Job Title: Research Assistant (Department of Geography)
University-Level Unit: Arts & Social Sciences
Faculty/Department-Level Unit: Geography
Employee Category: Research Staff
Location_ONB: Kent Ridge Campus
Posting Start Date: 28/01/2026
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 March 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 applied GIS within social science research, 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
- 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
- Contribute to empirical research activities, including interviews, surveys, and ethnographic fieldwork
- 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.
Competencies
- Willingness to learn about and work with researchers using mixed methods; prior experience of working with mixed methods will be an advantage
- Knowledge of Geographic Information Science and spatial tools (e.g. ArcGIS, QGIS); experience with spatial visualisation will be an advantage
- Core Microsoft Office skills are expected
- 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) or a strong interest in learning them
- Skills in using qualitative analysis software will be an advantage
- 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.
- 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
Other Information
Informal enquiries may be made to Professor Elaine Ho ([Confidential Information]). 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: 6 February 2026
More Information
Location: Kent Ridge Campus
Organization: Arts and Social Sciences
Department: Geography
Employee Referral Eligible: No
Job requisition ID : 31516
