Research Assistant, 1 Year Contract

About The Job The Research Assistant provides operational research and research-administration support across multiple URO projects and initiatives. Working under the guidance of a Research Associate, Research Fellow, PI or URO supervisor, the incumbent supports data collection and analysis, literature and evidence work, project coordination, research governance and stakeholder administration. The role requires strong organisation, accuracy and reliable follow-through, with the ability to manage varied tasks and cope effectively with tight and competing deadlines. What You Will Be Doing 1. Research and Evidence Support Collect, organise, process and prepare research data for analysis, ensuring records are complete, accurate and systematically maintained. Conduct literature searches, literature reviews, environmental scans and background research, and organise and summarise relevant evidence for the research team. Support primarily qualitative research activities, including interview and focus-group logistics, audio-recording preparation, transcription checking, coding, data organisation and preliminary thematic or content analysis under guidance. Assist with research instruments and materials such as interview guides, survey questionnaires, coding frameworks, participant documents and evidence tables. Support quantitative data work where required, including data entry, cleaning, validation, descriptive summaries and preparation of tables or charts. Familiarity with Excel and statistical software such as SPSS, Stata or R is an advantage but not a requirement. Assist in drafting and preparing research summaries, reports, working papers, presentations and materials for publications or dissemination. Assist in grant writing, including background research, literature and evidence synthesis, preparation of supporting information, and drafting or compiling sections of grant applications under guidance. 2. Research Project and Administrative Support Provide administrative and coordination support across several concurrent research projects and URO activities. Arrange interviews, meetings, workshops and research activities; coordinate schedules among participants, PIs and project team members; send reminders and follow up on outstanding actions. Maintain project trackers, schedules, participant records, action lists, filing systems and other project documentation in an organised and accessible manner. Support participant administration, including consent documentation, interview records and processing or tracking approved participant tokens/honoraria in accordance with project procedures. Assist with grant and project administration, documentation checks, milestone tracking, utilisation information, committee materials and other operational requirements. Prioritise assigned tasks, respond to changing project needs and complete work accurately within tight deadlines. 3. Research Ethics, Data and Recording Management Support compliance with approved research ethics protocols, data-protection requirements and URO procedures; escalate concerns or deviations promptly to the supervisor. Before interviews, ensure approved recording arrangements, interview materials and relevant documentation are ready; after interviews, check recordings for completeness and quality. Organise, label and securely maintain audio files, transcripts, participant codes, consent records and research datasets using agreed file-naming and version-control practices. Handle confidential and personal information responsibly and maintain appropriate research documentation for auditability and project continuity. 4. Stakeholder and URO Support Liaise professionally with research participants, faculty, researchers, URO colleagues and external parties on routine project matters. Prepare correspondence, meeting notes, summaries, presentations and other administrative materials with attention to accuracy, tone and confidentiality. Contribute to other research, institutional research and URO initiatives reasonably aligned with the level of the role. Provide flexible support for special assignments and other tasks as required. Job Requirements Bachelor's degree from a recognised university, preferably in Social Sciences, Psychology, Education, Humanities, Business, Data Analytics, Statistics or a related discipline. Fresh graduates or candidates with up to three years of relevant research, project or administrative experience may be considered. Prior experience in qualitative research, interviewing, transcription, coding, literature reviews, research administration or project coordination is advantageous. Foundational knowledge of research methods, particularly qualitative research, with the ability to conduct literature reviews, manage and analyse data, and summarise findings accurately. Proficiency in Microsoft Office is required, while familiarity with SPSS, Stata, R or similar software is an advantage. Strong organisational, communication and interpersonal skills, with attention to detail, adaptability and the ability to manage multiple priorities while working independently and collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders. Demonstrates integrity, professionalism and a willingness to learn, while adhering to University policies, research governance and data-protection requirements.