Research Associate

Interested applicants are invited to apply directly at the NUS Career Portal
Your application will be processed only if you apply via NUS Career Portal
We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
Job Description
The Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health is seeking a motivated and capable Research Associate (Quantitative) to join an interdisciplinary team examining the intersections of the built environment, socio-spatial dynamics, and community well-being.
This role will focus on the development of validated measurement framework for assessing how community hubs build community capacities and social capital, stakeholder engagement, and advanced socio-spatial analysis. The work will contribute to new knowledge on how intergenerational urban design, programming, and governance models shape community capacity-building, and how these pathways influence social resilience.
Key Responsibilities
• Measurement & Quantitative Research
-Develop, adapt, and validate survey instruments and indexes to assess community capacities and social capital.
-Design and lead Delphi surveys with experts to refine indicators and ensure contextual relevance.
-Conduct advanced quantitative analyses, including regression, multilevel modelling, and factor analysis.
• Socio-Spatial & Mixed-Methods Analysis
-Contribute to GIS-based socio-spatial analysis linking designs of community hubs, land use, accessibility, and environmental features with social and community-level outcomes.
-Integrate quantitative and qualitative findings to generate holistic insights.
-Support participatory and citizen-science approaches to capturing lived experiences of public spaces.
• Stakeholder Interviews and Engagement
-Conduct interviews, focus groups, and workshops with government agencies, NGOs, and community partners.
-Contribute to stakeholder mapping, governance analysis, and synthesis of engagement practices.
-Facilitate and coordinate a multi-agency advisory group involving academics, government agencies, NGOs, and community partners.
-Translate research findings into actionable recommendations for practitioners and policymakers.
• Project Management & Dissemination
-Manage day-to-day research activities, including ethics submissions, data management, and coordination with collaborators.
-Draft reports, policy briefs, and manuscripts for academic and practitioner audiences.
-Prepare presentations and data visualizations to communicate findings effectively.
Requirements
• Master's degree in public health, Urban Studies, Geography, Sociology, Data Science, or related disciplines.
• At least 2 years of prior research experience in applied social, health or built environment research (preferably post-masters)
• Demonstrated expertise in quantitative methods (survey design, psychometrics, regression, multilevel modelling, factor analysis).
• Experience in measurement development and validation (indexes, scales, Delphi surveys)
• Familiarity with GIS and socio-spatial analysis highly preferred.
• Exposure to mixed-methods research and participatory approaches.
• Proficiency in at least one statistical software (e.g., R, Stata, SPSS, Python).
• Excellent writing, project management, and stakeholder engagement skills.
Why Join Us?
• Work at the intersection of public health, behavioural science, and urban design to generate policy-relevant insights.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary network of academics, government agencies, and design professionals.
• Gain hands-on experience in community measurement, socio-spatial research, and participatory evaluation frameworks.
• Contribute to shaping inclusive, resilient, and community-driven urban environments.
Position Type: 1-year contract (renewable), full-time, based in Singapore

---