Student Employment

Requirements: The teaching assistants for BIOL BC1500 Introduction to Organismal & Evolutionary Biology will assist Professor John Glendinning with instruction of this course for the Fall 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 fundamental course for the major. This course will be offered Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00–9:50 am.

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!

All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Professors John Glendinning (jglendin@barnard.edu) and Jessica Goldstein (jgoldste@barnard.edu).

Responsibilities: TAs must be able to offer at least two office hours per week and are required to ‘sit in’ during the lecture in order to assist Professor Glendinning in handling course management and content questions (e.g. monitoring the chat on Zoom if there is a remote component to the course) unless otherwise arranged with Professor Glendinning in advance. TAs will also be in charge of assisting the course Staff Assistant, Abby Gutierrez, in managing a shared course email address in order to answer course-content and MindTap-related questions.

TAs may be asked to lead help sessions during the Open Study Weeks that alternate between Discussion Topic Weeks for BIOL BC1510 Discussion Section and must be available for all 50–minute sessions (5–6/semester in total). Up to 5 positions will be available.

BarnardWorks Job ID: 11298

Requirements: BIOL BC1501 Introductory Lab in Organismal & Evolutionary Biology Teaching Assistants (TA) will work in-person to provide critical assistance to the main lab instructors during each 3–hour lab period for the Fall Semester of 2021. Applicants should have earned a B or better in both BIOL BC1501 Introductory Lab in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology and BIOL BC1503 Introductory Lab in Cell and Molecular Biology. In addition to assisting the lab instructors during a 3–hour lab period, Lab TAs are expected to prepare for each lab on their own time (~1 hour per week, which is unpaid prep-work).

The maximum period of time a student can work in this position is four semesters. This criterion enables the Biology Department to increase its opportunities for students to work as teaching assistants for Intro Biology Labs.

Responsibilities: Lab TAs are invaluable resources for assisting students with lab activities/lessons, worksheets, and experiments. Lab TAs will also have the opportunity to work in collaboration with the Science Writing Fellows to help students with their lab reports—this work takes place outside of the normal lab period and is optional for TAs to sign-up to participate in.

Lab TAs are enthusiastic about mentoring younger students just beginning their biology journey, 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. The starting salary for the position is $15/hour.

BarnardWorks Job ID: 7926

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

Responsibilities: Lab assistants are an integral part of operating Barnard's Introductory Biology Labs. Lab Assistants will work in-person to help complete such work as setting up and breaking down lab materials, cleaning lab materials (dissection trays and instruments, beakers, lab benches, etc.), labeling labware (PCR tubes, beakers, etc.), preparing and distributing solutions, providing general care for live plants and animals, completing errands at nearby locations, and light office work (photocopying, data entry, etc.). Starting hourly wage for the position is $15.00/hr.

Requirements: Daily and weekly instructions will be provided, so no experience is necessary. However, a strong work ethic and sense of responsibility are required for the position.

A minimum of 2 work hours per week is required of all lab assistants. Available work shifts are listed on the application form, but there is some flexibility in scheduling specific start and end times of some shifts.

BarnardWorks Job ID: 4462

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

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 position are provided below. Course-specific questions should be addressed to the appropriate faculty member listed below.

• BIOL BC2100 Molecular & Mendelian Genetics (5 positions)
• BIOL BC2500 MATLAB for Scientists (2 positions)
• BIOL BC2841 Lab in Plant Evolution and Diversity (1 position)
• BIOL BC3311 Lab in Cell Biology (1 position)

- - -

Requirements: The teaching assistants for BIOL BC2100 Molecular and Mendelian Genetics will assist Professor Jen Mansfield with instruction of this course for the Fall 2021 semester. The ideal teaching assistant is reliable and dedicated to helping their peers succeed in this lecture course, which will meet TTH 10:10–11:25 am (TAs are not expected to attend the lecture).

Questions about applying can be directed to Professor Jen Mansfield (jmansfie@barnard.edu).

Responsibilities: 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 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!

BarnardWorks Job ID: 11295

- - - 

Requirements: The teaching assistant for BIOL BC2500 MATLAB for Scientists will assist Professor Allison Lopatkin with instruction of this course for the Fall 2021 semester. The ideal teaching assistant is enthusiastic about the growing field of computational biology, and seeks to mentor their peers on best practices for how to approach this computational course geared toward students who have no background with MATLAB. They are are not expected to attend the lecture, which will meet T 1:00 pm–4:00 pm. To TA, a student needs to have taken this course prior, earned a grade of B or above, and feel comfortable with real-time MATLAB troubleshooting.

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

Responsibilities: The teaching assistant for BIOL BC2500 Matlab for Scientists must be able to work at least 3-4 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. Depending on availability and interest, one or two TAs will be considered

BarnardWorks Job ID: 12787

- - -

Requirements:The teaching assistant for BIOL BC2841 Lab in Plant Evolution and Diversity will assist Professor Hilary Callahan with instruction of this course for the Fall 2021 semester. The ideal TA is well-organized, enthusiastic about plant biology and eager to help peers succeed in this upper-level lab courses and cultivate a supportive community within the classroom. Students need not have prior coursework in plant diversity but should have botanical curiosity and basic background in acquiring and managing data as it is collected and uploaded using tools such as Google Drive, Excel, Google Sheets, or other basic software. Experience with R and R Studio software or other command-line software is helpful, but can also be acquired on the job, as are good oral and written communications skills for notetaking, e-mailing and in-person, and enthusiasm to learn about campus and regional resources such as the Ross greenhouse, herbarium, New York Botanical Garden, or Black Rock Forest.

This course will be offered Fridays from 12:10–5:00 pm. All interested students are strongly encouraged to apply! Questions about the course and applying should be directed to Professor Hilary Callahan (hcallaha@barnard.edu).

Responsibilities: TAs should have a schedule that allows attending weekly lab sections and time preferably on Thursday afternoons and/or Friday mornings to help with set-ups and some additional times flexibly scheduled to assist with 4-6 review sessions prior to quizzes or deadlines. Other duties may include assisting students in gaining access to electronic resources or botanical books and literature.

BarnardWorks Job ID: 9158

- - -

Requirements: The teaching assistant for BIOL BC3311 Lab in Cell Biology will assist Professor Jon Snow with instruction of this course for the Fall 2021 semester. 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 strong foundation in experimental design and science communication skills are expected in order to best assist your peers as they design their own experimental projects. 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 the lab and in communicating your science as well as to help cultivate a supportive environment that promotes learning. This course will be offered Thursdays from 1:10–6:00 pm and TAs are expected to be in the lab classroom.

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

Responsibilities: 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 Snow (approximately 2–3 help sessions for the semester). Other duties may include assisting students with written reports, gaining access to electronic resources, and literature searches in addition to helping set up or break down materials and equipment for that week's lab.

BarnardWorks Job ID: 10384

Requirements: Biology Departmental Lab Assistants are integral in supporting the upper-level and research lab programs. This is an excellent opportunity to get to know upper-level faculty outside of the classroom as well as the staff in the department in addition to gaining experience in basic lab maintenance. Duties 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 Senior Laboratory Manager, Basil Perkins. Please note that this NOT a research position. Previous lab experience is not required. Up to two positions are available.

All questions about employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Basil Perkins (bperkins@barnard.edu).

Responsibilities: 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; first year and sophomore students are encouraged to apply. A strong work ethic and sense of responsibility are required. A minimum of three 2-hour shifts is strongly preferred.

BarnardWorks Job ID: 5792

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 BC3311 Lab in Cell Biology

- - -

BarnardWorks Job ID: This position has been filled.

Responsibilities: The teaching assistants for BIOL BC2100 Molecular and Mendelian Genetics will assist Professor Jen Mansfield in remote instruction of this course for the Summer A 2021 Block. The ideal teaching assistant is reliable and dedicated to helping their peers succeed in this lecture course, which will meet MTWTH 9:00 - 10:35 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: This position has been filled.

Responsibilities: The teaching assistant for BIOL BC3311 Lab in Cell Biology will assist Professor Jon Snow with in-person instruction of this course for the Summer A 2021 semester. 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 Thursdays and Fridays from 1:00 - 4:10 pm and TAs are expected to be in the lab classroom on both days.  
 

Requirements: TAs must be present during the lab sections in addition to setting up a few help sessions outside of class time, as discussed with Professor Snow (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 Jon Snow (jsnow@barnard.edu).

BarnardWorks Job ID: This position has been filled.

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).

Responsibilities: The Lab TAs will work remotely (online) to provide critical assistance to the main lab instructors during the first 2 hours of a 3-hr lab period. Each lab will only be offered online via Zoom and will be taught from Monday, January 25 to Friday, April 2, 2021.

TAs will be expected to work frequently with students in small breakout groups (via Zoom) to help the students with any questions they may have with the material. Lab TAs will also have the opportunity to work (remotely) in collaboration with the Science Writing Fellows during the semester to help students with their lab reports. Lab TAs are enthusiastic about mentoring younger students just beginning their biology journey, 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.

Requirements: Lab TAs are expected to prepare for each lab on their own time (~1 to 2 hrs per week for lab prep). Students who received a grade of B or better in both BC1001 & 1002 are eligible to apply for Lab TA positions in BC1001 & BC1002. Students who received a grade of B or better in both BC1501 & 1503 are eligible to apply for Lab TA positions in BC1001, BC1002, BC1501 & BC1503.

The maximum number of semesters a student can work in this position is 4 semesters. This criterion enables the Biology Department to increase its opportunities for students to work as teaching assistants for Intro Biology Labs.

All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to James Casey (jcasey@barnard.edu).

BarnardWorks Job ID: 7926

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 position 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

- - -

BarnardWorks Job ID: This position has been filled.

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: This position has been filled.

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: This position has been filled

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: This position has been filled.

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).

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).

Barnard students can use BarnardWorks to search by the ID number (listed above) on JobX associated with the position you are interested in. Columbia students must contact the department administrator, Melissa Flores (mflores@barnard.edu), with the title of the job/course they'd like to apply for in order to receive the application. Remember that you can always have your résumé reviewed at Beyond Barnard or the Columbia Center for Career Education before applying. 

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 your supervisor's review/approval are found on this PDF for AY20-21 and on this PDF for Summer 2021.

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.