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BISON Lab Manager (Work-Study Available)

UCSC Humanities Division
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The Bilingualism, Sociolinguistics & Cognition (BISON) Lab, directed by Dr. Ariel Chan in the Languages & Applied Linguistics Department, seeks a part-time Lab Manager (approximately 10-12 hours/week) beginning Fall 2025.

This is a one-year appointment with the possibility of renewal based on performance and continued funding. The Lab Manager will work closely with Dr. Chan and lab members on research that integrates psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic approaches to bilingualism (e.g., code-switching in real-world contexts, language processing, and social factors and cognition). The position is hybrid; periodic on-site work is required. Lab location: Humanities 1, Room 115C (UCSC).

Please learn more about our research, mission, and values at our lab website: (https://bisonlinglab.wixsite.com/bison). Our lab culture is grounded in communication, respect, honesty, and open-mindedness.

Position duties (Percentage)

  • Research support (30%) – Design, run, and analyze online and in-person studies with adults.
  • Lab operations and Data Compliance (20%) – Oversee day-to-day operations; maintain equipment; coordinate purchasing and logistics; maintain lab website/GitHub; assist with lab events/meetings; manage research data; maintain IRB protocols.
  • Participant workflows (10%) – Recruit participants; schedule sessions; maintain participant database.
  • Team coordination (20%) – Train, coordinate, and proactively support undergraduate researchers.
  • Communication & meetings (20%) – Attend weekly lab meetings; support internal communications.

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

  • Willingness to commit to at least three consecutive UCSC quarters (the 2025-2026 academic year).
  • Alignment with lab values (communication, respect, honesty, open-mindedness).
  • Strong interpersonal and written/verbal communication skills.
  • Excellent organization, attention to detail, and ability to work independently on multiple tasks.
  • Demonstrated interest in linguistics, bilingualism, and/or language science research.
  • Reliable, meticulous, and responsible; efficient email communication.
  • Flexibility to work on campus as needed (hybrid role).
  • Willingness to learn basic experiment tools/languages (e.g., E-Prime, MATLAB, FindingFive).

Preferred Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

  • Prior research experience in a lab setting (not required but a plus).
  • Coursework in Linguistics, Psychology, or related areas.
  • Majors/minors of interest: Linguistics, Applied Linguistics & Multilingualism, Psychology, Neuroscience, Language Studies (or related fields).
  • Experience with GitHub and/or basic website maintenance.
  • Electroencephalography (EEG) data collection experience is highly desirable.

Training and Professional Development:

  • Training provided in EEG data collection, basic statistical analysis in R, and common research tools (Qualtrics, E-Prime, FindingFive, Prolific).
  • Opportunities to co-author manuscripts and develop independent research projects in collaboration with Dr. Chan and the research team at BISON Lab.
  • This role is especially well-suited for students planning to pursue graduate study in Linguistics or Psychology.

How to Apply

Any students, work-study and non-work-study, are welcome to apply. Please indicate your eligibility status (work-study or non-work-study) in your application. Submit the following application materials via Handshake.

  1. Cover letter
  2. CV/resume
  3. UCSC transcript (unofficial is fine)
  4. Contact information for two references

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until filled. Priority consideration for materials received by October 1, 2025. Questions? Contact Dr. Ariel Chan at arielchan@ucsc.edu.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer. 

“Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct: