Research Assistant (Humanities/Social Sciences)
Job Description
The Centre for Health, Culture, and Society (CHCS) at NTU CoHASS is a new interdisciplinary research hub working at the intersection of health, culture, and society. We are seeking a Research Assistant to support a grant-funded study, "When Care Becomes Difficult: Complaint, Moral Strain, and Narrative Conflict in the Hospital Pharmacy," led by A/P Graham Matthews.
The project investigates the lived experience of pharmacists at Singapore General Hospital who navigate patient complaints and difficult encounters, using semi-structured interviews and focused institutional ethnography. The Research Assistant will play a key role in generating and verifying interview transcripts, assisting with preliminary qualitative analysis, supporting literature review work, and helping to prepare materials such as a written report, conference paper, and journal article.
The appointment is for three months, renewable for a further three months following satisfactory review.
Key Responsibilities:
Coordinate interview scheduling and administer consent procedures in compliance with IRB requirements.
Generate, verify, and anonymise transcripts of audio-recorded interviews (up to 20 interviews of approximately 90 minutes each).
Prepare interview summaries and analytic memos capturing key narrative patterns and themes.
Assist with preliminary qualitative coding of interview data under the supervision of the PI.
Assist with fieldnote preparation from the ethnographic observation component.
Support literature review tasks and preparation of materials for dissemination of research.
Maintain organised and secure records of all research data and documentation.
Job Requirements:
Bachelor's degree in a relevant humanities, social sciences, or health-related discipline; Master's degree or postgraduate training in medical humanities or a cognate field is an advantage.
Strong interest in qualitative research; prior transcription experience in a research context is highly desirable.
Familiarity with qualitative data analysis; experience with NVivo or similar software is an advantage.
Excellent written and strong organisational skills with meticulous attention to detail.
Sensitivity and discretion in handling confidential data from sensitive professional contexts; understanding of research ethics desirable.
Interest in medical humanities, narrative medicine, or the sociology of healthcare strongly desirable.
We regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
Hiring Institution: NTU