Department of Applied Social Sciences
Research Assistant Professor in Social Work / Psychology
(Ref. 260306009)
The Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) has a wealth of expertise in multiple disciplines including Social Work, Social Policy and Administration, Psychology, and Sociology. Our research directions are related to migration and population mobility, family and life span development, applied psychology, social economy, social media and culture, disaster and risks reduction, and social work practice. Our academic and professional programmes strive to promote education and professional training to align with the emerging needs of our society and students’ diverse learning interests.
Please visit the website at http://www.polyu.edu.hk/apss/ for more information about the Department.
Duties
The appointee will be required to:
(a) conduct research as the main duty and actively pursue external research grants, such as General Research Fund, as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator;
(b) assist in the research project, “enhancing the trajectory of out-of-home care children and youth - track two in foster care”;
(c) conduct literature review, perform statistical analysis and write papers;
(d) participate in collaborative research projects within the department or with external institutions;
(e) provide quality teaching at undergraduate or postgraduate level;
(f) contribute to departmental service; and
(g) perform any other duties as assigned by the Head of Unit or his/her delegates.
Qualifications
Applicants should:
(a) have a PhD degree in Social Work, Psychology or a related discipline;
(b) preferably have at least two years of postdoctoral research experience;
(c) have a solid academic background in a relevant discipline, including but not limited to the following areas - youth development, family studies, residential care, foster care or poverty alleviation, particularly with research and teaching expertise in the related areas;
(d) have demonstrated promise of a high level of creative ability in research and teaching in some subdivisions of his/her field;
(e) be proficient in conducting statistical analyses using various software programs, such as R, Python, Mplus or SPSS;
(f) be highly motivated in education and able to demonstrate effective classroom teaching skills; and
(g) be highly proficient in written and spoken English.
Conditions of Service
A highly competitive package including a medical benefits plan and a gratuity payable upon completion of the term which is normally for two to three years initially, with possibility of extension.
Consideration of applications will commence on 16 March 2026 until the position is filled.
Posting date: 6 March 2026