Research Fellow or Research Engineer (Human-Computer Interaction and Social Science)

As a University of Applied Learning, the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) works closely with industry in its research pursuits. This position is situated within the Centre for Immersification, dedicated to applied research in immersive technologies and bridging the gap between academia and industry. Research staff at the Centre have the opportunity to be equipped with applied research skill sets relevant to industry demands while working on innovative projects within the university.

The research team is seeking a Research Fellow or Research Engineer with strong expertise in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and social science methodologies to lead the user research and policy development, as part of an interdisciplinary team investigating harmful user-generated content in virtual worlds as part of a national research initiative on Online Trust and Safety. The primary responsibility of this role is to develop safety guidelines such as content moderation principles for user generated content, and recommendations for pre-screening, real-time monitoring and reporting, and design experiments and interventions to investigate the effect of guidelines.

The successful candidate will work with a diverse team of faculty members, engineers, and industry partners, including renown researchers at the College of Computing and Data Science (CCDS) at NTU. Technical skills, natural curiosity, versatility, and enthusiasm are highly desired traits that will enable success in this fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the research project together with Principal Investigator (PI), Co-PI and the research team members to ensure all project deliverables are met.
• Design and execute surveys and interviews to collect data (including participant recruitment) to address the relevant research questions.
• Perform statistical analysis on survey/experimental data, and conduct thematic analysis on interview transcripts and open-ended survey responses.
• To lead and report research findings in a form of high-quality publications and present in international peer-reviewed conferences and journals.
• Design scenario-based experiments to test user responses to new reporting mechanisms
• Draft comprehensive security guidelines and reporting frameworks for virtual world users, regulators, and platform providers
• Validate these guidelines through consultations with expert panels and representative user groups to ensure cross-cultural relevance and clarity
• Carry out Risk Assessment, and ensure compliance with Work, Safety and Health Regulations.
• Coordinate procurement and liaison with vendors/suppliers.
• Work independently, as well as within a team, to ensure proper operation and maintenance of equipment.

Job Requirements

• Have relevant competence in the areas of cybersecurity, human-computer interaction, communication, or psychology.
• Masters or Ph.D. in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, Cyber Security, Computer/Electrical Engineering, Information Technology will be advantageous.
• Strong interest and passion in cybersecurity.
• Expert proficiency in mixed-methods research (Qualitative & Quantitative), experience with systematic literature reviews, survey design, semi-structured interviews, and experimental study design is required.
• Familiarity with statistical analysis software (such as SPSS, SAS, or R) and qualitative analysis packages
• Demonstrated abilities in managing research projects on the ground end-to-end, from defining research questions to publishing results.
• Able to grasp new technology concepts quickly, and combine contrarian, out-of-the-box thinking when performing security assessments.
• Experience with public policy-related research will be a plus factor, as well as experience in research with adolescents.

Key Competencies

• Able to build and maintain strong working relationships with people within and external to the university.
• Self-directed learner who believes in continuous learning and development
• Proficient in technical writing and presentation
• Possess strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• Show strong initiative and take ownership of work