Job Description

Full-time/Part-time Research Assistant I / Senior Research Assistant

Research Assistant I / Senior Research Assistant in the Faculty of Law (Ref.:537320) (to commence as soon as possible, on a three-month temporary basis)

The appointee will work on a project involving quantitative and socio‑legal analysis of approximately 2,300+ drug trafficking sentencing judgments from the Hong Kong High Court and District Court, and the preparation of an in‑depth report on drug trafficking trends and sentencing patterns for an NGO partner serving youth offenders.

Applicants should possess a Master’s degree or above in socio‑legal studies, Social Work, Criminology, Statistics / Data Science, Public Policy / Social Policy, or a closely related field with substantial quantitative methods training. They should have:

• Training in descriptive statistics, inferential analysis, and data visualisation
• Ability to work with structured datasets (e.g. CSV/Excel)
• Competence in at least one data analysis environment (e.g. R, Python, Stata, SPSS, or similar)
• Demonstrated ability to write clear, structured, analytical reports in English
• Ability to interpret and synthesise complex information (including legal judgments and social data)
• Good organisational skills and ability to work independently to meet deadlines

A law degree or legal training is an advantage, especially if combined with quantitative skills, but is not a substitute for the quantitative methods requirement.

The appointee’s primary task will be to lead the analysis and writing of an in‑depth report, including:

• Analysing an existing dataset of coded drug trafficking sentencing judgments (approx. 2,300+ cases)
• Conducting descriptive and inferential quantitative analysis (e.g. regression, group comparisons, trends over time)
• Identifying trends and patterns in:
• Case background (time, place, court level; high‑risk periods/locations)
• Defendant characteristics (age, gender, nationality, education, occupation, family structure, health/addiction, prior records)
• Trafficking behaviours (drug type/weight, trafficking methods, motives, financial benefits)
• Sentencing factors and outcomes (aggravating/mitigating factors, sentencing starting points, discounts, final sentences), including how courts treat different roles, levels of culpability, and cross‑border elements
• Relating findings to youth crime prevention, intervention, and frontline support, and drafting a comprehensive, practitioner‑oriented report for the NGO partner

Appointment as Senior Research Assistant may be offered to candidates with a Ph.D. degree or equivalent research experience.

A highly competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience will be offered, together with annual leave and medical benefits.

The University only accepts online application for the above post. Applicants should apply online and upload an up‑to‑date C.V. Review of applications will start as soon as possible and continue until October 7, 2026, or until the post is filled, whichever is earlier.