Job Title: CURI Academic Year Student Researcher
Classification:Student Employee (non-exempt)
Name and Address of Employer:St. Olaf College 1520 St. Olaf Ave Northfield MN 55057
If the position requires the student to work off campus provide the name and address here:
Department Name: CURI
Unit Number (5 digits): 16118
Length of Position:See Employment Authorization
Contact Person/Supervisor:Faculty advisor
Wage Range: $11.75-12.75
Description of the Position: (Purpose of the Position): Students work together with a faculty member on scholarly or artistic projects.
Project Title: ERP Research Assistant - Numerical Cognition Study
Faculty Mentor:Brian Rivera
Project Description: Department: Psychology
Supervisor: Dr. Brian Rivera
Pay Rate: $13/hour (Mid-Level - requires training and technical skills)
Hours per Week: Up to 10 hours/week
Start Date: February 5 2026
End Date: May 13 2026
Project Description:
Join a cognitive neuroscience research team investigating how the brain processes numerical information! This project uses EEG (electroencephalography) to record brain activity while participants solve arithmetic problems presented in different formats (numbers words and dot patterns). Were examining whether the brain uses similar mechanisms to process mathematical and linguistic information.
Responsibilities:
Recruit and schedule research participants
Conduct EEG data collection sessions (training provided)
Prepare participants for EEG recording (electrode application system setup)
Perform data preprocessing and quality control using specialized software (MATLAB)
Assist with data analysis and visualization
Develop and present a poster at undergraduate neuroscience conferences (fall 2026)
Attend weekly lab meetings and individual supervision sessions
Requirements:
Strong attention to detail and ability to follow precise protocols
Comfortable working one-on-one with research participants
Interest in cognitive neuroscience psychology or related fields
Willingness to learn technical skills (EEG operation MATLAB data analysis)
Reliable and punctual
Previous research experience helpful but not required
Psychology or Neuroscience coursework preferred
Learning Opportunities:
Hands-on training in EEG/ERP methodology
Experience with neuroimaging data analysis using MATLAB
Introduction to machine learning applications in neuroscience
Mentorship in scientific communication and poster presentation
Opportunity to earn OEP Ole Core credit through CURI
Potential authorship on conference presentations
Time Commitment: 2-3 hours weekly supervision 7-8 hours independent work
To Apply: Submit your resume and a brief statement of interest explaining why youre interested in cognitive neuroscience research.
Contact:
Transferable Skills: Research and presentations.
Duties and Responsibilities:Each project has its own timing (number of hours per week and number of weeks) as determined by the individual faculty mentor. See theCURI Digital Olaf databasefor individual project descriptions and details.
Qualifications: (Education/Experience/Skills) A student interested in applying for the CURI academic year program must be enrolled as an on-campus St. Olaf student. There is no GPA requirement that must be met in order to apply for the program but a students academic record will be considered during the selection process. Skills are dependent on individual projects.
If you dont have a work award and select No to the application questions your application will be automatically rejected by the system. If you apply and are rejected please contact Erin Eltonga to resolve this for you.
This job description is for general information purposes. It is not intended to list all duties and responsibilities of the job description is subject to change at any time by St. Olaf College with or without prior notice.