Senior Researcher / Researcher - Forest Ecology

[What the role is]

The Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG) is one of the oldest tropical botanical gardens and one of only three botanic gardens in the world inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The SBG is a Division of the National Parks Board (NParks), the statutory agency responsible for managing greenery and biodiversity in Singapore.

SBG also hosts a Tropical Forest Ecology Research (TFER) programme to coordinate research to inform forest management strategies and policy in Singapore and the region. Singapore’s geographic position at the heart of Southeast Asia places SBG in an advantageous position to address challenges facing forest conservation and restoration in the region. The programme maintains long-term forest research sites such as a network of long-term forest study plots throughout Singapore’s nature reserves and parks where other research projects on wildlife, nutrient cycling, etc., are co-located to maximise potential synergies.

We are seeking a Senior Researcher/Researcher in Forest Ecology to contribute to its research efforts and help translate scientific findings into meaningful conservation and management outcomes.

[What you will be working on]

You will:

• Lead long-term forest ecological monitoring studies in Singapore’s forests. These include tree demographic monitoring in long-term study plots established under the TFER programme, as well as monitoring of other aspects of forest ecosystem functioning such as ecosystem productivity and energetics, plant-water relations, nutrient cycling, forest microclimate, plant-animal interactions, etc.
• Design and execute studies to inform forest management, e.g., for resilience against future climate change. These include studies on the eco-physiology of forest trees, the effectiveness of forest restoration actions and testing how current approaches can be improved, etc.

• Collaborate internally with colleagues across different Divisions to translate scientific monitoring and research into policy and practice;

• Facilitate collaborations with external researchers, including scoping of research grant calls and managing awarded projects, to bring in complementary expertise and additional resources, in order to maximise outcomes from NParks’ investment in forest ecological research;

• Publish in reputable peer-reviewed journals and present at scientific conferences;
• Share on tropical forest science and conservation with non-scientist stakeholders, internally as well as with the general public through giving public talks and guest lectures, mentoring students, publishing popular scientific articles, interviews with the media, etc.

Support Science & Technology functions within NParks, including involvement in other research programmes, projects, workshops and working groups, etc.

[What we are looking for]

• Doctoral degree (PhD) in ecology, forest science, or a related discipline.
• Preferably demonstrable familiarity with identification of plants (especially trees) and animals that can be found in Singapore’s forests, and with trait-based tree functional ecology or eco-physiology.
• Experience with field project management, including writing research proposals, managing research teams and logistics, and data management.
• Proficiency in relevant software (e.g., Geographic Information Systems) and programming languages (e.g., R), preferably also having kept up with technological advances such as in sensors and Artificial Intelligence, and their possible applications to scale/speed up ecological research.
• Scientific agility to venture into and carry out research beyond original area of expertise, with keen interest in translational ecology and willingness to take on wider roles and responsibilities to support NParks’ and the Singapore Government’s functions and mission.
• Track record of publishing in reputable scientific journals.
• Self-motivated, organised, and able to work independently, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in a team environment under time pressure.
• Preferably possess a Singapore Class 3 driving license or equivalent.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.