Employment Terms of PhD Holders in Research Roles in Local Universities

Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Education of all PhD holders currently employed in research roles by local universities (a) what is their median salary; (b) what is the proportion on contracts versus permanent roles; and (c) what is the median duration of these employment contracts.

Mr Chan Chun Sing: As of 31 December 2023, the median salaries of non-faculty PhD holders employed as Research Scientists and Engineers (RSEs) 1 at the four research-intensive Autonomous Universities – National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University and Singapore University of Technology and Design – range from $6,000 to $6,900. These RSEs are hired on contract basis, as permanent roles are usually associated with faculty on tenure track. Across the four universities, their median contract durations range from one to two years.

Note(s) to Question No(s) 7:

1 As defined by the National Survey of Research, Innovation and Enterprise in Singapore, Research Scientists and Engineers (RSEs) comprise the researchers, excluding the full-time postgraduate research students, who hold formal qualifications at the university degree level.