How to Apply for a Research Assistant Position in the Youth and Adolescent Relationships (YAR) Lab

If you are interested in pursuing a graduate career in psychology or a related field, working as a research assistant can provide experience and opportunities that may help you along this path. The longer you participate in the lab the more opportunities you will have to expand your work experience through greater responsibility in the lab, which will help you to build a solid background in psychological research.

RA Requirements: All RAs are expected to contribute between 6-8 hours per week in the lab for at least two semesters. Participating in the lab for at least two semesters ensures that you gain a richer experience and allows you to take on more complex tasks that require more training. The lab hours include participation in a one hour weekly or bi-weekly lab meeting and any other activities related to the lab. Schedules are flexible, but we prefer students who can work during late afternoons (e.g., after 2pm) and weekends.

Duties: RAs may assist with the day to day running of the lab including conducting literature reviews, preparing research materials, and managing data and surveys. From time to time we also recruit RAs for specific projects, such as viewing and coding friends, couples, or parent-teen interactions.

Lab Meetings: All lab members attend a weekly meeting. The time of this meeting generally changes each semester to best accommodate lab members’ schedules. In this meeting, we review the progress of various projects in the lab, provide updates on any new procedures, discuss problems and issues related to our research, and have presentations of ongoing lab projects by honors students and graduate students.

Qualifications of Successful Applicants: Most RAs plan to apply to graduate school in psychology or related fields. Although not required, the following are preferred: CGPA above 3.5, completion of Psyc 205 and 301 (with a grade of A- or better), volunteer experience (research or other), and a clear interest in relationships research. You do not have to be a current EMU student to apply for an RA position. We accept applications on an ongoing basis, but prefer to receive them just prior to the beginning of each semester.

How to Apply: Please complete the RA application form (click to download) and send a copy of your unofficial transcript report to Dr. Chong Man Chow’s email address (cchow@emich.edu). Qualified applicants will be invited to interview with a member of the research team. Please note that we do not have paid positions available.