Student Employment

How to Apply:

Complete this Google form and submit your CV/resume on Workday.

Due Date:

As soon as possible

Description:

Biology departmental lab assistants will perform basic lab maintenance jobs in various faculty research labs within the biology department. Jobs include (but are not limited to): glassware cleaning, stocking inventory, waste removal, and some office work. Departmental lab assistants will work under the supervision of the biology department lab manager. Please note that this is NOT a research position. Previous lab experience is not required.

Students are encouraged but not required to train and/or work over the summer for this position.

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 below, 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:

$17 per hour

Contact:
All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Basil Perkins, Biology Department Senior Lab Manager, at bperkins@barnard.edu.

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 their 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.

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:

• Workday
• Employment paperwork checklist
• Campus Role Policies & Processes webpage - View the "Required Paperwork" tab

• Acceptable I-9 documentation

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.

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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.