Student Employment

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. Please note that this is 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. 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.

Compensation: 

Starting wage for the position is $16/hr. Lab assistants gain a 25-cent raise with each semester of experience.

To apply:

1. Complete the application on Workday AND
2. Fill out the Google Form

If you have any questions, please contact the Biology Department Senior Lab Manager, Basil Perkins, at bperkins@barnard.edu. Applications are due by 5 pm on Wednesday, February 1st, 2023.

Responsibilities:

The teaching assistants for BIOL BC1502 Introduction to Cellular & Molecular Biology will assist Professor Jon Snow with course instruction during the Spring 2023 semester. TAs must be able to offer at least two office hours per week. First-time TAs will be paired with senior TAs. TAs are required to ‘sit in’ during the lecture in order to assist with course management and content questions unless they make arrangements with Professor Snow in advance. TAs will also be in charge of assisting the course Staff Assistant, Colin Flanagan, 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!

Requirements: 

Intro Biology Lecture Teaching Assistants must have previously completed BIOL BC1502. 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.

Compensation:

$16 per hour, plus 25 cents per semester of experience.

To apply: 

1. Complete the application on Workday AND
2. Fill out the Google Form

All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Professor Jon Snow (jsnow@barnard.edu) and Colin Flanagan (cflanaga@barnard.edu). Applications are due by 5 pm on Friday, January 6th.

Responsibilities: 

Introductory Biology Lab TAs will work in-person to provide critical assistance to the main lab instructors during each 3-hr lab period for the Spring Semester of 2023. 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 outside of the normal lab period (this is optional).

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:

Applicants should have earned a B or better in both BC1501 Introductory Lab in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology and BC1503 Introductory Lab in Cell and Molecular Biology. In addition to assisting the lab instructors during a 3-hr lab period, Lab TAs are expected to prepare for each lab on their own time (~1 hr per week, which is unpaid prep-work). The maximum period of time 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.

Compensation: 

$16 per hour, plus 25 cents per semester of experience.

To apply: 

1. Complete the application on Workday AND
2. Fill out this Google Form

All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Henry Truong (htruong@barnard.edu) and Abby Gutierrez (agutierr@barnard.edu). Applications are due by 5 pm on Friday, January 6th. 

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 form below, 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.

Compensation: 

$16 per hour, plus 25 cents per semester of experience

To apply: 

1. Complete the application on Workday AND
2. Fill out this Google Form

All questions regarding employment eligibility and expectations should be directed to Henry Truong (htruong@barnard.edu) and Abby Gutierrez (agutierr@barnard.edu). Applications are due by 5 pm on Friday, January 6th.

Summary:

Several upper-level Biology courses are hiring undergraduate Teaching Assistants (TAs) for the Spring 2023 semester (January - May). Each position has different descriptions and requirements. If you are interested in deepening your own understanding of a subject and helping other students, we encourage you to apply today!

Skills, Qualifications, and Requirements:

Qualifications differ between positions and are listed in each description below. Completion of the Introductory Biology sequence (BIOL BC1500, 1501, 1502, 1503) is preferred. The ideal TA is supportive, patient, reliable, and kind, and genuinely wants their peers to succeed. Please apply even if you are uncertain about your schedule or your qualifications. This is a student job for undergraduates.

Compensation: 

$16 per hour, plus 25 cents per semester of experience

To apply:

1. Complete the application on Workday AND
2. Fill out this Google Form

Applications for Spring 2023 will be accepted on a rolling basis. Positions will remain open until filled. Applications are due by Friday, January 6th, 2023.

Duties: Go over problem sets and hold review sessions for students.

Qualifications: Prior completion of BIOL BC2100.

Instructor: Claudia Cosentino (ccosenti@barnard.edu)

Time Required: 2-4 hours per week, flexible timing.

Number of Positions: 2

Duties: Set-up lab materials, upload coursework, and work with online data.

Qualifications: Plant background, completion of related courses, or prior greenhouse employee.

Instructor: Hilary Callahan (hcallaha@barnard.edu)

Time Required: 6-10 hours per week

Number of Positions: 1

Duties: TBD

Qualifications: Some prior experience in Molecular Biology is helpful but the instructor is willing to train a new student

Instructor: Stephen Sturley (ssturley@barnard.edu)

Time Required: Around 8-10 hours per week. Lab meets Wednesday 1:10 pm to 6 pm.

Number of Positions: 1

Duties: Help with cleanup/prep (1 hour/week), guide students during the lab (3-4 hours/week), and hold 3 review sessions over the course of the semester.  

Qualifications: Prior completion of microbiology lecture, strong independent worker, and able to make media.

Instructor: Gabrielle Corradino (gcorradi@barnard.edu)

Time Required: 5 hours per week

Number of Positions: 1

Duties: Review classwork assignments, hold office hours, and facilitate course discussions.

Qualifications: Prior completion of Development (either with Professor Shah or Professor Mansfield)

Instructor: Rishita Shah (rshah@barnard.edu)

Time Required: 2-6 hours per week

Number of Positions: 1-2

Duties: One TA will work in the classroom with students and the second will assist with experimental animals (zebrafish).

Qualifications: N/A, training on the job

Instructor: Rishita Shah (rshah@barnard.edu)

Time Required: 3-10 hours per week. Lab meets Tuesday 1:10 pm to 6:00 pm, with additional hours to be determined.

Number of Positions: 2-3

Duties: Attend lectures (Tuesday/Thursday 10:10 - 11:25), hold office hours, assist with some administrative duties such as making exam copies and assisting with the CourseWorks course site.
Qualifications: Prior completion of Physiology lecture, preferably BIOL BC3360.

Instructor: Jordan Balaban (jbalaban@barnard.edu)

Time Required: 5 to 7 hours per week.  

Number of Positions: 1

Duties:  Set up for class on Thursday morning (1-2 hours), clean up after class on Thursday afternoon (1 hour), and occasionally assist during class.
Qualifications: N/A, training on the job

Instructor: Elizabeth Bauer (ebauer@barnard.edu)

Time Required: 3 - 4 hours per week. Lab meets on Thursdays from 1:10 pm to 6:00 pm.

Number of Positions: 1

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

TAs in the biology department 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 general expectation is that you have taken the course and/or 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!

Lastly, office assistants, including the Biology Student Ambassadors, are organized, trustworthy, and warm individuals who are passionate about encouraging their peers to pursue a major in biology. They are dedicated to helping their peers feel welcome in classes and at departmental events, and will represent the department as spokespeople who want to make biology at Barnard accessible to all.

Workday is the site where you will find jobs as well as submit your timesheets for approval by your supervisor (either the Department Administrator, Senior Lab Manager, or Senior Associate Lab Director for Introductory Biology Labs). The biology department can post student employment opportunities on Workday allowing you to apply to any opening(s) online. We then review applications and hire directly through Workday, seamlessly integrating the job opening with the portal to submit your timesheets -- where you can then record your hours to get paid.

Workday is also the system for entering and approving timesheets, processing payroll, submitting direct deposit information and accessing previous paycheck and timesheet details. Students can also reference current FWS award balances. 

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

Barnard students can use Workday to search by the ID number or job title associated with the position you are interested in. Columbia students must contact the department administrator, Sylvia Niemann (sniemann@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 (also listed below), as well as information about Drop-In Hours.

Important: All departmental positions are paid on an hourly basis, starting at $16.00/hour. A student may qualify for a $0.25/hour raise if they have held the same position in prior semesters for each semester they additionally work in the same position.

Beyond Barnard requires new student employees to submit the following forms in Workday to complete the hiring process and start entering time: I-9 identity and employment verification, IRS W-4 and New York State WTPA (Wage Theft Prevention Act). During the hiring process, the student will be emailed and alerted within Workday to complete these forms.

The information below is provided for reference purposes only; all forms should be submitted after logging in to Workday using a CAS Columbia account. The I-9 is not complete until identification documents are submitted via this Google form or reviewed by Beyond Barnard (Elliott Hall) by appointment.

I-9 Form
The I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification form) only needs to be completed the first time a student works at Barnard through Beyond Barnard. Students must submit acceptable ID via this Google form and are not allowed to work until this step is completed.

W-4 Form
Students must complete a W-4 (Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate form) the first time they are employed on Barnard's campus. If they claim exempt, they must update their W-4 every calendar year. If you are a Nonresident Alien, please review these supplemental instructions to assist you in completing your W-4.

WTPA Form
The WTPA form (Wage Theft Prevention Act) must be completed each calendar year. There is a different WTPA form for hourly and stipend positions.

Special Forms
If you are a Columbia University student employed by Barnard College, or if you are an international student (both F-1 and J-1 visas), there are additional forms that may be required. Contact beyondbarnard@barnard.edu for more information. 

Columbia Students
If you are a student at Columbia University but have been hired by an employer at Barnard College, you must fill out a Columbia Hire Request Form.

International Students
Visiting international students on J-1 visas are eligible to work as student employees in an on-campus job for up to 15 hours (either Barnard and/or Columbia campuses), as long as they are in good academic standing. Students may be eligible to work off-campus through "Academic Training," a benefit of the J-1 visa, but they must first discuss this with the International Student Services Office in Milbank 10.

If you are an international student on an F-1 or J-1 visa, you will need to fill out a Social Security Verification Form.

Statement of Confidentiality
Barnard College Employers are strongly encouraged to require their student employees to sign Statements of Confidentiality. The Barnard approved Statement of Confidentiality form found here has been approved by the Beyond Barnard office and Barnard General Counsel, and protects the College from breaches in confidentiality regarding technology, intellectual property and the privacy and rights of students, staff and faculty.

Paid Family Leave Waiver
New York State Paid Family Leave (PFL) went into effect on January 1, 2018. PFL is a state-mandated program that provides employees with partially paid, job-protected leave in certain circumstances. The New York PFL benefit is funded through minimal deductions from employee paychecks. By statute, the weekly contribution rate is 0.126% of an employee’s weekly wage. This maximum contribution is $1.65 per week per employee.

You may be eligible to waive the PFL benefit and payroll deductions if your regular schedule is less than 26 consecutive weeks (6 months) or 175 days in a period of 52 consecutive weeks. If you wish to waive the PFL benefit, please complete the PFL-Waiver Form within Workday.

For more information on PFL, go to the New York State Paid Family Leave website.

The Department Administrator, Sylvia Niemann, Senior Lab Manager, Basil Perkins, or Senior Associate Laboratory Director for Introductory Biology Labs, Henry Truong, will hire you on Workday for the number of hours you are expected to work as discussed with the professor or staff member associated with the course/office you are assisting with. You will then fill out your timesheet on Workday 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).

The bi-monthly due dates for submitting your timesheets are listed on this PDF for the 2022-2023 academic year.

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.