Senior Research Assistant in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration

Job Description:

Applications are invited for appointment as Senior Research Assistant in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration (Ref.: 536858), to commence as soon as possible for a period of one year, with the possibility of renewal subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability.

Duties and Responsibilities

The appointee will join an interdisciplinary research project titled “Trauma-Informed, Community-Anchored Support for Justice-Involved Older Adults in Hong Kong (Project Hope Net – PHN): Effectiveness and Social Return on Investment.” The project aims to evaluate the effectiveness and social return on investment of a trauma-informed, community-anchored support programme for justice-involved older adults and their families, focusing on well-being, access to support, reoffending outcomes, and service capacity building.

The appointee will be responsible for:

• Conducting literature reviews and contributing to the development of theoretical frameworks at the intersection of criminology, post-trauma-informed practice, and support services for older adults involved in the criminal justice system.
• Conducting mixed-methods research, including a quasi-experimental study and focus group discussions, under the supervision of the Principal Investigator (PI).
• Assisting with Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation under the supervision of the PI.
• Performing quantitative and qualitative data analysis using appropriate research methods and software.
• Collaborating with the funder and community partners to enhance knowledge translation and maximize the project's social impact.
• Assisting the PI in project management, ethics applications, data collection, and the preparation of research reports, publications, and presentations.

Requirements

• A master’s degree in social sciences (e.g., Social Work, Psychology, Criminology, Sociology, or related disciplines). Applicants with a Bachelor's degree and substantial research experience may also be considered.
• Expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research methods, with demonstrated experience in conducting focus groups, interviews, and economic evaluations (e.g., cost-effectiveness or cost-benefit analyses).
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency in statistical software (e.g., STATA, SPSS, or R) and qualitative analysis software (e.g., NVivo).
• Experience in criminology, criminal justice research, or economic evaluation studies is highly desirable.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research team.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; proficiency in Cantonese is an advantage for local fieldwork and stakeholder engagement.

Enquiries can be sent to Prof. LU Shiyu at [email protected].

A highly competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience will be offered, in addition to annual leave and medical benefits, etc.

The University only accepts online application for the above post. Applicants should apply online and upload an up-to-date CV. Review of applications will commence as soon as applications are received and continue until 31 August 2026, or until the posts are filled.