Job Description

The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) is a policy research think-tank in the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. IPS is looking to hire a Research Assistant for Policy Lab, a new programme that will incubate strong social change ideas and see them through implementation in partnership with policymakers and civil society. The Research Assistant will have the opportunity to acquire research skills, domain knowledge on social issues and engage diverse stakeholders from the people, private and public sectors.

The RA will have the opportunity to work with Research Fellows in IPS, government and the non-profit sector to incubate actionable social change projects or engage in policy experiments. The RA will have the opportunity to build relationships and act as an intermediary to diverse stakeholders such as policymakers, funders, voluntary organisations and community groups. The RA will also be able to co-author reports, opinion pieces and journal articles related to these projects for the purpose of communicating results or public education. This job will offer good grounding for individual who is seeking to develop a career in the fields of public policy or social science research whether in academia, the public service or the private sector. It is also suitable for candidates with 3-5 years’ experience who are looking for a dynamic role to play in social innovation and policy design.

Job Responsibilities

• Project management: administrative duties, coordination across multiple partners
• Knowledge management: Environmental scanning, tracking research trends
• Data collection and analyses of policy experiments and research projects
• Writing grant applications, research papers and project reports
• Organising workshops, networks, events and conferences

Qualifications

• Have a strong interest in social issues and social policy;
• Proficient in English and a second language;
• Have ability to manage projects and multiple partners so that tasks are completed in timely fashion;
• Have strong communication and analytical skills, with an ability to write in a clear and engaging manner;
• Have familiarity with both qualitative and quantitative analyses;
• Have commitment to meeting tight deadlines and have a track record of producing work that reflects a maturity of thought;
• Have at least a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant social science discipline from a reputable university.