Undergraduate and Graduate Research Assistants and Researchers join a University of Colorado Denver Physics Department faculty member's research team. While a member of the research team you will help advance the research by learning new skills or using experience and skills you already have. You can get paid for being a student researcher, but we also have an options through PHYS 2880, 3880, 4880, 5880 Directed Research to earn credit for being part of the team, and directed research can help you become more qualified to be selected for a paid position.
During the academic year you will set a schedule for accomplishing research goals with a maximum of 25 hours per week allowed. During the summer students can engage in research up to 40 hours per week. Different research positions will have different time commitments to you will workout with your research professor. You can learn more about being a student employee on the Career Center website.
Funding for these positions come from a variety of sources:
- An externally funded grant obtained by your research professor.
- CU Denver's Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP).
- CU Denver's EURēCA! Summer Fellowship Program.
- Anschutz BIO - Summer Research Training Programs.
There are also opportunities to conduct research at other institutions throught the NSF's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.
Preferred Qualifications to join a CU Denver Physics Department research team.
- Currently enrolled undergraduate student at CU Denver.
- Some research teams prefer students to have taken certain physics coursework to be prepared to engage in research whereas other research teams can accommodate students new to CU Denver.
Current openings for student research assistants in the physics department: