Project Officer/Research Associate (Laboratory Operations - Chemistry/Chemical Engineering)

The School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) provides a vibrant and nurturing environment for staff and students to carry out inter-disciplinary research in key areas such as Computational Materials Science, Characterisation Materials Science, Defence Composite Materials, Functional Composite Materials, Energy, Nanomaterials, Low Dimensional Materials, Biomaterials Materials, Biological Materials, Bioinspired Materials and Sustainable Materials.

The Project Officer / Research Associate provides dedicated operational support for the establishment and running of a new chemistry research laboratory. The role is responsible for the practical infrastructure on which the group's science depends: procurement of chemicals and equipment, regulatory and licensing compliance, instrument installation and upkeep, inventory control, and the documentation that keeps the laboratory safe and audit-ready. The position supports the University's research mission by helping bring a new capability online quickly, operate it safely and in full compliance with national regulations, and maintain it to a standard that produces reliable, defensible data.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Laboratory setup and commissioning

• Support the planning and execution of the new laboratory build-out, coordinating between the Principal Investigator, research fellows, laboratory and facilities management, and external contractors.

• Manage equipment specification, procurement, delivery, installation and commissioning — including utility and service requirements (power, gases, ventilation, water, waste) — and track setup milestones, dependencies and delays.

2. Procurement, budget and inventory

• Manage day-to-day ordering of chemicals, consumables and equipment through the University's purchasing system, and liaise with suppliers on quotations, deliveries, discrepancies, returns and warranty claims.

• Maintain the chemical inventory and equipment/asset register, monitor expenditure against allocated budgets, and provide spend summaries and equipment/budget inputs for grant submissions.

3. Regulatory compliance, licensing and safety

• Prepare and compile applications for chemical, hazardous-substance and equipment-related licences and permits, submitting through the EHS and compliance offices for review and endorsement; maintain the licence register and flag renewal deadlines and conditions of approval to the PI and EHS.

• Draft and maintain risk assessments, SOPs, chemical handling, storage and waste disposal protocols, training and induction records; deliver safety and equipment inductions, and support audits and inspections.

4. Instrumentation and analytical capability

• Oversee calibration, preventive maintenance, service contracts and instrument documentation; provide first-line troubleshooting and coordinate escalation to vendor engineers.

• Maintain a register of analytical capability available to the group within NTU and across other institutions in Singapore, and manage access, booking and cost-recovery arrangements with core facilities and partner laboratories.

5. Coordination, reporting and external engagement

• Serve as the operational link between the research group and central University functions (procurement, finance, EHS, facilities), and produce clear documentation and regular reports on setup progress, compliance status, assets, inventory, budget and equipment utilisation.

• Support the PI on external engagement as required, including industry mapping, briefing material, and the logistics of partner visits and follow-up, working with the industry liaison and technology transfer office on agreements, NDAs and MTAs.

Job Requirements:

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in chemistry, chemical engineering or a related discipline (Project Officer / Research Assistant level); Master's degree in a relevant discipline for appointment at Research Associate level.

• At least one year of relevant hands-on experience in a laboratory, technical or research support role. Entry-level candidates with strong relevant internship or final-year project experience are welcome to apply.

• Practical bench experience with chemical handling, storage and disposal, and a sound working understanding of laboratory safety practice.

• Familiarity with Singapore's regulatory framework for chemical licensing, hazardous substances and laboratory safety.

• Strong written and oral communication skills, with the ability to produce clear procedures, risk assessments and reports.

• Proficiency in standard office applications; experience with electronic purchasing, procurement or inventory systems.

• Excellent organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to run several workstreams in parallel, work to firm deadlines, and follow through on external dependencies.

• Meticulous, detail-oriented approach to record-keeping and documentation.

• Ability to work independently, take initiative and develop practical solutions with limited supervision, while collaborating effectively in a fast-paced research environment.

Desirable

• Hands-on experience with the operation, routine maintenance and troubleshooting of analytical instrumentation, particularly LC-MS, GC-FID or similar chromatographic and spectroscopic systems.

• Prior involvement in a laboratory setup, relocation or major equipment installation project.

• Experience preparing regulatory submissions or licence applications in Singapore.

• Familiarity with quality and documentation frameworks such as GLP or ISO 17025.

• Existing working relationships with instrument vendors, service providers or core research facilities in Singapore.

• Experience of University or public-sector finance and procurement processes.

• For the optional external engagement component: prior experience in industry, or in a role involving external stakeholder liaison.

Personal attributes

• Self-motivated and comfortable owning operational problems end to end.

• Confident dealing with vendors, contractors, regulators and central administrative functions.

• Pragmatic and calm under time pressure; able to prioritise when plans change.

Note to candidates

• This is an operations and project support role rather than a research position; the postholder will not run an independent research programme or build a publication record. The first year will involve substantial coordination and problem-solving under time pressure, including delays outside the group's control. In return, the successful candidate will take ownership of how a new laboratory is designed, equipped and run from the ground up, and will gain unusually broad exposure across technical, regulatory, financial and operational aspects of research infrastructure.

We regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Hiring Institution: NTU