The Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore is currently recruiting for a full-time Research Fellow to join the project “Capitals of the Future: Place, Power, and Possibility in Southeast Asia”.

The project seeks to understand the interaction between imaginations of the future, discourses of urban planning, and pathways of urban development. Interdisciplinary in thrust, the project involves geography, sociology, history, and planning studies. The research addresses the question, How do sites of urban planning in Asia reflect and generate imaginations of the future, and what roles do references to other cities and sites play in these imaginations? Methodologically, this involves examination of discourses of planning experimentation associated with three cities in Southeast Asia and the historical pathways of their development. The three cities are Singapore and the two de novo administrative capitals of Putrajaya in Malaysia and Nusantara in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The project team will comprise eleven members, including four core researchers, two local collaborators, a research assistant, and three associated Ph.D. students, in addition to this research fellow appointee.

The successful candidate will be offered a fixed-term contract of 36 months from the date of hire, likely to be from August 2023 to August 2026. They will receive an attractive monthly remuneration depending on experience and qualifications. The position will be based in Singapore.

Job Description

• Work closely with the core researchers, local collaborators, and research assistant to coordinate data collection, and manage the central data coding and analysis programme of the project.
• Manage project programming and communications, and work with ARI staff to organise seminars, workshops and conferences related to the project.
• Oversee the project’s publication schedule, including writing and editorial work on research papers for publication.

Job Requirements

• The ideal candidate will have a recent Ph.D. in geography, sociology, planning studies, or a related discipline, as well as ongoing research interests related to the project themes.
• Prior research experience and ongoing research interest in Indonesia is preferred.
• Prior research experience using qualitative data analysis software such as Nvivo would be advantageous

Application Process

To apply for this position, please combine the following documents in 1 PDF and attach it under the CV column when submitting your application:

• Curriculum vitae (CV);
• Article/chapter-length writing sample;
• Cover letter of no more than 800 words, explaining your past research/work experience and interests in relation to the research project; and
• Name and email addresses of three referees whom we may contact, one of whom should be your MA or Ph.D. advisor.

Informal inquiries may be directed to the PI, A/P Daniel Goh, at socgohd@nus.edu.sg.

Read more about the role here and apply via the link here. Applications close on 15 May 2023.

Photo source: Ciaran Laval, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0, from Flickr