Political Science jobs in Singapore

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The East Asian Institute (EAI) at the National University of Singapore is seeking a highly qualified Research Assistant with either (i) experience in analysing China’s economic and trade policies; OR (ii) China’s digital policies and global technological competition; to support policy-relevant, data-driven research within a multidisciplinary team.

About EAI: Established in 1997, the East Asian Institute (EAI) promotes academic and policy-oriented research on East Asian development. Our work spans contemporary China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan) and China’s economic and technological relations with Japan, Korea, ASEAN, and the world. We collaborate with regional and international institutions, convene conferences, and provide insights that inform public policy.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Conduct quantitative research on either one of the respective fields: China’s economics and trade: foreign firm operations, FDI trends, supply chain restructuring, tariff and non-tariff measures, export controls/sanctions, standards and compliance, sectoral analyses (e.g., manufacturing, services, technology) Digital policy and the digital economy: technological competition, industrial policy data governance and privacy, platform regulation and competition policy, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cross-border data flows, FinTech and payments, impact on firm behaviour and market structure
• Manage and clean datasets; design and run surveys; prepare charts and dashboards; contribute to literature reviews and case studies
• Draft policy briefs and research papers; contribute to co-authored reports and presentations for academic and policymaker audiences
• Play a key coordinating role in managing research projects as well as the organization of conferences and seminars

• Strong Master’s degree in economics, public policy, international relations, political science, data science, or a related field
• Demonstrated quantitative research skills and proficiency in data tools (e.g., R, Stata, or SPSS) and data visualization
• Excellent writing and communication skills for policy briefs and research reports
• Familiarity with China’s economic or digital policy processes and regulatory environment; ability to read Chinese-language sources is an advantage given the nature of the work
• Prior experience working with trade, firm-level, or digital economy datasets (e.g., customs/trade data, FDI) is a plus

Attributes:

• Team player who can work independently and proactively
• Detail-oriented with strong project management, collaboration and stakeholder communication skills
• Intellectual curiosity and commitment to research integrity and policy relevance

What We Offer:

• Centre of Excellence: Join a prestigious institute recognized for impactful analysis and research
• Dynamic Environment: Work in a collaborative and intellectually stimulating setting
• Multidisciplinary Approach: Engage with experts across political science, economics, public policy and sociology
• Unique Geopolitical Position: Leverage Singapore’s role as a bridge between East and West to amplify research impact across governance and the digital economy

Application Process: Interested candidates should submit:

• CV
• Cover letter
• Two samples of published work (academic or policy-oriented)