School of Design
Research Assistant (Full-time/Part-time) (two posts)
(Ref. 260429007)
[Appointment period: each for eight months]
Duties
The appointees will assist the project leader in the research project - “Spatial poverty and the design and impact of community spaces”. This project focuses on the spatial practices of residents living in subdivided units (SDU) in Sham Shui Po. They will be required to:
(a) assist in data collection using ArcGIS Survey123, including training SDU residents on questionnaire usage and tagging points of interest (POIs);
(b) conduct spatial analysis and visualisation using ArcGIS to identify POI clusters and spatial-practice patterns;
(c) coordinate with non-governmental organisation (NGO) partners that operate the Community Living Rooms (CLRs) for participant recruitment and field activities;
(d) design and facilitate co-creation workshops with residents, district councillors and property owners to develop community spatial strategies;
(e) assist in qualitative data collection, including semi-structured interviews with SDU residents;
(f) prepare research reports, policy briefs and administrative documents (e.g. ethics applications, incentive tracking) for the Public Policy Research (PPR) Funding Scheme; and
(g) perform any other research-related duties as assigned by the project leader or her delegates.
Qualifications
Applicants should have:
(a) an honours degree in Social Sciences, Geography, Urban Planning, Community Design or a related discipline;
(b) high proficiency in Geographic Information System (GIS) platforms with experience in spatial analysis;
(c) a solid understanding of urban poverty, housing issues in Hong Kong (especially SDU) and community-based research;
(d) an excellent command of both written and spoken English with fluency in Cantonese to ensure smooth and effective communication with local SDU residents and community stakeholders in conducting fieldwork and interviews;
(e) strong interpersonal skills and experience in organising community workshops or ethnographic fieldwork; and
(f) the ability to work independently, manage fieldwork schedules and handle sensitive personal data with integrity.
Applicants are invited to contact Prof. Norah Wang at telephone number 2766 5480 or via email at norah.x.wang@polyu.edu.hk for further information.
Conditions of Service
For full-time appointments, a highly competitive remuneration package will be offered.
For part-time appointments, the remuneration rate is HK$125 per hour.
Consideration of applications will commence on 6 May 2026 until the positions are filled.
Posting date: 29 April 2026