Research Engineer I

About Nanyang Technological University Singapore

Established in 1992, the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) at Nanyang Technological University Singapore is the only full-fledged communication school in Singapore. It stands as a world-class center of excellence, boasting an international faculty, state-of-the-art research laboratories, and global institutional affiliations.

We are currently seeking a Research Engineer I for a 1-year contract to contribute to a vital research project. This project will delve into disinformation and propaganda operations prevalent across Southeast Asia, examining their specific impact on Singaporeans. The primary focus will be on the digital space, including various social media platforms and messaging applications.

Key Responsibilities

• Collect, scrape, and meticulously clean large datasets sourced from online platforms and diverse media.
• Execute computational analysis to uncover and understand disinformation and propaganda networks.
• Develop and apply sophisticated data visualization techniques to clearly present complex research findings.
• Actively participate in collaborative discussions regarding research design and methodological approaches.
• Contribute as a co-author to academic papers, conference submissions, and comprehensive project reports.
• Provide support for literature reviews and integrate computational insights into broader theoretical frameworks.
• Assist in the preparation of presentations and effectively communicate findings to various stakeholders.
• Support logistical aspects of the project, including equipment procurement and coordination of student assistants.

Job Requirements

• Hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Studies, or a closely related academic field.
• Demonstrate strong programming proficiency, particularly in languages such as Python or R, for tasks involving data scraping, cleaning, and analysis.
• Possess practical experience with data visualization tools and libraries, including but not limited to Tableau, matplotlib, and ggplot.
• Be familiar with social media APIs and various web scraping frameworks.
• Exhibit the ability to conduct robust statistical and computational analyses, encompassing methods like regression, network analysis, and machine learning.
• Show strong academic writing capabilities and a willingness to engage in co-authorship of publications.
• Possess excellent problem-solving skills and the capacity to work both independently and as a collaborative team member.
• Prior experience in computational social science or related research projects is preferred, though entry-level candidates with demonstrably relevant skills are highly encouraged to apply.

Key skills/competency

• Data Scraping
• Data Cleaning
• Computational Analysis
• Data Visualization
• Python
• R Programming
• Social Media APIs
• Web Scraping
• Network Analysis
• Machine Learning