CURI Academic Year Student Researcher - Rivera

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). We're 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 you're interested in cognitive neuroscience research.

Contact: rivera21@stolaf.edu

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 the CURI Digital Olaf database for 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 student’s academic record will be considered during the selection process. Skills are dependent on individual projects.

If you don’t 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 position. This job description is subject to change at any time by St. Olaf College, with or without prior notice.