Research Assistant (Institute of Policy Studies) (34058)

Job Description

IPS Policy Lab – We-First Society Workstream
Contract: Full-time, 2 years (renewable)

The Opportunity
How do we move from a 'me-first' to a 'we-first' society? How can deliberation and public participation strengthen social capital in Singapore?
The We-First Society Workstream at IPS Policy Lab is building Singapore's research and practice capacity in deliberation and public participation. We design, experiment, and study new approaches to citizen engagement – consensus conferences, citizens' assemblies, participatory budgeting – with the aim of strengthening social capital: bonding, bridging, and linking.We are looking for a researcher who wants to contribute to advancing this work in Singapore.

The Institute of Policy Studies is Singapore's leading policy research think-tank at NUS. IPS has a 35-year track record of independent, rigorous research that informs national policy.  Within IPS, the Policy Lab is our innovation hub where we find meaningful solutions to constructively question the status quo.  We work at the frontier of applied social research, partnering with government agencies, community organisations, private sector entities, and citizens to co-create and test new policy approaches.

What You Will Do

• Conduct rigorous research
  • Conduct literature reviews on social capital, deliberation, and public participation and apply it to Singapore’s context
  • Design research instruments: questionnaires, interview protocols, experimental designs
  • Collect and analyse qualitative and quantitative data
  • Support the design and evaluation of research experiments
  • Manage research administration: ethics approvals, budgets, participant recruitment
• Design and Deliver
  • Lead or support the design of research experiments – from sampling and recruitment to facilitation design and mixed method synthesis
  • Facilitate or co-facilitate citizen deliberations, working with diverse participants and stakeholders
• Publish and Publicise
  • Co-author (or lead-author) academic papers, policy reports, and media commentaries
  • Present findings at conferences and practitioner convenings
  • Organise seminars, webinars, and training programmes to build the field

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a social science or related discipline, with at least 2 years’ relevant work experience, and good knowledge, skills and expertise in relevant field.
• Strong research capabilities, including the ability to design studies, develop instruments/protocols, collect and manage data, and synthesise results into clear, well-structured outputs.
• Proven ability to communicate findings effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proficiency in qualitative software (e.g. NVivo, Atlas.ti) or statistical tools (e.g. R, Stata, SPSS)
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Genuine interest in social capital, deliberative theory, or public participation
• Demonstrated ability to work across sectors and with diverse stakeholders (e.g., government, academia, civil society, community partners), and to navigate different perspectives constructively.
• Cares deeply for Singapore, strong commitment to contributing to Singapore and its communities; motivated by public impact and improving collective outcomes.
• Good to have experience convening, designing or facilitating deliberative processes

Why consider this role

• A growing field
  • Singapore has practised public participation for years. What's emerging is the deliberate focus on social capital, using deliberation and public participation to strengthen bonding, bridging, and linking capital across communities. You join a team pioneering this approach.
• Nurturing environment
  • Senior researchers mentor you closely, sharpening your research design, your writing, and your ability to navigate complex stakeholder relationships. We invest in your growth and celebrate your wins.
• Publication opportunities
  • IPS actively supports researchers to publish. You will co-author policy reports, contribute to op-eds, and collaborate on academic papers.
• Intellectual home
  • IPS has a 35-year reputation for independent, credible research. You join a community of researchers committed to rigorous, policy-relevant work, with the independence to ask constructive questions.

To Apply

• Cover letter (1 page): Tell us why this role, why you, and what you would bring to the We-First Workstream
• CV
• Two writing samples (minimum 500 words each)\
• [[f available] Experience with applied research projects

Please include your expected salary and earliest available start date.
Applications will be reviewed continuously until the position is filled.

More Information

Location: Bukit Timah Campus

Organization: Institute of Policy Studies

Department : Institute of Policy Studies

Employee Referral Eligible: No

Job requisition ID : 34058