Research Associate (Asian Languages & Cultures Department) [NIE]

Nanyang Technological University; Singapore; On-site; SGD 52,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Institute of Education invites applications for a Research Associate on a 12-month contract in the Asian Languages & Cultures Department. The project Promoting Early Book Reading at Home tests enhanced eBooks to support 2–6-year-old English–Mandarin bilinguals.

The successful candidate will conduct literature reviews, administer assessments, liaise with families and schools, organize data, and assist in disseminating findings via conferences and journals.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Education, Applied Linguistics, Cognitive Science or related field.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work independently to meet deadlines.
• Proactive, reliable, and eager to learn; able to manage multiple tasks.

Responsibilities

• Conduct systematic literature searches and reviews.
• Administer child assessments, surveys, interviews, and assist with experiments.
• Liaise with families, teachers, and school administrators for data collection.
• Organize research data, maintain records, and document project progress.
• Assist with data processing and preparation for analysis.
• Assist with project-related administrative work.
• Contribute to dissemination of findings via conference presentations, journal articles, and reports.
• Perform other duties as assigned by investigators.

Skills

Proficiency in English

Independent work

Time management

Communication skills

Education

Master’s degree in Education, Applied Linguistics, or Cognitive Science

DECCE-T or NVKET (preferred)

Job description

The National Institute of Education invites suitable applications for the position of Research Associate on a 12-month contract at the Asian Languages & Cultures Department.

Project Title: Promoting Early Book Reading at Home: An Intervention with Enhanced eBooks

Project Introduction:

This project proposes using a mixed method approach with 2-6-year-old English-Mandarin bilinguals in Singapore to: 1) Uncover parental attitudes toward Mother Tongue reading and identify the obstacles that hinder frequent and effective reading at home. 2) Evaluate the effectiveness of enhanced eBooks as a solution to these obstacles at home. Enhanced eBooks refer to eBooks with interactive features and research-approved characteristics (e.g., motion effects), which enhance children’s reading engagement and comprehension.

Requirements:

Essential:

• Master’s Degree in Education, Applied Linguistics, Cognitive Science, or a related field

• Proficiency in written and spoken English

• Strong interpersonal skills

• Self-motivated and able to work independently to meet deadlines

• Proactive, reliable, and eager to learn

• Able to manage multiple tasks effectively

Preferred:

• Proficiency in written and spoken Mandarin Chinese is preferred, as the project focuses on Mandarin Chinese book reading and involves data collection, literature reviews, and the preparation of journal articles on this topic

• Experience in data collection and research tasks, such as data entry and literature reviews

• At least one first-author publication

• Experience conducting literature reviews, and a willingness to learn meta-analysis

• Experience with basic data analysis (e.g., correlations), and a willingness to learn more advanced techniques (e.g., mixed-effects models and cross-recurrence quantification analysis)

• Experience working in early childhood settings, including with children and preschool teachers

• Relevant qualifications, such as a Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education – Teaching (DECCE-T) or a Diploma (Conversion) in Kindergarten Education – Teaching (NVKET)

Responsibilities:

• Conduct systematic literature searches and reviews

• Administer child assessments, surveys, interviews, and assist with conducting experiments

• Liaise with families, teachers, and school administrators to coordinate data collection

• Organize research data, maintain research records, and document project progress

• Assist with data processing and preparation for analysis

• Assist with project-related administrative work

• Contribute to the dissemination of research findings by assisting in the preparation of conference presentations, journal articles, book chapters, research reports, and digital media posts

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigators

Closing Date

Closing date for advertisements will be set to 14 calendar days from date of posting.

Hiring Institution: NIE