The Psychopathology Lifespan and Neuropsychology (PLAN) Lab welcomes motivated students at every stage of their academic journey. Whether you are an undergraduate seeking your first research experience, a senior student preparing an honours thesis, or applying to the UBCO Clinical Psychology Program, there are several ways to become part of our team.
Below you’ll find descriptions of each opportunity, along with intake forms for those currently accepting expressions of interest. Submitting a form does not guarantee a position but it ensures that, if a strong match arises with our current lab needs, someone from the lab can reach out to you by email. We update this page as new opportunities become available, so feel free to check back.
A great way to get familiar with research and prepare for directed studies.
PLAN Lab research volunteers are continuously being recruited and are involved in all levels of research. Volunteering is a flexible, hands-on way to learn how a clinical and neuropsychology lab operates and to build the skills needed for more advanced placements like directed studies or honours.
The intake form helps us learn a bit more about you (relevant experience, areas of interest, and workload/availability) so we can match students to roles and projects as opportunities come up. Please note that volunteer placements are not strictly first-come, first-served; decisions are based on fit with current lab needs, reliability/availability, and relevant experience. Submitting the form does not guarantee a position, but it ensures we can consider you for future openings.
Hands-on research, data work, and literature reviews for credit.
Second, third, and fourth year directed studies courses are available through the PLAN Lab. Directed studies projects can involve hands-on research, data organization, and/or literature reviews. These projects are a strong stepping stone toward an honours thesis or graduate study.
Because directed studies require dedicated supervision and lab capacity, we use this form to better understand your background, interests, and availability, and to determine whether there’s a good overall fit with the lab and potential supervisors. In addition to the standard intake questions, we ask you to write a brief (max 500 words) research proposal. This is not a commitment. We use it primarily as a thinking and writing sample to understand how you approach research (the kinds of questions you’re drawn to, how you structure ideas, and your familiarity with research design and methods).
Decisions depend on supervisor availability, lab capacity, and alignment between your interests and what the lab can support during the requested term. If there’s a strong match, someone from the lab will contact you by email.
An honours research project and thesis in clinical or neuropsychology.
Top-tier undergraduates have the opportunity to complete an honours research project and thesis in the PLAN Lab. Preference is given to students with previous research experience.
Because honours supervision and lab capacity are limited, we use this intake form to learn more about your background, interests, prerequisites, and prior training so we can determine overall fit with the lab and potential supervisors. You’ll also be asked to write a brief research proposal (max 500 words). This proposal is not a commitment to the exact project you will complete. Instead, it’s a way for us to understand how you think about research: your curiosity, how you frame questions, how you connect them to feasible methods, and how your interests align with what the lab can realistically support.
In general, proposals that resonate with the lab’s research areas and are feasible within an honours timeline are more likely to be a good fit. Submitting this form does not guarantee a position, but it ensures we can consider you for future openings. If there’s a strong match, someone from the lab will reach out by email.
Paid research positions in the lab.
All paid research assistant positions in the PLAN Lab are currently filled. We are not actively recruiting for paid RA roles at this time. Stay tuned! This page will be updated when new positions become available.
In the meantime, students interested in gaining lab experience are warmly encouraged to apply through the volunteer, directed studies, or honours streams above.
Applying to the UBCO Clinical Psychology Program with a PLAN Lab supervisor.
Students interested in applying to the UBCO Clinical Psychology Program with one of our lab’s supervisors are encouraged to visit the official UBCO Clinical Psychology page. There you’ll find detailed information about the program, the school, and which PLAN Lab supervisors are accepting students for the upcoming round of applications.
You’re also welcome to email the lab, or any of the preferred supervisors directly, with your questions and inquiries. Please note that during application season our supervisors receive a great number of emails and may not be able to respond to everyone individually.
Fill out the intake form that matches the opportunity you’re interested in.
The lab reviews submissions against current needs, supervisor availability, and relevant experience.
If a position opens up and there’s a strong match, someone from the lab will contact you by email.
If you have questions, want to learn more about the lab, or aren’t sure which opportunity is right for you, please email us, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
If you’re looking for ways to get involved, our recommendation is to fill out the form(s) above that apply to you, and to refer to this page as it gets updated. When a position opens and there’s a strong match, someone from the lab will reach out by email.
