From university research studies to part-time jobs, there are plenty of opportunities to make extra money on campus. See what's open.

Students only

Study on stress, coping in college

The Research on Affective Disorders and Development (RADD) Lab is conducting research on mood, stress and coping for CU students. They are recruiting CU students ages 18–23.

The study includes a few different parts:

• You will take a series of online or app-based surveys.
• You will complete two in-person research visits, each including an interview about stress and health; a set of computer games; and an evaluation of physical functioning.

The study takes place over the course of three semesters, and you will be compensated for your participation (maximum of $356–$386 for completing all parts of the study).

If you want to learn more, contact the RADD Lab at raddlab@colorado.edu or 303-735-8306, or fill out the initial eligibility screening.

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Part-time jobs

ASAP tutor mentors

The Academic Success and Achievement Program (ASAP) provides free small-group tutoring and one-on-one tutoring to first-year/transfer students and any student living on campus (including Bear Creek residents). Mentor hours are flexible, and the starting hourly pay is $16. They are currently seeking tutors in the subjects of economics; physics; chemistry; math (statistics); molecular, cellular and developmental biology; and integrative physiology. Learn more and apply.

Campus Dining Services openings

CDS offers the opportunity to learn and build a variety of skills for success during your time at CU and beyond. With flexible hours, convenient locations and competitive pay ($15 per hour), this is a great opportunity for busy students. Learn more and apply.

The Connection openings

Located on the first floor of the UMC, The Connection is the place on campus for fun things to do with friends and family—bowling, billiards, video games and more. They are currently hiring a coordinator (graduate student assistant, $18.20 hourly rate), mechanics and cashiers ($15 hourly rates). Learn more and apply.

CU NightRide driver/dispatchers

CU NightRide is hiring driver/dispatchers to take calls, coordinate rides and drive within the city of Boulder. We’re looking for students who are confident and safe behind the wheel, friendly, courteous, non-judgmental, caring and skilled at multitasking. This position offers a flexible schedule for $15 per hour, 10–20 hours per week. Learn more and apply.

Environmental Center openings

Make a difference while you earn a paycheck! The Environmental Center is currently hiring an EcoVisits Team member ($15 hourly) and a Graduate and Family Housing sustainability liaison ($15.30–$16.60 hourly). Learn more and apply.

GPSG board members

The Graduate and Professional Student Government is seeking to fill a finance board member position (paid $50 biweekly) and a Cultural Events Board member (paid $450/semester). The finance board oversees CU Student Government cost centers such as the Rec Center and University Memorial Center. The Cultural Events Board supports and facilitates cultural events, such as bringing important speakers to campus. Learn more and apply. Open until filled. 

Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations ambassadors

Neighborhood ambassadors serve as student leaders, assisting off-campus student tenants with their transition to and ongoing living experience in their off-campus housing, especially in the University Hill area. Compensation is $17 per hour. Learn more and apply.

Recreation Services openings

Help fellow students find their fit! Rec Center student-employees play an invaluable role by providing customer service, safety and fun to guests. There are currently open positions in aquatics, ice rink, facility operations, fitness and wellness, Outdoor Pursuits and team sports. Learn more and apply. They are looking to fill openings at the challenge course in Outdoor Pursuits and hiring personal trainers in fitness and wellness.

University Memorial Center openings

Work in the heart of campus! The UMC offers a competitive salary, flexible hours, professional and personal development opportunities and a true team spirit. There are currently open positions in The Connection, CU Events Planning & Catering and operations. Hourly pay starts at $15. Learn more and apply.

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CU affiliates only

Study on collaborative problem-solving in STEM

The NSF AI Institute for Student-AI Teaming (iSAT) team is recruiting participants for a research study who are fluent English speakers, are over the age of 18, and who are students, staff or faculty at CU Boulder. 

These studies take place at the Center for Innovation and Technology, Room 184G. In this type of study researchers investigate collaborative problem solving in science, technology, engineering and mathematics domains. In the study you will be working with other participants on a series of group problem-solving tasks.

During the study researchers will be using cameras and microphones to record the interactions you and your group have with one another and with the tasks at hand. They will also use eye tracking to measure your gaze patterns during the experiment. Collecting video and audio data of you and your group’s interactions is mandatory for this study. If you do not want to be recorded with video and microphone, you may decide not to participate in this study at any time.  

These studies last 1.5 hours each, and the pay is $25 per hour ($37.50 total). You cannot earn course credit through this study. Please note: International participants are subject to an upfront 30% tax withholding on their payment.

Sign up online. To get directions to our lab, or for more information, please email isat.lab@colorado.edu.

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Studies for adults

Focus groups on violence-prevention messaging

CU’s Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence is recruiting participants for focus groups to view and provide feedback via Zoom on educational messages for violence prevention. The messages will be displayed on PowerPoint slides during a 60-minute meeting.

Each participant will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.

The study seeks to test messages on violence prevention and "upstander" reporting with CU audiences to help improve the quality of a public awareness campaign on campus and community safety.

To sign up to participate, email violence prevention researcher Sarah Goodrum at sarah.goodrum@colorado.edu. Recruitment will run through April 2023.

Hearing aid research (normal hearing required)

The Hearing Research Laboratory is recruiting participants for a research study on how different listening conditions affect our ability to perceive noisy speech that has been processed in a way that mimics state-of-the-art hearing aids. We are interested in determining how hearing aid settings can be optimized for speech understanding when we are listening with two ears in realistic environments. 

You may be eligible if you are aged 18 years or older with normal hearing.

What will you have to do? If you qualify, you will be presented speech and will repeat back the words/sentences that you hear. You will visit the Hearing Research Lab about three times.

How much time will it take? The study will include three visits over approximately two to three weeks, for a total of about four hours in the laboratory. We will schedule the visits at a time convenient for you. You will be paid $15 per hour for your time. You will also receive a free hearing test to determine if you qualify for the study.  

The study will be held in the Hearing Research Laboratory in the Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences at 2501 Kittredge Loop Rd. Contact hearlab@colorado.edu with any questions.

Aging and fine hand movements

The Neurophysiology of Human Movement Lab is looking for healthy adults ages 40–85 years to participate in a research study. We are investigating the effects of aging on the ability to control the force produced by a hand muscle and its relation with general hand function. 

You may be eligible if you are:

• 40–85 years old
• Free from diseases impacting the control of hand movement
• Free from current/recent injuries of the dominant arm

The study involves a single visit to our lab, lasting approximately two hours on Main Campus, for which subjects will be paid $30. The study will take place in the Ramaley building, Room W205 (Department of Integrative Physiology).

If interested, please email melanie.henry@colorado.edu.

Study examining supportive care for cancer patients

Living with metastatic cancer? Avoiding planning for the future? Feeling down, distressed, or worried? Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers and CU Boulder are offering an online study for adults with metastatic cancer who are feeling anxious, down or distressed. 

The Valued Living Study compares a five-week online skills group to usual supportive care. Participants can earn up to $150. You may be eligible if you:

• Have stage IV solid tumor cancer 
• Feel anxious, down or distressed

We welcome individuals of any race, ethnicity, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic status or national origin.

Please reach out to learn more! Email valuedliving@colorado.edu; call or text 720-515-9461.

Astronaut training research in VR

The Bioastronautics Research Group needs subjects for a NASA-funded research on astronaut training in virtual reality (VR). Subjects will be trained to land a spacecraft on Mars in both VR and a physical cockpit mock-up. No prior piloting experience or engineering knowledge is needed, and everyone is encouraged to apply!

You must be English-speaking,18–65 years old, have vision correctable to 20/20, non-color blind, and below the 90th percentile for motion sickness susceptibility.

The study will involve four visits to the Aerospace Engineering Sciences building on East Campus. The first session will last one hour, while the last three sessions will last 30 minutes. Subjects will be compensated $10 per session ($40 total). 

If interested, please email vr_training@outlook.com for more information and to schedule your sessions.

Cardiovascular research studies

The Integrative Physiology of Aging Lab is looking for volunteers for two research studies:

Health effects of new breathing exercise

The first study will examine the potential health effects of a new type of breathing exercise (a time efficient type of exercise) on blood pressure, vascular function and cognitive function.

Participants must be 50-plus years old; have higher than normal blood pressure (systolic BP 120-160 mmHg); and be willing to exercise up to 25 minutes per day, six days per week for a three-month period.

Benefits include:

• Detailed blood panel (cholesterol, glucose, etc.)
• Physician-monitored exercise stress test
• Blood pressure screening
• Bone mineral density test
• Monetary compensation for time

If interested, call 303-492-2485 or email IMSTstudy@colorado.edu.

Health aging effects of nicotinamide riboside

Researchers are looking for volunteers to participate in a clinical trial studying the potential effects of a vitamin B3 supplement (nicotinamide riboside) on blood pressure and physiological function.

Requirements:

• Age 50 years old or older
• Higher than normal blood pressure
• Willing to undergo a three-month period taking vitamin B3 as nicotinamide riboside or placebo pills

Benefits include:

• Blood pressure screening
• Detailed blood panel (cholesterol, glucose, etc.)
• Health information related to vascular function
• Cognitive function testing
• Monetary compensation for time

If interested: call 303-492-2485 or email nrstudy@colorado.edu.

Locomotion learning study

The Neuromechanics Lab needs volunteers for a study on learning and effort in a walking task. They are interested in how the effort involved in a movement impacts how you learn in a new environment. The task involves walking on a treadmill with separate belts for each foot at walking speeds.

You must be English-speaking, between 18–35 years old, have normal or corrected vision, no movement control or vestibular problems, and no recent orthopedic surgeries or broken bones.

The study will involve a single two-hour visit to the campus laboratory in the Engineering Center, ECSL 1B21, and will include motion-capture of your walking gait. Subjects will be compensated with a $25 Amazon gift card.

If interested, please fill out a screening survey. 

Contact Rachel Marbaker at rachel.marbaker@colorado.edu or 719-373-1748 with any questions.

Study on sleep disruption, bone health

CU Anschutz researchers in the Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes are looking for healthy men and women to study the effects of sleep disruption on bone health. 

You may qualify for this study if you:

• Are 20–40 years old 
• Habitually sleep 7–9 hours per night  
• Have not done night-shift work in the past year  
• Do not currently smoke 
• Are fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2

Involvement includes:

• Measurements of bone mineral density
• Completion of sleep questionnaires/assessments
• Sleep with a simulated night-shift schedule or normal sleep schedule
• A general physical exam
• Activity monitoring with a wrist monitor
• Blood/urine collection
• Arterial line placement
• Two inpatient stays (four nights each)

The total study duration is up to six weeks of participation. You will receive up to $1,500 and a FitBit for your time. 

If interested, email spotlight@cuanschutz.edu for study details, or complete the prescreening survey.

Study on chronic back pain

The Pain Lab at CU Boulder, affiliated with the Institute of Cognitive Science, is seeking participants ages 21–70 for a research study with non-invasive wearable sensors.

You may be eligible if you have experienced back pain for the last three-plus months. Participants will be compensated up to $360.

If you're interested, fill out the screening form, and the lab will contact you regarding your eligibility. Email painlab@colorado.edu with any questions.

Spinal cord injury research

Have you had a spinal cord injury? If so, we need your help.

The Sensorimotor Recovery and Neuroplasticity Laboratory at CU Boulder and CU Anschutz is seeking persons with a spinal cord injury to participate in a research project to study how low-oxygen therapy may promote recovery of movement.

This study is looking to see how mild bouts of breathing low oxygen may improve leg strength and walking ability in persons with spinal cord injury. The purpose of this study is to gain better understanding of how this potential therapy may help people with spinal cord injury become more independent.

If the following two questions apply to you, we would like to hear from you.

• Are you 18–75 years old? 
• Did you sustain a spinal cord injury more than six months ago?

Data we collect will be used to determine if this therapy may increase voluntary movement in persons' spinal cord injury. 

The study takes up one to two hours per day, up to 10 days of experimental treatment and training, and up to two days for tests on the CU Boulder campus. Participants will be compensated $25 for each visit and in some cases for travel.

For more information, contact CU Boulder's Andrew Quesada Tan and/or CU Anschutz's Andrew C. Smith with the subject line "IH STUDY."

CU Change Lab cannabis research

The CU Change Lab (part of the Institute for Cognitive Science and Department of Psychology and Neuroscience) is looking for volunteers for three research studies:

Study on cannabis, memory

In this study, researchers want to understand how varying levels of cannabinoids (e.g., THC and CBD) impact things such as memory and cognition to better understand the effects of varying levels of cannabinoids.

Participants will be compensated $20 per hour (approximately $150 for 7.5 hours). You may be eligible to participate if you:

• Are 21–40 years old
• Have used cannabis for at least one year
• Are right-handed

Contact cobra.custudy@gmail.com for more information.

Study on cannabis, chronic low back pain

Researchers are looking for participants for a study on people with low-back pain who are interested in using edibles (IRB #17-0268). Participants will be compensated up to $220 for their participation. 

You may be eligible to participate if you:

• Are 21–70 years old 
• Have used cannabis at least once in your life
• Experience chronic low back pain
• Have not used cannabis to treat your pain but are interested in trying edibles to manage your pain

Contact prism.custudy@gmail.com for more information.

Study on cannabis, nutrition and insulin

Researchers are conducting a study on acute cannabis use. The goal is to better understand the effects of cannabis on inflammation and blood sugar regulation.

Participation in this study involves two in-person appointments over the course of one week. These appointments include blood collection through an intravenous catheter (IV), two oral glucose tests and a series of confidential surveys about health, diet and exercise.

Participants can earn up to $200 for completing the study.

Requirements:

• 21–40 years old
• Have used cannabis at least once
• Have not used cannabis in the last three months
• Are willing to use cannabis at one of the appointments

If you are interested, please complete the eligibility survey. For more information, please contact sonic.custudy@gmail.com.

Study on OCD

The Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory is looking for males and females with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), ages 18–35, with a typical bedtime of 1 a.m. or later to participate in a research study on campus. Compensation up to $750. Get study details and apply, or email sleep.study@colorado.edu with any questions.

Neuroscience language study

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Language Lab is recruiting native English speakers to participate in a research study examining brain activity during reading and cognitive tasks.

The study consists of one in-person session at our lab in CU Boulder’s CINC building (1777 Exposition Drive). The study will involve having your brain activity non-invasively recorded while you complete computer-based reading and cognitive tasks. It will take approximately two to three hours, and you will be paid $20 per hour for a total of $40–$60.

If you are interested in participating, please sign up on the SONA paid research participation website (Experiment ID 506). If you don’t already have one, you will need to create a login to enter the site. Creating this account is free and gives you access to more paid research opportunities in the future. For more information, please email vala8916@colorado.edu.

Study on movement, decision-making

The Neuromechanics Laboratory at CU Boulder is looking for volunteers to take part in a research study that investigates the roles of effort and reward on movement decision-making.

To take part you must:

• Be English-speaking
• Be between 18–35 years old
• Be right-handed
• Have no neurological or other problems that affect your movement control
• Have no recent history of falls

Complete the pre-screen survey. Participants will receive an Amazon gift card as compensation. 

This study is expected to last one hour. All procedures take place in our campus laboratory (Engineering Center, ECSL 1B21). For more information, please contact colin.korbisch@colorado.edu.

Study on walking performance in older adults

Researchers in the Neurophysiology of Movement Lab are conducting a study to evaluate the influence of light electrical stimulation on walking and balance capabilities in healthy older adults.

Subject requirements:

• 65–85 years of age
• Free from neurological impairments
• No recent lower body injuries
• Ability to walk for six minutes unaided

The study consists of two visits to Main Campus on separate days (approximately 2.5 hours each). In each session, we will apply mild electrical stimulation using a TENS device and assess subjects' walking and balance capabilities.

Compensation is $60 for the two visits. If interested, please contact Mohammed Alenazy for more information: moal4255@colorado.edu, 720-231-9767.

Study on countermeasures for sleep inertia 

The Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory is looking for healthy men and women, ages 18–45, to participate in an overnight study on campus. The study will examine the effects of cold and warm water hand immersion upon cognition after awakening from sleep.

This study will last eight days and is comprised of a weeklong at-home portion where you will maintain a consistent eight-hour sleep schedule, followed by a single overnight stay in the lab, lasting approximately 13 hours. Compensation up to $150. Take the pre-screening survey, or email sleep.study@colorado.edu with any questions.

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Studies for the family

Sleep and development studies for preschoolers

The Sleep and Development Laboratory is looking for participants for a research study to learn about how light exposure can delay the timing of the biological clock of preschool-age children.

Light in the morning

Researchers are seeking children ages 3.0 to 4.9 years who are healthy and have no sleep problems for an in-home study. Families will be compensated $400 cash for participating.

Visit the study webpage for more details and to complete the screening form. Call 303-492-4584 or email sleepdev@colorado.edu with any questions.

Light at night

Researchers are seeking children ages 3.0 to 4.9 years who are healthy and have no sleep problems for an in-home study. Families will be compensated $580 cash and a $200 U.S. Savings Bond. 

Visit the study webpage for more details and to complete the screening form. Call 303-492-4584 or email sleepdev@colorado.edu with any questions.