Research Assistant (Sustainable Diets)

Research Assistant (Sustainable Diets)

University-Level Unit: Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health

Faculty/Department-Level Unit: Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health

Employee Category: Research Staff

Location: Kent Ridge Campus

Posting Start Date: 16/04/2026

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Job Description

Applications are invited for the following full-time position in the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health:

Research Assistant

The Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (SSHSPH) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) is recruiting a full-time, experienced research assistant to support a funded research project investigating knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to sustainable diets, their environmental implications (e.g. greenhouse gas emissions), and their association with cardiometabolic disease outcomes in a multi‑ethnic Asian population in Singapore.

Job scope:

• Support the development, adaptation, and implementation of a knowledge, attitudes, and practices survey on sustainable diets and environmental impact, including assisting with item refinement, pilot testing, and survey documentation
• Assist in administering and coordinating the conduct of the survey, including data integrity checks and response tracking, as applicable
• Manage, clean, and analyse survey data
• Support analysis of dietary data derived from food frequency questionnaires in large population-based cohorts
• Assist in deriving and validating diet quality indices (e.g. Planetary Health Diet Index)
• Support assessment of sustainable diet indicators, including environmental impact metrics where applicable
• Conduct literature reviews on sustainable diets, nutrition-related health outcomes, and planetary health
• Assist with data cleaning, management, and statistical analyses using epidemiological datasets
• Contribute to preparation of manuscripts, abstracts, and presentations for academic and policy audiences
• Perform other research-related duties as assigned by the Principal Investigator

Requirements:

• At least 1–2 years of relevant research experience, preferably in population health, nutrition, or survey‑based studies
• Experience working with survey or questionnaire data, including data entry, cleaning
• Familiarity with quantitative data analysis and interpretation
• Proficiency in at least one statistical software package (e.g. R, STATA)
• Good understanding of research ethics and data confidentiality in human subjects research
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary research team
• Clear written and verbal communication skills in English

The following knowledge and experience would be advantageous:

• Prior experience in survey development, pilot testing, or fieldwork coordination
• Familiarity with dietary assessment methods (e.g. FFQs, diet indices)
• Experience or familiarity with life cycle assessment (LCA) or environmental impact assessment, particularly in the context of food systems, diets, or sustainability research
• Experience contributing to manuscripts, reports, or conference abstracts

The grade of appointment will be accorded based on candidate’s academic qualifications and years of relevant experience.

Applicants should send the following documents during application:

a. Cover letter highlighting career goals and relevant experience

b. Curriculum Vitae, containing details of three named referees

Please note that only shortlis