We are currently recruiting graduate students and undergraduate research assistants.


You are a…

POTENTIAL GRADUATE STUDENT

*I am unsure if I will be accepting a graduate student for 2025. If you think you would be a strong fit for the lab, feel free to email me directly. I am also happy to provide more information about ongoing projects in the lab. You will find more information about our social psych graduate program here, and the application process here. The application deadline is December 1st*

WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR IN A GRAD STUDENT:

First, and most obviously, you should be interested in the research topics and questions I work on. I also have a range of research interests that aren’t yet represented in my published work. A common thread connecting these interests is one of the most fascinating theories in biology, which has implications for many aspects of social behavior. So if you are interested in a range of topics too, you might be exactly the kind of student I’m looking for!

I also strongly value curiosity and commitment in a student. I see both traits as being critical to a researcher.

WHAT I WILL BE LIKE AS A GRADUATE MENTOR:

One of the most important things to consider when applying to a graduate program is fit with your potential mentor, both in research interests and in mentoring style. So here’s some information about me.

People often talk about “hands-on” and “hands-off” mentoring styles. What these refer to is how much direct supervision mentors are likely to give. There’s no right or wrong style here, it just depends on what works best for you. If I were to put myself on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 being “I’m not going to remember your name” hands-off and 7 being “I will hover over every single study you do” hands-on, I would be a 5. I would adjust a point lower or higher depending on what works.

My own PhD advisor was highly supportive of my idiosyncratic research interests. I couldn’t have succeeded, and still love what I do, without such support. Similarly, I will also be supportive of my own student’s research interests. I believe that we do our best work as scientists when we are truly interested in what we’re exploring. I will work with you to develop and expand your own research questions. 

As a new faculty, I will not have the experience that more senior faculty will have. But what I will have is a ton of energy and time for you, and perhaps a greater openness to seemingly ridiculous research ideas you may have. Don’t push it though.

 

POTENTIAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT

We are always looking out for motivated and interested research assistants, and have worked with students with different backgrounds and interests. Research assistants in the lab typically participate in a variety of things, including literature reviews, developing study materials, data collation and entry, and research discussions.

Generally, you would benefit most from working in the lab if you are:

  • Interested in getting more experience in social psychological research, especially from evolutionary and cultural perspectives

  • Interested in pursuing graduate school in social/evolutionary/cultural psychology

  • Highly self-motivated and conscientious!

Upon receiving your completed application form, we will contact you if we think you would be a good fit for the lab. We recruit new research assistants every quarter, and the typical recruitment timeline is as follows:

  • Week 7: Application review begins

  • Weeks 8-10: Interviews conducted

  • Finals week: Decisions sent out

    If you have questions about working in the lab as a research assistant, feel free to email hojoengl@uci.edu.