Research Assistant (Human-Computer Interaction)

Company description:

The National University of Singapore is the national research university of Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest higher education institution in Singapore

Job description:

Job Description

The Centre for Holistic Inquiry into Lifelong Learning (CHILL) at the National University of Singapore is seeking a motivated Research Assistant with expertise in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), technical product management, and hands-on development across hardware, software, and XR.

The Research Assistant will work closely with the Principal Investigator (A/Prof Suranga Nanayakkara). The successful candidate will be responsible for managing open-ended research and innovation projects end-to-end, effectively bridging the gap between user needs, technical implementation, and overall project goals.

Major responsibilities include:

1. Project & Product Management: Manage research and development projects end-to-end, independently defining scope, setting milestones, and delivering iteratively using agile methodologies (e.g., SCRUM).
2. Technical Implementation & Prototyping: Design and develop hybrid hardware-software demonstrators, interactive XR/VR applications, and multimodal interfaces (utilizing tools such as Unity, Flutter, and Python).
3. Human-Centered Research: Conduct qualitative user research, expert interviews, and usability evaluations to inform iterative, human-centered prototyping and MVP creation.
4. Stakeholder Collaboration: Facilitate feedback sessions, align internal teams and external stakeholders, and moderate project timelines to ensure successful deliverables.
5. Academic & Industry Engagement: Disseminate research outcomes via journal and conference papers, contribute to research grant proposals, and actively participate in industry project meetings and academic events.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human Factors, Engineering Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a closely related field.
• Project Management: Proven experience in Technical Product/Project Management, with a strong grasp of Agile/SCRUM practices, milestone planning, and iterative delivery.
• Design & Prototyping: Proficiency in rapid prototyping, UI/UX design (Figma), and 3D modeling/CAD (Blender, Siemens NX, etc.).
• Programming & Integration: Strong hands-on development skills using languages and frameworks such as Dart/Flutter, C#, Python, and web technologies, along with experience in hardware integration (e.g., Raspberry Pi, CAN-Bus).
• Research Methods: Solid background in qualitative user research, human-centered design frameworks, and empirical research methods.
• Soft Skills: Excellent communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a diverse team environment.