Senior Software Research Engineer (Content Provenance), IHPC

A*STAR RESEARCH ENTITIES; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research entity in Singapore seeks an experienced software engineer to join the Centre for Advanced Technologies in Online Safety. The role focuses on implementing innovative technologies for content authentication and developing intuitive tools to enhance digital content credibility. Candidates should possess strong technical skills, particularly in Python and frontend technologies, and have a collaborative mindset to work closely within an agile team. Eligible candidates will have the opportunity to contribute to significant advancements in online trust and safety, while enjoying a supportive and growth-oriented environment.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of relevant work experience.
• Strong understanding of algorithms.
• Proficient in clean coding principles.

Responsibilities

• Research, test, and evaluate open-source and commercial solutions for content authenticity technologies.
• Design, build, and maintain software components including frontend interfaces and backend APIs.
• Collaborate with UX/UI designer and content teams for user-friendly experience.

Skills

Python

Linux

HTML5

CSS3

JavaScript

ReactJS

Agile methodologies

Education

Diploma or Bachelor's degree in Computer Science

Tools

Apache

MySQL

AWS

GCP

Bitbucket

GitLab

Job description

The Centre for Advanced Technologies in Online Safety (CATOS; https://www.catos.sg) was established in 2023 to host Singapore's Online Trust and Safety (OTS) Programme, a national research programme that leads the advancement of whole-of-nation technology capabilities to monitor and tackle online harms. The Systems Engineering Pillar of CATOS focuses on translational research and development, including evaluating, testing and integrating research output into needle-moving applications. One of the major outcomes will be a technological platform with an integrated suite of deep tech OTS engines, which analyses various internet sites and platforms for fast-trending harmful online content, such as non-factual claims, deepfakes, and hateful and toxic content. Different combinations of OTS engines can then be integrated and adapted to address the specific requirements of various stakeholders.

This role will be responsible for exploring and implementing emerging technologies that support durable content credentials, such as C2PA, watermarking, and fingerprinting, in alignment with the goals of the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI). This role involves hands-on work in evaluating open-source solutions, developing secure and standards-compliant integrations, and building intuitive tools that help users verify and manage digital content authenticity across the media value chain.

The candidate will assume the following roles and responsibilities:

• Research, test, and evaluate open-source and commercial solutions for C2PA, watermarking, and fingerprinting.
• Design, build, and maintain software components, including frontend interfaces and backend APIs, to support the embedding, management, and verification of content credentials.
• Conduct thorough testing and validation to ensure the robustness and reliability of CAI-related integrations.
• Provide clear technical documentation and training to support internal teams and external partners in using content authenticity features effectively.
• Collaborate with UX/UI designer and content teams to define requirements and workflows to ensure a user-friendly experience for all end-users.
• Write clean, well-documented, and maintainable code.
• Participate in code reviews and contribute to enhancing the overall quality of the codebase.
• Stay abreast of developments in content provenance technologies and CAI-related standards and incorporate relevant advancements into our platforms.

JOB REQUIREMENT:

• Diploma or Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of relevant work experience.
• Proficient in Python and comfortable working in Linux environments.
• Experience with web servers (e.g., Apache), databases (e.g., MySQL), and browser-based applications.
• Strong frontend skills using HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and frameworks like ReactJS, Bootstrap, or Sass/Less.
• Solid understanding of HTTP protocols, RESTful APIs, and basic networking concepts. (e.g., TCP/IP)
• Familiarity with CI/CD tools (e.g., Bitbucket, GitLab) and cloud platforms. (e.g., AWS, GCP, DigitalOcean)
• Proactive team player with strong communication skills.
• Strong understanding and experience with Agile methodologies and processes.
• Strong understanding of algorithms. (i.e., The Art of Programming by Donald Knuth)
• Proficient in clean coding principles. (i.e., Clean Code by Robert Martin)

Following experience below are not required but would be an advantage:

• Experience with media processing. (e.g., images, video, metadata, or file formats)
• Familiarity with digital trust, content authenticity, or security-related technologies. (e.g., encryption, digital signatures, PKI)
• Exposure to C2PA, watermarking, fingerprinting, or related metadata standards. (e.g., XMP, JSON-LD)
• Background in computer vision, deep learning (e.g., CNNs, ResNet), or signal processing, with awareness of hashing and digital signature techniques relevant to secure media fingerprinting and watermarking.
• Interest in open standards development, DLT/blockchain technologies, and working in agile, prototyping-driven environments.

If you have accomplished any of the following, please include them in your cover letter:

• You have won a programming competition.
• You have independently built a software project. (any programming language)
• You enjoy solving challenging programming problems. Please describe one problem you've solved. (max 1 page)
• You have been trained under Agile Software Development framework.

Our research and engineering work is highly interdisciplinary, agile, and pragmatic. The candidate will collaborate closely with a team that embraces agile software development.

• We expect everyone to take ownership of their role, responsibilities, and tasks.
• We encourage everyone to speak up when they have feedback or ideas for improvement.
• We provide honest feedback to one another, which can be tough at times, but it fosters rapid learning.
• We care about each other's professional growth and well-being.

When applying, please share with us one project you have built fully on your own or a challenging technical problem you have solved (max 1 page).

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

The above eligibility criteria are not exhaustive. A*STAR may include additional selection criteria based on its prevailing recruitment policies. These policies may be amended from time to time without notice. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.