Student Employment

Responsibilities: The teaching assistant(s) for BIOL BC1502 Introduction to Cellular & Molecular Biology will assist Professor Jon Snow in instruction of this course for the Spring 2021 semester. Assistants must be former students in the course. Applicants should demonstrate enthusiasm for biology and a strong desire to teach younger students and help them succeed in this subject. This course will be offered Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00 - 9:50 am. 

Requirements: TAs must be able to offer at least two office hours per week and (preferred) ‘sit in’ during the lecture in order to assist Professor Snow in handling zoom course management (e.g. monitoring the chat) unless otherwise arranged with Professor Snow in advance. 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 and MindTap-related questions. Up to five slots will be available.

All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Professor Jon Snow (jsnow@barnard.edu).

BarnardWorks Job ID: 12194

Enthusiastic teaching assistants eager to help their peers succeed in biology are needed for the following courses. Depending on the role requirements, TAs will offer weekly office hours and/or prepare the lab space each week under the guidance of the professor teaching the course. In some cases, TAs are expected to stay during the lecture or lab period to answer student questions. Full descriptions for each person are provided below. Course-specific questions should be addressed to the appropriate faculty member listed below. 

• BIOL BC2100 Molecular & Mendelian Genetics
• BIOL BC2280 Animal Behavior
• BIOL BC3303 Lab in Molecular Biology
• BIOL BC3363 Lab in Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience

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Responsibilities: The teaching assistants for BIOL BC2100 Molecular and Mendelian Genetics will assist Professor Jen Mansfield in remote instruction of this course for the Spring 2020 Block. The ideal teaching assistant is reliable and dedicated to helping their peers succeed in this lecture course, which will meet MTWTH 10:10 - 11:25 am (TAs are not expected to attend the lecture).

Requirements: TAs will hold office hours and review sessions where they guide currently enrolled students with problem sets and course content, in addition to mentoring students on the best study strategies for success in this fundamental course for the major.  They will also lead weekly discussion sections on current genetics topics and approaches related to lecture material, and meet at least weekly with the instructor to plan these sessions. This is an excellent way to meet and provide mentorship to students interested in the biology major. 

All interested students with a passion for genetics, and biology more broadly, are strongly encouraged to apply! Questions about applying can be directed to Professor Jen Mansfield (jmansfie@barnard.edu).

BarnardWorks Job ID: 9162

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Responsibilities: The teaching assistant for BIOL BC2280 Animal Behavior will assist Professor Alison Pischedda in remote instruction of this course for the Spring 2021 Block A. The ideal teaching assistant is enthusiastic about animal behavior, and seeks to mentor their peers on best practices for how to approach this lecture course. They are not expected to attend the lecture, which will meet TWTHF 11:40 am - 12:55 pm. To TA, a student needs to have taken this course prior and earned a grade of B or above.

Requirements: A TA will host 1-2 office hours each week where they will help students understand the material and discuss study strategies. TAs will also assist Professor Pischedda with administrative tasks such as helping out with managing the course's CourseWorks page and providing feedback on problem sets and exit tickets. 

All interested students are strongly encouraged to apply or reach out to Professor Alison Pischedda (apisched@barnard.edu) with any questions about applying. 

BarnardWorks Job ID: 12242

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Responsibilities: The teaching assistant for BIOL BC3303 Lab in Molecular Biology will assist Professor Rishita Shah in remote instruction of this course for the Spring 2021 Block A. The ideal TA is passionate about biology and about helping their peers succeed in this upper-level lab course. Though a student does not need to have taken this course prior in order to TA, a foundation in experimental design and strong science communication skills are expected in order to best assist your peers. This can be from preparation in prior lab courses and/or research in a lab. This is an excellent opportunity to meet fellow biologists and further hone your own skills in optimal lab practices. This course will be offered Wednesdays from 1:00 - 6:00 pm. 

Requirements: TAs must be present during the lab section in addition to setting up a few help sessions outside of class time, as discussed with Professor Shah (approximately 2-3 for the semester). As this course is offered in a block format, the TA will be integral to facilitating course discussion and helping students keep up with the intensive material. Other duties may include assisting students with written reports, gaining access to electronic resources and literature searches.

All interested students are strongly encouraged to apply! Questions about the course and applying should be directed to Professor Rishita Shah (rshah@barnard.edu).

BarnardWorks Job ID: 9206

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Responsibilities: The teaching assistant for BIOL BC3363 Lab in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience will assist Professor Liz Bauer in instruction of this course on campus for the Spring 2021 Block B. The ideal teaching assistant is reliable and hardworking and committed to helping this course succeed by assisting Professor Bauer with the set up and break down of the materials needed for lab each week. This course will be offered Thursdays from 1:00 - 6:00 pm and Fridays from 12:00 - 3:00 pm in Block B. 

Requirements: The TA must be able to work 1-2 hours before their lab section and 1 hour afterward to set up and break down appropriate reagents and equipment, as discussed with Professor Bauer. All interested students are encouraged to apply, even if they have not taken this course prior. This is an excellent opportunity to join our biology community!

Students with questions about the application should reach out to Professor Liz Bauer (ebauer@barnard.edu).  

BarnardWorks Job ID: 9161

Requirements: Students who received a grade of B or better in either BIOL BC1011/BIOL BC1012 or BIOL BC1501 & BIOL BC1503 are eligible to apply for Lab Teaching Assistant (TA) positions in BC1501 & BC1503 in the 2020-2021 academic year.

Responsibilities:Assist the lab instructor during each 3-hour lab section with the following: grading of pre-lab quizzes; ensuring that students follow lab procedures, including lab breakdown and lab safety instructions; providing knowledgeable feedback to students on their questions regarding the lab material; proctoring exams. Lab TAs are expected to prepare for each lab on their own time (~1 hour per week for lab prep). The starting salary for the position is $15/hour.

BarnardWorks Job ID: This position has been filled.

All questions regarding introductory-level lab employment opportunities should be directed to the Associate Lab Director, James Casey (jcasey@barnard.edu). All positions will remain open until filled, beginning Monday, April 20th. 

This position is no longer available for AY2020-2021 due to a move to remote teaching for the introductory lab courses.

Responsibilities: Lab assistants are an integral part of Barnard's Introductory Biology Labs. Duties for the position include the following: setting up and breaking down lab materials, cleaning lab materials (test tubes, beakers, etc.), labeling lab ware (PCR tubes, beakers, etc.), preparing and distributing solutions, providing general care for plants and animals, completing errands at nearby locations, and light office work (photocopying, data entry, etc.). 

Requirements: A minimum of 3 work hours per week is required of all lab assistants. Available work shifts are listed on the application, but there is some flexibility in scheduling specific start and end times of some shifts. Daily and weekly instructions will be provided, so no experience is necessary. A strong work ethic and sense of responsibility are required for the position. Starting salary for the position is $15/hour.

BarnardWorks Job ID: This position is no longer available for AY2020-2021 due to a move to remote teaching for the introductory lab courses.

All questions regarding introductory-level lab employment opportunities should be directed to the Associate Lab Director, James Casey (jcasey@barnard.edu). All positions will remain open until filled, beginning Monday, April 20th. 

Teaching assistants are needed for the following courses. In order to TA for a course, you need to have taken the course prior OR have relevant wet lab skills suitable to the course needs. TAs will offer weekly office hours or prepare the lab space each week under the guidance of the professor teaching the course. In some cases, TAs are expected to stay during the lab period to answer student questions. Course-specific questions should be addressed to the appropriate faculty member listed below. 

• BIOL BC2500 MATLAB for Scientists (1 section)
• BIOL BC3320 Microbiology (1 section)
• BIOL BC3321 Lab in Microbiology (1 section)

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Responsibilities: The teaching assistant for BIOL BC2500 Matlab or Scientists will assist Professor Allison Lopatkin in remote instruction of this course for the fall 2020 semester. Assistant must be a prior student in the course, in which performance and skill qualify them for this position OR a student whose research experience & dry lab skill level qualifies them for the job. This course will be offered Tuesdays from 1:00 - 6:00 pm. Up to two positions will be available for this course. 

TAs must be able to work at least 3 hours/week to hold two office hours per week and to give feedback on anonymized problem sets (~1 problem set/week or 9 problem sets/semester), as discussed with Professor Lopatkin. 

All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Professor Allison Lopatkin (alopatkin@barnard.edu).

BarnardWorks Job ID: This position has been filled. 

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Responsibilities: 

The teaching assistant(s) for BIOL BC3320 Microbiology will assist in remote instruction of this course for the fall A 2020 block of the semester. This course will be offered Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 2:40 - 3:55 pm.

TAs must be able work about 7 hrs/week and are expected to be present during the class lectures to manage them (e.g. setting up break out rooms, organizing questions, etc.) in addition to prep work for class, such as handling powerpoint files. TAs do not need to have taken this course before. To be eligible to apply, students are expected to be reliable, time efficient, organized, and knowledgeable with Zoom. 

All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Professor JJ Miranda (jmiranda@barnard.edu).

BarnardWorks Job ID: 12892

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Responsibilities: 

The teaching assistant(s) for BIOL BC3321 Lab in Microbiology will assist in remote instruction of this course for the fall 2020 semester. Assistant must be a former student in the course or have relevant research experience; performance and laboratory skill must qualify them for this position. This course will be offered Tuesdays from 1:00 - 6:00 pm.

TAs must be able to work up to 10 hours/week and must be present during the lab section in addition to helping out outside of the lab section in preparation for the week's lab, as discussed with the instructor (TBA).

All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Professor Hilary Callahan (hcallaha@barnard.edu).

BarnardWorks Job ID: 9163

This position will not be available for the AY2020-2021 due to a move to remote instruction for upper-level labs.

Responsibilities: 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, Basil Perkins. Please note that this NOT a research position.  Previous lab experience is not required.

Requirements: Previous lab experience is not required, but completion of any college-level science course is preferred.  Freshmen and sophomores who would be interested in continuing through the spring semester are encouraged to apply! 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. A minimum of three 2-hour shifts is strongly preferred. Starting salary for the position is $15/hour.

BarnardWorks Job ID: This position will not be available for the AY2020-2021 due to a move to remote instruction for upper-level labs.

All questions regarding upper-level lab assistant employment opportunities should be directed to the Senior Lab Manager Basil Perkins (bperkins@barnard.edu).

All students interested in being a TA for a course should apply using the relevant Job ID in the BarnardWorks platform.

TAs in the biology demonstrate enthusiasm in mentoring their peers and helping them succeed in the course they are assisting; you do not need to have necessarily earned an A nor be a major to TA for a course! The expectation is that you have taken the course and that you will prep in order to be able to reliably host office/workshop hours 1-2x per week for students to drop in and ask questions or work on problem sets. You may also be asked to sit in during the time(s) a course is offered to assist in answering questions at the end of class or managing questions on Zoom (if your schedule permits). Most importantly, TAs in our department are kind and seek to be good role models in order to help their peers do their best. After reading the listings above, you should consult directly with the professor teaching the course regarding any additional expectations or questions about eligibility.

For lab courses, you don't necessarily need to have taken a course to be a TA, nor is research experience an expectation, though it can certainly help. For lab courses, you will be given guidance on what is expected of you in order to TA a course; often times, lab courses require break down/set up of equipment and reagent preparation as opposed to requiring you to hold office hours. Some TAs are expected to be available during the time the class is offered to assist the instructor. After reading the listings above, you should consult directly with the professor teaching the course regarding eligibility and expectations since these vary from course to course.

The most successful TAs are patient, knowledgeable, reliable, and friendly and genuinely want their peers to succeed in the course. If this is you, we encourage you to apply today!

BarnardWorks is the site where you will find JobX and TimesheetX. The biology department can post student employment opportunities on JobX allowing you to apply to any opening online. We then review applications and hire directly from JobX, seamlessly sending the hire to TimesheetX where you can then record your hours to get paid. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to email the Beyond Barnard office (beyondbarnard@barnard.edu).

Use BarnardWorks to search by the ID number (listed above) on JobX associated with the position you are interested in. Remember that you can always have your resume and/or cover letter reviewed at Beyond Barnard before applying. 

If you have already secured employment with a faculty member to TA a different course not listed above, contact the department administrator, Melissa Flores (mflores@barnard.edu), for more information. You will be expected to have completed the paperwork described below before your hire can be processed. 

Before you can log hours and be placed on payroll, you will need to complete the appropriate employment paperwork. Take a look at the required forms, as well as information about Drop-In Hours.

Important: print your forms, sign them, and bring them to Elliott Hall along with acceptable ID for your I-9 (which you must submit if this is your first on-campus job). All forms can be dropped off at Beyond Barnard during their daily Drop-In Hours (12-1 pm, Elliott Hall, 2nd fl), during which they can also help you with any other questions you might have.

As a reminder, you will have to submit a new W4 and WTPA at the start of the calendar year. All departmental positions are paid on an hourly basis. 

The department administrator, Melissa Flores, will hire you on BarnardWorks for the number of hours you are expected to work as discussed with the professor or staff member associated with the course you are assisting with. You will then fill out your timesheet on TimesheetX and submit it for approval every two weeks. You are expected to submit these on time to be paid on time. Failure to do so will result in payment being disbursed on the following pay date (two weeks later). 

Never used TimesheetX? You can learn how to register for Beyond Barnard's TimesheetX payroll/job management website and enter your TA work hours for each bi-monthly pay period here.

The bi-monthly due dates for submitting your TA timesheets for my review/approval are found on this PDF for AY20-21.

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

Please note: Students cannot earn beyond their work awards. If you see that your award is running low and you wish to continue working, please contact the Financial Aid Office to see if you are eligible for an increase.

FEDERAL WORK STUDY AWARDS (FWS)

Students with a FWS award 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. 

BARNARD COLLEGE JOB AWARDS (BCJ)

Students with a BCJ award 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.