Role Purpose
The Research Fellow will assist the Chair, and support Tasek in strengthening the research, evaluation and tracking of theories and studies relevant to the mission of Tasek.
The role will involve conducting applied research, evaluating programme outcomes, analysing data and translating findings into practical recommendations that can inform programme design, service delivery, partnerships and policy discussions.
The Research Fellow will work closely with Tasek's programme teams to ensure that research is grounded in the lived experiences of children, youth, families and communities, and that findings are presented in a clear, useful and accessible manner.
Key Responsibilities
1. Research and Evaluation
- Design and conduct qualitative and quantitative research relating to youth development, social mobility, education, family support, community engagement and other areas relevant to Tasek's work.
- Develop research frameworks, evaluation plans, research questions, methodologies and data collection tools.
- Conduct literature reviews, environmental scans and comparative studies of relevant local and international programmes and practices.
- Evaluate the effectiveness, reach and longer-term impact of Tasek's programmes and initiatives.
- Support the development of outcome indicators, theories of change and monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
- Ensure that research methodologies are proportionate, ethical and appropriate for children, youth and vulnerable persons.
2. Data Collection and Analysis
- Conduct interviews, focus group discussions, surveys, case studies and other forms of field research.
- Analyse quantitative and qualitative data and identify relevant trends, gaps and insights.
- Work with programme teams to improve the quality, consistency and usefulness of programme data.
- Maintain proper research records, datasets, consent documentation and supporting materials.
- Ensure that all research data is handled in accordance with applicable data protection, confidentiality and ethical requirements.
3. Reporting and Knowledge Translation
- Prepare research reports, evaluation reports, briefing papers, presentations and other publications.
- Translate complex research findings into clear and practical recommendations for internal and external stakeholders.
- Develop summaries, infographics, toolkits and other accessible materials for practitioners, funders, community partners and the public.
- Present findings at meetings, workshops, conferences and stakeholder engagements.
- Contribute to Tasek's thought leadership and public education efforts.
4. Programme Development and Organisational Learning
- Work with programme teams to apply research findings to programme design, implementation and improvement.
- Identify evidence-based practices and emerging approaches that may strengthen Tasek's programmes.
- Support the development of new initiatives, funding proposals and partnership proposals through research and data.
- Facilitate internal learning sessions and support a culture of reflection, evaluation and continuous improvement.
- Assist in documenting programme models, processes, learning points and good practices.
5. Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement
- Build and maintain relationships with academic institutions, researchers, government agencies, social service organisations, schools and community partners.
- Coordinate research collaborations and manage relationships with external research partners or consultants.
- Engage programme participants, parents, volunteers and frontline practitioners in the research process where appropriate.
- Represent Tasek in relevant research, policy and sector discussions.
6. Research Governance and Administration
- Prepare research protocols, consent forms, participant information sheets and ethics-related documentation.
- Coordinate research timelines, budgets, deliverables and stakeholder communications.
- Ensure compliance with Tasek's policies and applicable legal, ethical and data protection requirements.
- Support grant reporting, funder reporting and other documentation relating to research and evaluation projects.
- Carry out such other duties as may reasonably be assigned.
Qualifications and Experience
- A Master's degree or PhD in social sciences, social work, psychology, education, public policy, sociology, public health or a related discipline.
- Demonstrated experience in applied research, programme evaluation or social impact measurement.
- Strong understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
- Experience working with children, youth, families or community-based organisations would be an advantage.
- Experience in conducting field research and engaging diverse stakeholders.
- Familiarity with Singapore's social service, education or youth development landscape would be an advantage.
- A track record of producing high-quality research reports, publications or evaluation studies is preferred.
Skills and Competencies
- Strong research, analytical and critical-thinking skills.
- Ability to translate research findings into practical and accessible recommendations.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Good project management and organisational abilities.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams.
- Sensitivity when working with children, youths, families and vulnerable individuals.
- Strong ethical judgement and commitment to confidentiality and responsible data handling.
- Proficiency in data analysis or research software such as SPSS, Stata, R, NVivo or equivalent would be an advantage.
- Ability to communicate in an additional language commonly used in Singapore would be an advantage.
Personal Attributes
The successful candidate should be:
- Committed to Tasek's mission and the wellbeing of children, youths and families.
- Curious, thoughtful and intellectually rigorous.
- Practical and solutions-oriented.
- Collaborative and comfortable working with both researchers and frontline practitioners.
- Respectful, empathetic and culturally sensitive.
- Able to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality work within agreed timelines.
Key Performance Indicators
Key performance indicators may include:
- Timely completion of research and evaluation projects.
- Quality and usefulness of research reports and recommendations.
- Improvement in programme data quality and evaluation processes.
- Evidence of research findings being applied to programme design and delivery.
- Development of meaningful research partnerships and collaborations.
- Contribution to publications, presentations and sector engagement.
