Research Assistant (1 year contract)

About the Job

The Research Assistant will support research projects by assisting with quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis, and literature review. This role is well-suited for early-career researchers seeking hands-on experience in applied research, evaluation, or academic/industry-based studies. The position requires strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and a willingness to learn multiple research methodologies.

The Research Assistant will provide research, administrative, and coordination support across the full research lifecycle, including ethics submissions, data collection, analysis, reporting, and dissemination. The role will also support selected External Relations (ER)-linked initiatives, including research-related events, partner engagement, and knowledge dissemination activities.

What You Will Be Doing

Key Responsibilities:

Research & Ethics Administration

• Assist with the preparation and submission of Institutional Review Board (IRB) or ethics committee applications, including drafting, formatting, and compiling required documentation (e.g. study protocols, consent forms, recruitment materials, risk assessments).
• Track IRB submission timelines, approvals, amendments, and renewals, and support responses to IRB queries and implementation of approved modifications.
• Maintain accurate and audit-ready documentation in accordance with institutional research governance requirements.

Research Design & Data Collection

• Support the development of research instruments such as surveys, interview guides, focus group protocols, and observation frameworks.
• Assist with participant recruitment, scheduling, and informed consent processes in accordance with approved protocols.
• Support data collection activities for quantitative and qualitative research, including surveys, interviews, and fieldwork, under supervision.
• Support the appointment and coordination of external vendors (e.g. survey administrators, transcription services, research support vendors), including preparation of scopes of work, coordination of timelines, and quality checks on deliverables, in accordance with University policies and procedures.

Data Analysis & Literature Review

• Conduct basic quantitative and qualitative data analysis under supervision (e.g. descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, simple regressions, thematic coding).
• Conduct systematic and targeted literature searches across academic databases and grey literature sources.
• Summarise and synthesise research findings into clear, structured literature reviews and research summaries.

Reporting & Knowledge Dissemination

• Contribute to the preparation of research reports, policy briefs, presentations, and academic or technical documents.
• Support the translation of research findings into non-technical outputs (e.g. executive summaries, briefing slides, stakeholder-facing materials).
• Assist in preparing research highlights and summaries for dissemination to external partners, funders, and collaborators.

External Relations & Project Support

• Support coordination with external partners and collaborators on research-related activities, including meetings, documentation, and follow-up actions.
• Assist with the preparation of meeting materials, notes, and post-meeting summaries for research-related partner engagements.
• Support events, forums, and workshops, including background research, pre-event preparation, on-site support, and post-event documentation.
• Provide administrative and coordination support to ensure timely delivery of project milestones and outputs.

Other Duties

• Perform other research- and project-related tasks as assigned by the supervising staff or project leads.

Job Requirement

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. social sciences, public policy, education, business, psychology, or related fields).
• Relevant experience in research, policy, consultancy, or project coordination is an advantage.
• Meticulous and able to exercise a high level of discretion, confidentiality, and integrity, particularly when handling sensitive research data and partner information.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to multi-task effectively and manage competing priorities.
• Demonstrates basic project coordination and time management skills, including tracking timelines, documentation, and follow-up actions.
• Possesses good interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work professionally with internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Resourceful team player who is also able to work independently, display initiative, and follow through on assigned tasks.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); familiarity with research or data tools is an advantage.