Senior Research Fellow (Games Studies/Computer Science/Interactive Media/Digital Arts/Education/Psychology/Media Studies)

The Asian Communication Research Centre (ACRC) at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Senior Research Fellow to lead and advance interdisciplinary research in games-related domains. The role involves driving high-impact research, securing external funding, supervising junior researchers and students, and fostering collaborations with academic, industry, and international partners.

The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping the ACRC’s research agenda, particularly in areas intersecting games, technology, design, culture, education, and industry practice.

Key Responsibilities:

Research Leadership

• Lead independent and collaborative research projects in games-related areas (e.g. game design, game technologies, game studies, serious games, gamification, interactive media, AI in games, player behaviour, or games for learning and health).
• Produce high-quality research outputs, including peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, books, and creative research artefacts where applicable.
• Contribute to the strategic development of games research directions and priorities at ACRC.

Grant Development and Funding

• Identify and pursue competitive research funding from national, international, and industry sources.
• Lead or co-lead grant proposals and industry-funded research projects.
• Manage awarded grants, including budgeting, reporting, and deliverables.

Supervision and Mentorship

• Supervise and mentor junior research fellows, research assistants, and postgraduate students (Masters and PhD).
• Provide academic guidance, career mentoring, and performance oversight for research staff.
• Contribute to capacity building within ACRC and WKWSCI.

Collaboration and Engagement

• Build and maintain strong collaborations with local and international academic partners.
• Engage with industry stakeholders (e.g. game studios, publishers, technology companies) on joint research, consultancy, and knowledge-transfer projects.
• Represent ACRC at academic conferences, industry events, workshops, and public outreach activities.

Teaching and Knowledge Dissemination (as applicable)

• Contribute to teaching or curriculum development related to games and interactive media.
• Organise or contribute to seminars, symposiums, and conferences hosted by ACRC.
• Support translation of research into practice, policy, or industry applications.

Administrative and Service Contributions

• Support administration, reporting, and strategic initiatives as required.
• Contribute to ethics applications, research governance, and compliance processes.

Job Requirements:

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• PhD in Games Studies, Computer Science, Interactive Media, Digital Arts, Education, Psychology, Media Studies, or a closely related field.
• Proven track record of high-quality research publications in relevant fields.
• Demonstrated experience in securing or contributing significantly to competitive research funding.
• Experience supervising postgraduate students and/or junior researchers.
• Strong project management and organisational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Desirable Attributes

• Experience working in interdisciplinary or cross-institutional research centres or labs.
• Prior collaboration with industry partners, particularly in games, media, or technology sectors.
• International research experience or networks.
• Experience in applied or practice-based research in games.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies (e.g. AI, XR, data analytics) relevant to games research.

Key Competencies

• Research leadership and strategic thinking
• Grant writing and funding acquisition
• Team leadership and mentorship
• Industry and stakeholder engagement
• Academic and professional communication
• Interdisciplinary collaboration

We regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.