Research Fellow, Centre for Biomedical Ethics

Updated: over 1 year ago
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 29 Dec 2022

Job Description

We are looking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Biomedical Ethics (CBmE), National University of Singapore (NUS).

CBmE is a thriving international centre for learning, teaching and research on ethical and associated social, legal and policy aspects of health care and biomedical sciences. It aims to be the leading centre in biomedical ethics in Asia. Based in the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, CBmE takes responsibility for the Health Ethics, Law and Professionalism (HELP) track of the undergraduate medical curriculum. We also offer graduate courses and doctoral supervision in bioethics, and various professional development opportunities for health professionals and researchers, including courses for prospective members of health and research ethics committees. Our research tackles issues of broad international significance with a particular interest in learning for and from Singapore and Asia. We support ethics capability development in the region and currently chair the network of Collaborating Centres for Bioethics of the World Health Organisation. You can find out more about CBmE here: http://cbme.nus.edu.sg/   

We are currently looking for an experienced postdoctoral researcher to join our team and contribute to policy-relevant research on the ethics of emerging bioscience and health technologies. Specifically, the candidate will have strong interests and demonstrated research experience in the ethical and policy issues relevant to precision medicine and genomics. The successful candidate will contribute to projects investigating the moral contours of the social license for precision medicine using empirical research methods and community engagement activities. This candidate will focus on the ethical implications of identifying biological and neurological markers for diagnosing the early asymptomatic stages of disease where effective treatments may or may not be available. Findings will be integrated with ethical and conceptual analyses to generate theory on the social license and anticipate the practical impacts of precision medicine on (prospective) patients and the wider healthcare system. Outcomes will be disseminated at academic conferences and journal publications, as well as in forums for local policymakers and stakeholders, and in materials for public consumption.

Responsibilities

The candidate will work closely with Dr Tamra Lysaght on the precision medicine research as well as the Director of CBmE. The primary responsibilities of the candidate are to:

  • Conduct literature reviews, including collation and synthesis of the literature
  • Design, conduct and analyse qualitative data from interviews and focus groups with a range of stakeholders including expert informants and lay communities
  • Support the design and interpretation of quantitative survey data
  • Support the design, conduct and reporting of outcomes from community and stakeholder engagement activities, which may include Citizen’s juries and deliberative workshops
  • Assist with applying for ethics approval and preparing regular reports to the Institutional Review Board and funding agencies, as required.
  • Contribute to and lead (where appropriate) conceptual research, manuscript development, writing, editing and publication submission. 
  • Lead the production of media releases, website content (including video and other graphic content) and presentations for the public on the ethical and governance issues related to precision medicine
  • Assist with preparation of competitive research grant applications.

Qualifications

The position is a two-year full-time appointment at the academic rank of Research Fellow. An option to renew the appointment for another two years will depend on performance and continued funding for the projects. Start date is flexible but the successful candidate should ideally commence no later than January 1st, 2023. Applicants will be evaluated based on the following selection criteria:

Essential criteria

  • A PhD in a discipline relevant to bioethics (e.g. philosophy, law, sociology, or political science) from a reputable university.
  • Minimum of two years experience with demonstrated skills in conducting and analysing qualitative research.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of ethical issues related to precision medicine, genomics, and/or neuroscience
  • Experience in integrating empirical research findings with ethical analyses
  • Proven track record of publication in the field of bioethics
  • Exemplary written English and oral communication skills
  • Excellent organization and management skills
  • Demonstrated aptitude for collaborative as well as independent work

Desirable Criteria

  • Proficiency with the scientific terminology and concepts of precision medicine, genomics, and/or neuroscience
  • Familiarity with laws and regulations that govern the use of genome data and human biomedical research in Singapore
  • Experience in teaching in different settings and programmes
  • Experience in translating bioethics research into policy recommendations for government and senior decisionmakers, and materials for public consumption

Application

NUS offers competitive remuneration packages. The successful applicant will be offered an annual salary plus benefits commensurate with his or her experience and expertise and will have access to travel support to disseminate research outcomes at international academic conferences. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis beginning July 25, 2022, until a suitable candidate is found. Please submit your application containing the following:

  • A cover letter with statements that address each of the selection criteria above
  • Curriculum vitae with contact details of three referees
  • A writing sample (sole authored peer-reviewed publication strongly preferred)
  • Current and expected salary

Please send applications to: Dr. Tamra Lysaght Email: [email protected] .

Covid-19 Message

At NUS, the health and safety of our staff and students are one of our utmost priorities, and COVID-vaccination supports our commitment to ensure the safety of our community and to make NUS as safe and welcoming as possible. Many of our roles require a significant amount of physical interactions with students/staff/public members. Even for job roles that may be performed remotely, there will be instances where on-campus presence is required.

Taking into consideration the health and well-being of our staff and students and to better protect everyone in the campus, applicants are strongly encouraged to have themselves fully COVID-19 vaccinated to secure successful employment with NUS.

More Information

Location: Kent Ridge Campus
Organization: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
Department: Dean's Office (Medicine)
Employee Referral Eligible: No
Job requisition ID: 16543



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