Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Leong Mun Wai, Non-Constituency Member of Parliament
Question
To ask 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.
Response
1. As of 31 December 2023, the median salaries of non-faculty PhD holders employed as Research Scientists and Engineers (RSEs) at the four research-intensive Autonomous Universities (NUS, NTU, SMU and SUTD) 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 1 to 2 years.