Summer Research Internships

The Comparative Cognition Lab is open to motivated, hardworking students or recent graduates that are interested in completing an internship with us. Students contemplating a career in scientific research and development are especially encouraged to apply for a summer research internship at CCL (if you are interested in applying during a different quarter/semester, please contact the lab manager).

Description

Interns will gain experience working on multiple projects at all stages of the research process. Research interns will work with graduate students and research assistant teams on multiple ongoing research projects, and with the lab manager on tasks to organize projects. Interns will be responsible for behavioral data coding, recruiting and testing child and/or adult participants, or collecting observational primate data at the zoo and/or testing primates, and reading, reviewing, and discussing relevant theoretical and empirical papers.

How our internship is structured:

• Interns are expected to attend lab meetings (class schedule permitting), attend subject recruiting events, turn in assignments on time, and collect data at the zoo or schools.
• Interns should expect to be present in the lab during most of their committed 25 hours to the lab.
• Interns will split their time in the lab between 3-5 projects.
• For some of their projects, they will be a “core member” of a team, for which they will be expected to help with experimental design, complete literature searches are reviews, create experimental documents, materials, and stimuli, collect data, code behavioral data, and eventually analyze data.
• Interns will also complete more flexible assignments such as behavioral coding, or help with administrative tasks.
• If you are interested in working with children, please keep in mind that you will need a minimum of 2 mornings of availability (8am-12pm) for testing at schools.
• If you are interested in collecting data at the zoo, (while not required) it will be much more convenient for you if you have a car available during the summer.

What kind of students are we looking for?

• Students should be comfortable working independently and managing their time effectively.
• Prior experience working with children/animals or working in a research lab is beneficial but not required.
• We prefer students who are interested in pursuing a graduate degree eventually, or students interested in working in a related field (although this is not a requirement).
• We prefer students who have taken COGS 14A or an equivalent research methods class.
• Students should treat their position in the lab as seriously as a job.

Time Commitment

Please note, a 2 month commitment (25+ hours a week) is required for research interns.
This is an unpaid internship. Housing is not provided for by the lab.

Important Application Due Dates & Information

Application Due Date: April 30th, 11:59pm (PST).

Application Process:

1. Please complete the following application: Apply Here →
2. The lab manager will review your application and contact you if the lab is interested in interviewing you for the position (interviews may be conducted over Zoom/Skype).
3. Students will be notified by the third or fourth week of May.

Additional Required Documents:

• 1 page resume or CV PDF
• Academic records/Unofficial transcripts PDF

Please email our lab managers at cogsci-cclab@ucsd.edu if you have any additional questions. Please do not contact us about your application. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive an email.