Research Opportunities for Undergrads

We are currently accepting applications for the Indigenous Languages Program RA (indicated in green in the "Seeking Students?" column). Recruitment has closed for all other positions listed on this page (application period closed July 31).

CLICK HERE TO APPLY for the Indigenous Languages Program RA (Supervisor: Lauren Schneider). 
Please note that you will be asked to attach a current copy of your advising transcript and resume. 

FUTURE APPLICATION PERIODS:
Spring 2027: November, 2026
Summer 2027: March, 2027
Fall 2027: July, 2027

Our research opportunities are either paid or volunteer, as noted in the description. Volunteer positions often lead to paid RAships in later semesters. The hours and length of commitment vary, depending on the project. Paid RAships are funded by the supervisor's research grant or the Linguistics endowment fund.

Applications are assessed on the basis of academic excellence and stated qualifications. All applicants will be informed by email regarding the outcome of their submission.

Professor, Project Information Seeking Students? (Yes/No) and Further Details
Ashley Farris-Trimble
Phonology, phonological acquisition, word recognition

Phonological Processing Lab: Seeking up to 5 volunteer RAs to work across several projects. Paid position may be available after RA's initial semester(s). Duties to include:
  • • Experiment design and implementation
  • • Data collection
  • • Data analysis

Open to: Current SFU undergraduate students in LING, Cognitive Science, or related fields



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No (closed): up to 5 volunteer RAs for Fall 2026
6 hrs/wk (includes 1-hr weekly lab meeting)

Required Qualifications:
  • • Completion of LING 321
  • • Reliable, punctual, curious & proactive
Helpful Additional Experience:
  • • Praat, Matlab, jsPsych
  • • Experience with infants/children
Bonus:
  • • Let us know what other skills you have! Artistic? Speak an uncommon language? Really good at video games? You never know what might come in handy in the lab.
Jozina Vander Klok
Language description, syntax, semantics, morphology

Field Linguistics: Observation, Research, and Analysis Lab (FLORAL): Seeking 3 RAs (paid) to work on the project Argument/Oblique Alternations within Applicative Constructions: Insights from Austronesian. Duties to include:
  • • Lab management;
  • • Data collection via questionnaire on Applicative Constructions using reference grammars and published sources;
  • • Data entry of questionnaire results;
  • • Data checking of the data entry into the comparative dataset to ensure quality and consistency within the database.

Open to: Current SFU undergraduate students in LING, Cognitive Science, or related fields



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No (closed): 3 RAs (paid) for Fall 2026
6 hrs/wk (includes 1-hr weekly lab meeting)

Preferred Qualifications:
  • • Completion of LING 322, LING 323, LING 324
  • • Experience working with Austronesian languages or non-Indo-European languages
Bonus:
  • • Knowledge of Indonesian
Henny Yeung
Infant Directed Speech (IDS)

Language Learning and Development Lab: Seeking 1 volunteer RA for community recruitment. Duties to include:
  • • Assisting with community events, drop-in programs, and presentations;
  • • Engaging with families and community partners;
  • • Communicating research on children's language learning and development in clear, accessible ways.

Open to: Current SFU undergraduate students in LING, Cognitive Science, or related fields



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No (closed): 1 volunteer RA for Fall 2026
5 hrs/wk

Qualifications:
  • • Strong work ethic
  • • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
  • • Comfortable speaking with parents, caregivers and young children
  • • Ability to translate complex linguistic concepts into accessible language
  • • Must have a car and valid driver's license for travel to community locations
  • • Linguistics coursework preferred
Lauren Schneider
Linguistics of Halkomelem Salish

Indigenous Languages Program (INLP): Seeking 1 RA (paid) to work on the project Hul’q’umi’num’ Lexical Suffixes: From building words to cohering oral paragraphs. The RA will build upon their experience working with narrative texts to further investigate features of Hul’q’umi’num’. Training will be provided in language research methods using Hul’q’umi’num’ legacy materials, e.g. Hul’q’umi’num’ dictionary and recorded narratives. Duties to include:
  • • Searching the corpus for lexical suffixes;
  • • Compiling them in a spreadsheet.

Open to: Current SFU undergraduate or graduate students in the Indigenous Languages Program (INLP) (or INLL for graduate students). The application period for this position remains open.

-----------------------------------
YES: 1 RA (paid) for Fall 2026
5 hrs/wk

Qualifications:
  • • Familiarity with a dialect of Halkomelem Salish
  • • Completion of LING 220

If you have any questions about these opportunities or about the application process, please contact the Research Coordinator.