Research Assistant/Research Associate (Geography)

Company description:

The National University of Singapore is the national research university of Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest higher education institution in Singapore

Job description:

Job Description

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at the National University of Singapore (NUS), invites applications for the position of Research Assistant/Associate. The successful applicant is expected to commence duties at NUS in May 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.

This position is connected to a research project titled, "Social Networks and Housing Aspirations in Ageing Public Housing". The research focuses on homeowners' decision making towards housing relocation, with a particular emphasis on spatial behaviour, neighbourhood ties and social networks. The research team will adopt a mixed methods approach, combining:

• Qualitative methods (ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews)
• GPS tracking
• GIS visualisations for analyses
• Surveys

This role is well suited to candidates interested in gaining social science research experience, offering hands-on experience in integrating spatial data with qualitative and survey-based insights.

The project team consists of Principal Investigator (PI) Professor Elaine Ho (Department of Geography), Co-PI Associate Professor Vincent Chua (Department of Sociology and Anthropology) and Collaborator A/P Feng Chen-Chieh (Department of Geography).

Scope and responsibilities

The Research Assistant/ Associate will:

• Contribute to empirical research activities, including interviews, surveys, and ethnographic fieldwork
• Support the Principal Investigator with project coordination and large grant management
• Assist with data management and liaise with the project team members or external parties on such matters
• Work with GPS data, such as producing GIS maps and visualisations
• Support data analysis across qualitative and spatial components (integrating with survey data where relevant)

Qualifications

Applicants are expected to hold at least a Second Class Honours (Upper Division) or an equivalent honours degree, or a Master's degree in the Social Sciences.

• Conversational proficiency in one or more of the following languages central to the research project will be an advantage: Mandarin and/or Chinese dialects used in Singapore (e.g. Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew or Hainanese); Malay or Tamil.
• Willingness to learn about and work with researchers using mixed methods; prior experience of working with mixed methods will be an advantage
• Excellent writing and strong communication skills in English, including an ability to present research in both academic and non-academic venues
• Skills in qualitative research methods (e.g. interviews and ethnography) alongside knowledge of Geographic Information Science applications (e.g. ArcGIS, QGIS) will be an advantage
• Skills in using qualitative analysis software will be an advantage
• Prior experience in large grant management will be an advantage
• Curiosity and passion to explore new concepts, methods and technologies, and capable of identifying and quickly learning the most suitable tools for the research on the go
• A good team player and the ability to multitask effectively
• Excellent organization and interpersonal skills
• Core Microsoft Office skills are expected

Other Information

Informal enquiries may be made to Professor Elaine Ho ([email protected]). Please include a cover letter tailored to the job description, full CV and the names of three referees in your application.

This is a one-year contract which can be extended according to performance.

Shortlisted applicants may be called for interview, either in person or by Zoom, as appropriate.

Application deadline: 1 March 2026 (or until a suitable candidate is identified)

More Information

Job requisition ID : 31806