Job Description

We are looking for a Research Assistant/Associate with familiarity and analytic skills in qualitative approaches to undertake community research and support administrative aspects of the project. You will be part of an interdisciplinary team that is responsible for exploring cultural conceptions of health and the influence of COVID-19 on how health and related quality of life are experienced, understood and ultimately measured (coordinating data across seven countries, working with the EuroQol group). In addition, you will undertake qualitative interviews exploring how COVID-19 is perceived and related risk mitigated in the community in Singapore. This position has one-year funding, potentially extendible with further potential to use the data for PhD studies.

We are seeking a candidate with a background is public health, social sciences or aligned disciplines and familiar with related research methods. These include competency in e-library search platforms, qualitative data collection, data management and analytic approaches. You will demonstrate high IT proficiency, in particular the ability to work independently to become familiar with new and existing electronic systems as needed.

In addition, you will be team player, open to learning and adapting to new and changing circumstances and in particular using digital solutions. The position is particularly suited to a candidate with an interest in global, cross-cultural theory-based qualitative research. Analysis will focus on instrument validation and development of tools measuring health-related quality of life and wellbeing, and risk mitigation to improve such outcomes under the COVID-19 restrictions. Building on existing skills the successful candidate will acquire the experience to contribute to improving understanding of health and community initiatives to inform the evolving COVID-19 threats to Singapore and beyond.

This is a fast paced and highly collaborative project. The candidate should have great cross-cultural and communication skills. They should be able to work efficiently to produce timely and high-quality contributions as part of a cross-disciplinary team. Crucially, we require the candidate to be able to use initiative to compile their own task lists and problem solve how to achieve them as per the job-description and instructions, while working to involve senior management on core technical aspects and following existing research protocols.

Job Description

The appointed candidate will:

• Lead the process of liaising across the teams and collaborators. Coordinate team meetings, support the drafting of trainings, meeting agendas and room bookings as needed.
• Be responsible for qualitative data collection and conducting own interviews, as well as analyses of primary data the 7 country secondary data repositories when available.
• Liaise with IRB to amend existing protocols for Singapore based research as needed and gain exemption certificates for use of 7 country data for secondary analyses.
• Be responsible for administrative tasks such as budget amendments as well as helping to set up all service contract procedures. For example, drafting adverts, bidding and service requirements, recruitment and ensuring payments are completed as per contract agreements, working closely with finance and administrative offices.
• Support project reporting and planning of research activities: e.g. helping to draft donor progress reports, supporting the Institutional Research Board (IRB) online procedures and submissions and amendments.
• Be involved in systematic reviewing and reporting of the literature, as required.
• Contribute meaningfully as a Teaching Assistant to selected online classes, including supporting technical tasks such and uploading teaching materials, managing breakout rooms using Zoom or Microsoft Teams as well as co-facilitating on interactive tasks.

Qualifications

Requirements

• Excellent cross-cultural and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrable training and/or experience in qualitative approaches or commitment to learning a range of qualitative methods of analyses and related methodologies. Familiarity with data management qualitative software such as NVivo, Dedoose is desirable, and applied knowledge of Atlas.ti preferred.
• Strong grasp of latest IT technologies and ability to learn new ones quasi-independently, with the commitment to work effectively on digital platforms and through online communications as needed.
• Commitment to follow approved IRB protocols ensuring ethical recruitment of appropriate candidates and consent taking while working effectively and collegiately in a wider team.
• Experience of first authoring research reports or manuscript to a high standard. First or second authoring and publication in a reputable journal are preferred.
• Ability to confidently present using PowerPoint at internal and external meetings.
• Proficiency in literature reviewing and compiling of reference / citation lists from library searches, preferably using Mendeley. Experience is systematic reviewing from conception to analysis and reporting is desirable.
• Commitment to support teaching and to develop one’s own technical skills in line with course contents. Ability to seamlessly interface using online platforms and contribute to course set-up using these independently.
• Degree is social sciences or health related field. Masters is preferred.

More Information

Location: Kent Ridge Campus
Organization: National University of Singapore
Department: Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health