Research Associate (AI in Education)

Nanyang Technological University; Singapore; On-site; SGD 67,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore invites applications for a Research Associate to contribute to an inter-disciplinary Science of Learning project. The role focuses on integrating educational research with AI technology to explore Socratic dialogue powered by large language models in secondary education settings.

The successful candidate will design studies, analyze learner–AI dialogue data, and disseminate findings through publications and teacher-facing resources, with

Qualifications

• Master's degree in education, learning sciences, educational technology, computer science, AI, data science or related fields.
• Experience with AI in education or educational research is advantageous.
• Strong communication and project coordination skills required.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent research within an interdisciplinary Science of Learning team.
• Prepare ethics documents and grant-related administrative tasks.
• Review literature and prepare progress and policy reports for stakeholders.
• Supervise and guide research staff and student assistants on the project.
• Translate pedagogical principles into LLM-based dialogue system design and evaluation.
• Design classroom studies including randomized controlled trials in partner schools.

Skills

Oral and written communication

Project coordination

Independent work

Self-motivation

Education

Master's degree

Tools

Python

R

SPSS

APIs

Job description

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 Associate. We welcome applicants with a Master's degree (for the Research Associate position) in education, learning sciences, educational technology, computer science, artificial intelligence, data science, and related fields. Candidates who combine a background in education with hands‑on experience in AI, or vice versa, are especially encouraged to apply. You will be an integral member of an inter‑disciplinary Science of Learning research team investigating how generative AI can foster higher‑order thinking among secondary school students. The successful candidate will play a key role in a funded project that brings together educational research and AI technology. The project builds a curriculum‑aligned learning partner powered by large language models, centred on Socratic dialogue that guides students to generate ideas, check evidence, compare perspectives and reflect. Grounded in learning sciences and pedagogy, it examines when and how AI‑supported dialogue strengthens students' reasoning, creativity and argumentation through classroom studies in partner schools, before scaling up across more schools. As the project is at an early stage, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape both the system and the study design. The role suits a candidate who is organised, adaptable, and comfortable working at the interface of education and AI, both independently and collaboratively.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct independent research.
• 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.
• Supervise and lead a team of full‑time and part‑time research staff and undergraduate student assistants working on the project.
• Translate pedagogical principles into the design of LLM‑based dialogue systems and agents, and evaluate them.
• Design and conduct classroom‑based studies, including randomised controlled trials, in partner schools.
• Collect and analyse learner–AI dialogue and learning process data, and develop and/or manage data analysis pipelines.
• Disseminate research findings through publications in education and AI venues, conference presentations and teacher‑facing resources.
• Coordinate between and liaising with faculty, collaborators, and stakeholders from different disciplines.
• Carry any other duties as required by PI and co‑PI(s).

Job Requirements

• Qualifications Master's degree for the Research Associate position, in education, learning sciences, educational technology, computer science, artificial intelligence, data science, and related fields.
• Competencies and Skills Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge and experience in education or social science research methodologies, including experimental designs and statistical analysis (e.g., R, Python, SPSS).
• Proficient in programming (e.g., Python), with hands‑on experience using large language models (e.g., prompt engineering, API‑based development, retrieval‑augmented generation).
• Familiarity with LLM‑based agents, multi‑agent systems, or methods for evaluating AI‑generated outputs.
• Experience with research project management, and with supervising research staff and students.
• Excellent organisational and project coordination skills, and able to work within tight deadlines.
• Self‑motivated and self‑directed, able to work independently to collect data, analyse data, and communicate findings.

Experiences

• Experience with applying AI to educational scenarios (e.g., educational chatbots, intelligent tutoring, LLM‑based learner or teacher agents, educational simulation) will be preferred.
• Experience with conducting education research with students or teachers, or analysing dialogue and learning process data, will be preferred.
• Experience with academic publication and dissemination of research findings in education and/or AI venues will be preferred.

Knowledge

• Good knowledge of learning sciences and educational theories, particularly higher‑order thinking, critical and creative thinking, and dialogic or Socratic teaching.
• Good or working knowledge of machine learning, natural language processing and generative AI.

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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