Research Fellow (Science of Learning in Education Centre) [NIE]

The National Institute of Education invites suitable applications for the position of Research Fellowon an 8-month renewable contract at the Science of Learning in Education Centre.

Project Title: DRivers, Enablers and pathways of Adolescent developMent in Singapore (DREAMS): The Singapore Longitudinal Cohort Study (SG-LCS) Phase 1 (Project 3).

Project Introduction: This project is part of a bigger study that aims to examine the trajectories of educational pathways in adolescence within the broader context of education in Singapore and how they intersect with adolescent trajectories of aspirations, identity, lifestyle and wellbeing, and social milieu. This study seeks also to understand the nature of secondary students’ social and relational contexts, and their development.

Project 3 aims to examine how the students’ social relationships change over four or five years in secondary school and how these changes are linked to students’ functioning in varied domains. The proposed study also seeks to examine the contextual factors and processes linked to students’ peer relationships, such as family and school climate and structures. The main goals of the project are to explore the nature and structure of students’ peer relationships and examine how such aspects of peer relationships are associated with the focal outcomes-- academic, motivational, social and emotional-- of secondary students. The other goals of the project examine the changes in students’ peer networks and quality of relationships with key significant others (i.e., peers, parents and teachers), the influence of students’ peer networks attributes and quality of key relationships on students’ focal outcomes over time.

Another goal of Project 3 is to explore how schools’ structures, programmes, and cultural practices affect the stability and change patterns in students’ peer relationships. We also examine the students’ lived experiences in their unique social spheres and contexts, how they make sense of and deal with such experiences, how such experiences shape their peer relationships and how peer relationships serve as barriers and enablers of their school adjustment and goal attainment.

Requirements:

• PhD in a relevant discipline (e.g. Data Science and Analytics, Education, Psychology, Social Sciences)
• Applicants with master’s degree in relevant discipline are also invited to apply
• Proficiency and experience in conducting social network analysis using RSIENA
• Proficient in quantitative data processing and analysis using SPSS and R
• Competence in academic writing
• Interest in education and/or educational research
• Able to work independently and flexibly within a small/large team
• Good organizational skills and able to work within tight deadlines
• Good interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills

Preferred:

• Experience in doing longitudinal data analysis, particularly structural equation modelling, using MPLUS/AMOS/R
• With evidence of proficiency in academic writing, such as published journal papers focusing on social network analysis

Responsibilities:

• Lead the data collection and analysis
• Manage the research project
• Conduct data processing and advanced data analysis, such as structural equation modeling, social network analysis, multilevel longitudinal data analysis
• Contribute to the writing of research papers and reports
• Manage large research dataset
• Other duties as assigned by the Principal Investigator

Application

Applicants (external and internal) will apply via Workday. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Closing Date

Closing date for advertisements will be set to 14 calendar days from date of posting.