Job Description

The National University of Singapore (NUS) Department of the Built Environment (DBE) invites applications for a full-time Research Fellow to drive R&D in carbon management and optimization within the built environment. The successful candidate will lead the development of an activity-level carbon calculation methodology and digital tool that automatically tracks emissions across project lifecycle, integrating data science, ontologies/knowledge graphs, and carbon accounting. The Research Fellow will help develop and lead the CognitionX Lab (https://cognitionx-lab.github.io/) with Dr. Jinying Xu, Assistant Professor and Director of the Cognition X Lab, contributing to a high-impact research agenda and industry collaborations.

Key Responsibilities

•    Tool and methodology development
     o    Design and implement a scalable activity-level carbon calculation tool, including data ingestion, estimation algorithms, and automated reporting.
     o    Build and maintain ontologies/knowledge graphs mapping activities, materials, equipment, emission factors, and data provenance.
     o    Develop data pipelines integrating BIM/IFC, schedules (4D), IoT/telemetry, procurement/ERP, and emissions factor databases.
•    Analytics and optimization
     o    Apply data science, uncertainty quantification, and optimization/operations research to evaluate and recommend carbon reduction strategies under cost, schedule, and quality constraints.
     o    Create decision-support dashboards and audit-ready logs aligned with recognised standards (e.g., GHG Protocol, ISO 14064/14067, PAS 2080, ISO/EN LCA standards).
•    Research outputs and impact
     o    Publish in leading journals and conferences; prepare technical reports, software documentation, and open science artefacts where permissible.
     o    Contribute to grant proposals, project scoping, and delivery of milestones; present findings to academic and practitioner audiences.
•    Lab development and leadership
     o    Co-develop the Cognition X Lab’s technical roadmap and research priorities with Dr. Jinying Xu.
     o    Lead day-to-day project management, mentor junior researchers/students, and ensure rigorous R&D practices.
     o    Establish collaborations with internal and external stakeholders (industry partners, agencies, other labs).

What We Offer
•    Access to computing resources, datasets, and industry case studies
•    Support for professional development, conferences, and dissemination (subject to funding)
•    Opportunity to help build and lead a new lab with a clear decarbonisation mission

Application Materials

Please submit the following as a single PDF in the application system by 20 December, 2025:
•    Cover letter (max 2 pages) detailing fit, R&D experience, and vision for the Cognition X Lab’s cognition for carbon mitigation and research agenda
•    CV (including publications and software/projects) and academic transcripts
•    Two representative work samples (e.g., journal paper, code repository, technical report, ontology/graph model)
•    4 Reference letters, including one from candidate’s PhD supervisor
•    PhD/Master/Bachelor degree certificate

Evaluation Criteria
•    Depth and originality of R&D contributions
•    Technical fit (data science, ontology/knowledge graph, carbon accounting, optimization)
•    Leadership and collaboration potential for lab development
•    Communication and project management skills

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews.

NUS is committed to a diverse and inclusive research environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

Note: If you plan to align the tool with specific standards, datasets, or industry partner requirements, share those details and we can further tailor the scope, deliverables, and evaluation metrics.

Job Requirements

•    Minimum Qualifications
     o    PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Civil/Construction Engineering, Built Environment, Industrial/Systems Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Computer/Data Science, Operations Research).
     o    Demonstrated research and development capabilities, evidenced by high-quality publications, software/tools, or impactful projects.
     o    Strong proficiency in data science and programming (Python preferred; experience with pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn; SQL).
     o    Practical experience with ontologies/knowledge graphs (RDF/OWL, SHACL, SPARQL) and at least one graph database (e.g., Neo4j, GraphDB).
     o    Solid understanding of carbon calculation/accounting and LCA concepts (scope definitions, boundaries, emission factors, allocation, uncertainty).
     o    Excellent communication skills and ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and industry collaborations.

•    Preferred Qualifications
     o    Experiences in getting grants and writing grant proposals.
     o    Experiences in (co-)supervising students.
     o    Integration experience with BIM/IFC, project scheduling tools (e.g., Primavera/MS Project), and construction process data.
     o    Optimization expertise (linear/mixed-integer programming, stochastic optimization) and familiarity with simulation or decision analytics.
     o    Experience with cloud/data engineering (APIs, ETL, data quality), dashboarding (Power BI/Tableau), and software engineering (version control, testing, CI/CD).
     o    Knowledge of emissions databases (e.g., ecoinvent), EPDs, and international standards-aligned workflows; familiarity with Singapore’s built environment context.

More Information

Location: Kent Ridge Campus

Organization: College of Design and Engineering

Department : The Built Environment

Employee Referral Eligible: No

Job requisition ID : 31002