is organized into two divisions: the Division of Mathematical Sciences and the Division of Physics and Applied Physics. We are home to internationally-renowned research groups pursuing cutting-edge research in a diverse range of topics in the mathematical sciences, physics, and related disciplines. For more details, please view School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences | NTU Singapore We are seeking talented individuals for the position of Research Assistant.

We welcome applicants with a BSc for the Research Assistant position in various backgrounds such as experimental psychology, biopsychology, cognitive psychology, educational neuroscience, NeuroAI, neuropsychology, neurology, psychiatry, cognitive neuroscience, AI in education, deep learning, biomedical engineering, computer science, and related fields.

You will be an integral member of an inter-disciplinary Science of Learning research team in developing brain-based machine-learning predictive models for early identification of mathematical learning difficulties in kindergarten and early primary level students.

The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of a research project focusing on application machine learning techniques to develop predictive models for early identification of mathematical learning difficulties.

This position requires task-orientation, excellent organizational skills, attention to details and accuracy, flexibility in responding to fluid situations, good interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to work independently.

As the assessment tools have already been established and implemented, the project is now at an exciting stage focused on high-quality data collection, data management, and subsequent AI-driven analysis.

The role is well suited for a candidate who is organised, detail-oriented, adaptable, and able to work both independently and collaboratively, with strong interpersonal skills and confidence in engaging young children in a research setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Handle grant-related administrative tasks (e.g., prepare and amend ethics documents)
• Conduct literature reviews, and prepare research progress reports and policy reports for stakeholders
• Play a central role in coordinating and running of neuroimaging study
• Develop and/or manage data analysis pipelines
• To organize regular meetings with project collaborators and stakeholders (e.g., monthly and half-annually).
• To prepare and coordinate research progress reports and policy reports for stakeholders half-annually.
• To work on setting up of research protocols and data analysis pipelines.
• To contribute to several research articles (review and empirical papers) and policy/communication paper specifically written for policy makers.
• To support in dissemination of research findings at conferences.
• Carry any other duties as required by PI and co-PI(s)
• To collect data and work effectively with young children.
• Some working knowledge in deep learning will be good.

Job Requirements

Qualifications BSc for the Research Assistant position in experimental psychology, biopsychology, cognitive psychology, educational neuroscience, NeuroAI, neuropsychology, neurology, psychiatry, cognitive neuroscience, AI in education, deep learning, biomedical engineering, computer science, and related fields.

Competencies and Skills

• Possess excellent oral and written communication skills to perform literature reviews and write progress and research reports.
• Knowledge and experience in social science research methodologies
• Good statistical knowledge and skills, including familiarity with statistical analysis tools (e.g., SPSS, R, Jamovi and JASP).
• Familiarity with neuroimaging software (e.g., SPM, AFNI, FSL).
• Familiar with coding (e.g., in R, MATLAB, Python).
• Experience with research project management.
• Excellent organizational skills, project coordination and administration skills (e.g., in data management and storage), and able to work within tight deadlines.
• Self-directed learner who can effectively picks up relevant skills as needed.
• Self-motivated, able to work independently to collect data, analyse data, and communicate findings.

Experiences

• Experience with conducting cognitive neuroscience and/or neuroimaging research with children and/or adults, especially using fMRI, will be preferred.
• Experience with resting-state fMRI and/or naturalistic fMRI analyses will be preferred.
• Experience with cognitive/neuropsychological assessment with children and/or adults will be preferred.
• Experience with dissemination of research findings (e.g., conference presentations and research reports) and academic publication processes will be preferred.

Knowledge

• Good knowledge of cognitive functions and cognitive neuroscience theories and techniques.
• Good or working knowledge of machine learning techniques.

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.

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