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Employment

Student Employment

These opportunities are for undergraduate students only.

Contents

  • Open student job listings 
  • Link to past student job openings
  • FAQs for prospective student employees
  • FAQs for current student employees

Open Student Job Listings

How to Apply
You must fill out BOTH COMPONENTS to be considered for a position:

Due Date
Please view the Google form for application deadlines.

Description
The teaching assistants for BIOL BC1500 Organismal and Evolutionary Biology will assist the professors with course instruction during the spring semester. TAs must be able to offer at least two office hours per week (TAs will hold office hours as a pair, and first-time TAs will be paired with senior TAs). All TAs are expected to attend lectures and help facilitate class discussion. TAs will also be in charge of assisting the course staff assistant in managing a shared course email address in order to answer course content related questions.
This is a great way to meet fellow STEM students and get them excited about biology. If you are someone who is passionate about peer-to-peer mentorship and cultivating a sense of belonging in the scientific community, we strongly encourage you to apply!

Scheduled Weekly Hours

  • 2.5 hours per week - lecture
  • 2 hours per week - office hours
  • 0.5 hours per week - training, other duties as required
  • Total: ~5 hours per week

Qualifications
Intro Biology Lecture Teaching Assistants must have previously completed BIOL BC1500. Applicants should demonstrate enthusiasm for biology and a strong desire to teach new students and help them succeed in this fundamental course for the major. They must be available during class times for the lecture section they intend to support.

Starting Pay
$18 per hour

Contact
All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Emma Weir (eweir@barnard.edu).

How to Apply
You must fill out BOTH COMPONENTS to be considered for a position:

Due Date
Please view the Google form for application deadlines.

Description
TAs for Intro Lab in Cellular and Molecular Biology are invaluable resources for assisting students with lab activities/lessons, data collection and analysis, dissections, worksheets, experiments, lab reports, and proctoring lab exams. Lab TAs are required to prepare for each lab's in-person meeting by reading the lab's background material (pre-lab non-paid prep time: ~45 min to 1 hr per lab). Lab TAs also have the opportunity to host lab exam study sessions with students and to assist students with their lab reports in collaboration with Barnard's Science Writing Fellows, who also work with this lab course.

Qualifications
Students need to have completed Intro Lab in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology (BIOL BC1501) to be eligible for this position.
Lab TAs are enthusiastic about mentoring students and seek to be role models who encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity in their peers. The ideal TA is supportive, patient, and kind, and wants their peers to succeed in this foundational course for the major and pre-health tracks.

Starting Pay
$18 per hour

Contact
All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Abby Gutierrez (aigutier@barnard.edu).
 

How to Apply
You must fill out BOTH COMPONENTS to be considered for a position:

Due Date
Please view the Google form for application deadlines.

Description
The ideal teaching assistant is reliable and dedicated to helping their peers succeed in the BIOL BC2100 Molecular and Mendelian Genetics lecture course, which will meet T/Th 10:10 - 11:25 am. TAs are not expected to attend the lecture if they have previously taken the course. TAs will be expected to hold weekly office hours as well as pre-exam review sessions where they guide enrolled students with problem sets and course content, in addition to mentoring students on study strategies for success in this fundamental course for the major. Work hours are flexible. This is a great way to meet fellow STEM students and get them excited about genetics. If you are someone who is passionate about peer-to-peer mentorship and cultivating a sense of belonging in the scientific community, we strongly encourage you to apply!

Qualifications
Prospective TAs must have completed an undergraduate course in genetics. This is a student job for undergraduates.

Starting Pay 
$18 per hour

Contact
All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Professor Mansfield (jmansfie@barnard.edu).
 

How to Apply
You must fill out BOTH COMPONENTS to be considered for a position:

Due Date
Please view the Google form for application deadlines.

Description
The ideal teaching assistant (TA) is reliable and dedicated to helping their peers succeed in the BIOL BC3311 Lab in Cell Biology course, which will meet Wednesdays 1:10pm to 6:00pm. TAs will be expected to assist students during lab and/or to assist Professor Shah to prepare reagents for lab during a weekly prep session. This is a great way to meet fellow STEM students and get them excited about cell biology. If you are someone who is passionate about peer-to-peer mentorship and cellular/molecular biology, we strongly encourage you to apply!

Qualifications
Prospective TAs can have EITHER

  • Completed one upper level biology lab (cell biology preferred) OR
  • Served as a TA in intro bio lab OR
  • Have experience working in a related biology research lab
  • Students that have also taken Cell biology, Developmental biology or related lecture course are encouraged to apply (please reach out to Dr. Shah if you aren't sure!)

TAs should be available to assist during class and/or Wednesday mornings to assist with lab prep. 

Starting Pay
$18 per hour

Contact
All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Professor Shah (rshah@barnard.edu).

How to Apply
You must fill out BOTH COMPONENTS to be considered for a position:

Due Date
Please view the Google form for application deadlines.

Description
Teaching Assistants will be expected to help setup and takedown the lab, work independently with fruit flies without direct supervision, and help with data processing during the BIOL BC2281 Laboratory in Animal Behavior course. If you are someone who has Drosophila experience and cultivates a sense of belonging in the scientific community, we strongly encourage you to apply!

Qualifications
Prospective TAs should have prior lab experience studying and caring for fruit flies (Drosophila). They must be available immediately before and during the BIOL 2281 course (Tuesdays 1:10 pm to 6 pm).

Starting Pay
$18 per hour

Contact
All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Professor Ali Pischedda (apisched@barnard.edu).

How to Apply
You must fill out BOTH COMPONENTS to be considered for a position:

Due Date
Please view the Google form for application deadlines.

Description
The Biology Department is seeking a part-time student employee to serve as a second Biology Ambassador who is interested in sharing their passion for the biological sciences. This role is focused on communications, and will be part of a team of other student workers and Departmental staff focusing on outreach and communications. The role of Biology Ambassadors is to reach and engage our full Biology student body, the Barnard STEM community, and campus as a whole. If you love biology, are passionate about inclusion and belonging in the sciences, and are enthusiastic about sharing your excitement with others, this position is perfect for you!

Responsibilities
Students will be expected to commit to work for a minimum of 2 and up to 5 hours a week, with hours varying from week to week based on departmental needs and scheduled events, most often scheduled for Fridays.
This Biology Ambassador position will:

  • Regularly meet with the outreach and communication team of student workers and departmental staff supervisors to establish goals and workflows
  • Create regular content and maintain social media presence of the Department using forums such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites as appropriate
  • Create and distribute advertising materials for departmental events 
  • Liaise with guest speakers as necessary
  • Support with planning, setting up and breaking down of all departmental outreach events, many of which take place on Fridays 
  • Support inclusion and belonging initiatives within the Department

Requirements
The Biology Ambassador position is suitable for Biology majors of any year, with preference given to Sophomores and Juniors. Most importantly, Biology Ambassadors must be willing to learn, collaborate, and take initiative independently. Interest in scientific communication is highly encouraged. Students will be expected to commit to work for a minimum of 2 and up to 5 hours a week, with hours varying from week to week based on departmental needs and scheduled events, many of which take place on-campus and in-person on Fridays.

The incoming Biology Ambassador should be creative and have an eye for design. Familiarity with Canva or other graphic design programs is preferred, but not required. They should be self-directed, able to work well in team settings, and excited to help manage the department’s social media presence. Most importantly, they should also be passionate about biology and care about helping all students feel seen, welcomed, and valued both in our department and in the field of biology as a whole.

Starting Pay
$18 per hour

Contact
All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to the Ambassador supervisor, Jesse Graves (jgraves@barnard.edu), and Professor Jon Snow (jsnow@barnard.edu).

How to Apply
You must fill out BOTH COMPONENTS to be considered for a position:

Due Date
Please view the Google form for application deadlines.

Description
Biology Departmental Lab Assistants perform basic lab maintenance jobs in various teaching and research labs within the Biology Department. Jobs include (but are not limited to): glassware cleaning, stocking, package distribution, inventory, waste management, and some office work. Departmental Lab assistants will work under the supervision of the Biology Department Senior Lab Manager. Please note that this is NOT a research position. Previous lab experience is not required.

Qualifications
Previous lab experience is not required, but completion of any college-level science course is preferred. Available work shifts are listed on the application form, but there is some flexibility in scheduling specific start and end times. Daily and weekly instructions will be provided, so no previous experience is necessary. A strong work ethic and sense of responsibility are required.

Starting Pay
$18 per hour

Contact
If you have any questions, please contact the Biology Department Senior Lab Manager, Basil Perkins, at bperkins@barnard.edu.

To view past student job openings, click here.

FAQs for Prospective Student Employees

All students interested in being a TA for a course should apply by filling out the relevant google form and by submitting their CV or resume to the Workday platform using the relevant Job ID (JR****).

First, fill out the Google form related to the position of interest.

Then, email the following information to the department administrator and the course instructor (see "Contact" section in the job description):

  • Job title
  • Course number (if applicable)
  • A copy of your CV/resume

If you are accepted for the position, Beyond Barnard (beyondbarnard@barnard.edu) will help you input your information into the Workday system.

Workday is a site that manages many administrative functions across Barnard.

Students use Workday to

  • Apply for on-campus jobs
  • Enter hours and submit time sheets for on-campus jobs
  • Submit employment onboarding forms (direct deposit, I-9 part 1, W-4 federal withholdings, etc.)
  • Access paycheck information
  • Reference current Federal Work Study award balances
  • View the payroll schedule

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to email the Beyond Barnard office (beyondbarnard@barnard.edu).

During the Fall and Spring semesters, students may work no more than 15 hours per week in all positions at Barnard combined. Students who work multiple jobs at Barnard should pay special attention to this rule.

Over the summer, students may work up to 35 hours per week. Please contact your supervisors and Beyond Barnard (beyondbarnard@barnard.edu) to verify the dates for which this is possible.

You do not have to be a biology major to qualify for most positions in the biology department. Please refer to the qualifications listed under the position of interest.

While expectations vary by course and by instructor, candidates are not required to have an A in a course to secure employment as a teaching assistant for that course.

Barnard Students: Beyond Barnard 

Columbia Students: Columbia Center for Career Education

Employment expectations and job descriptions vary from instructor to instructor and from supervisor to supervisor. Please refer to the job description for each position of interest and email the course instructor(s) with any questions.

In general, Lecture Teaching Assistants host weekly office hours for students to drop in and ask questions or work on problem sets. They may attend course lectures to help answer questions at the end of class or manage questions on Zoom. Lecture TAs may hold exam review sessions. Lecture TAs in our department should seek to be good role models and help their peers do their best. Qualifications typically include prior completion of the course. After reading the listings above, you may consult directly with the course instructor(s) regarding eligibility and expectations since these vary from course to course.

In general, Lab Teaching Assistants may set up and clean equipment, prepare materials such as reagents, fruit fly populations, or cell cultures, and/or assist instructors during the lab period. Lab TAs don't typically hold office hours. Some TAs are expected to be available during the time the class is offered to assist the instructor. Prior course completion or research experience is not always a necessity for this type of position. After reading the listings above, you should consult directly with the course instructor(s) regarding eligibility and expectations since these vary from course to course.

Many students receive either a Federal Work Study (FWS) award or a Barnard College Job (BCJ) award as part of their financial aid package. 

Students with Federal Work Study (FWS) awards are granted awards based on their financial need. These awards are federally subsidized and may be used to fund employment for any of the positions listed above. 

Students with a Barnard College Job (BCJ) awards have been designated an amount of money they can earn as part of their financial aid package. This amount can only be used for jobs on Barnard’s campus and therefore makes the awardee eligible for any of the positions listed above. 

Please note: If a student sees that their award is running low and they wish to continue working, they may ask their financial aid counselor if their award can be increased. They can also check with their supervisor to confirm whether the department can continue to pay them using other College funds.

If you are a Barnard student and are interested in student employment updates, request to join the BiologyStudents mailing list by contacting the department administrator. This listserv is open to all Barnard students regardless of major.

If you are awaiting updates on your application, you may contact the supervisor affiliated with your position of interest.

Please feel free to contact the Barnard Biology department administrator and Beyond Barnard with any questions.

Additionally, view the Beyond Barnard website, email newsletters, and Workday for more information. Here is a helpful FAQ sheet that Beyond Barnard posted on Workday.

FAQs for Current Student Employees

Before students can log hours and receive compensation, they must complete employment paperwork on the Workday platform and in the Beyond Barnard office. New student hires should receive email alerts to complete the necessary forms. Any questions should be directed to Beyond Barnard (beyondbarnard@barnard.edu).

Please note that the I-9 form takes time and must be completed within 3 days of the hire date, so please prepare and plan accordingly. The I-9 form requires that student employees bring official documentation to the Beyond Barnard office in person.

Employment paperwork information/resources:

THIS VIDEO provides instructions for logging time in Workday. You must log your time in Workday to get paid.

Timesheets are due every two weeks in Workday. Student employees must submit their time sheets on time to be paid on time. Students may submit their hours regularly during the time period before the deadline.

Make sure you log your hours under the correct position if you hold multiple jobs at Barnard. If you don't know which position to enter hours under, ask your Workday supervisor for the correct position number (starting with a P).

You may work no more than 15 hours per week in all your positions at Barnard combined. Please be especially aware of this if you work multiple jobs at Barnard. 

For the most up-to-date student payroll schedule, log in to Workday, type "Student Payroll Schedule" into the search bar, and click on the relevant time frame.

The student payroll schedule may also be listed on the Campus Role Policies & Processes webpage.

Email your Workday supervisor, explain the situation, and provide a list of the hours you worked. You should provide the following information for each day you didn't log your hours:

  • Date worked
  • Start time
  • End time

Your supervisor is the faculty or staff member who provides you with tasks and follows up with you on the job.

Your Workday supervisor is the person who approves your hours and manages your employment information on Workday.

Your supervisor and Workday supervisor may be the same person, or they may not be. Contact the department administrator if you have any questions about supervisors.

To view your position and pay in Workday, log in, click on the circle in the top right corner of your screen with your initials or a profile picture, and then click "view profile." If you have multiple positions, you will see an icon with two arrows (shown below) under your name. If you click on this icon, you will be able to look at the other positions you have.

Workday two arrows symbol

You can view your paychecks by clicking on the "My Payslips" report in Workday.

Contact your Workday supervisor and/or Beyond Barnard (beyondbarnard@barnard.edu).

Graduating seniors are permitted to continue working at Barnard for 90 days after graduation.

If you are continuing to work at Barnard as a recent graduate and have campus access issues, please contact Beyond Barnard (beyondbarnard@barnard.edu).

BioStudentWorkers email list is comprised of undergraduate students currently employed by the Barnard biology department. It is managed by the biology department administrator and is used to disseminate information relevant to undergraduate student employees.

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