Job Description

Job Summary
Teaching Assistants help a faculty member with instructional responsibilities which may include: lab prep, organization, clean-up, and working with enrolled students during the lab session in Swindells Hall. This position is for upper-division (300 & 400-level) Biology laboratory courses in the Spring of 2025 with the possibility of continued employment for similar courses in later semesters. Teaching Assistants work with Charles Bedell (Biology Lab Manager), Dr. David Wynne, Dr. David Taylor, Dr Susan Murray, Dr Laura Dyer or other upper-division course faculty. Working as a teaching assistant for these courses requires successful completion of the course with a final grade of at least a B+, or other prior knowledge of the techniques used in the lab with permission of the instructor. Teaching Assistants typically work ~3-4 hours per lab section each week of the term.

Applicants must be available for the following section, or during lab prep times to be determined together with the faculty member:

BIO 372 Cell and Molecular Biology Lab
T 1430:1730 – Wynne
BIO 376 Developmental Biology Lab
W 1335:1635 – Dyer
BIO313 Freshwater Ecology
R 0945:1245 – Weilhoefer
R 1430:1730 – Weilhoefer

In a brief cover letter, please describe:
Your suitability for the position
Specific availability for one or more lab sections, or to work as a prep TA.
You will also be asked to submit a brief resume that summarizes their academic and professional qualifications.

Evaluation procedures and schedules:
After your initial appointment and a training seminar for new TAs, instructors and supervisor will provide feedback throughout the semester. For TAs assisting a course for the first time, a mid-semester evaluation form will be completed by the course instructor. The TA and instructor will meet to discuss the evaluation, and the evaluation will then be submitted to the supervisor. All TAs will receive an evaluation at the end of the semester and have the opportunity to discuss with the course instructor
Core Duties
While specific duties vary, Laboratory Teaching Assistants for Biology may be asked to assume the following roles:
Prepare for lab each week:
Read the experimental procedures, TA instructions, and any other special information that is provided by the course instructor or laboratory manager.
Ask the course instructor to answer any questions you may have regarding the procedures, set-ups, calculations, waste management, and/or safety issues before the designated laboratory time.
Assist with regular pre-lab period set-up: Gather instructional items, Set-up demonstrations, prepare solutions, gather reagents, samples, etc. for use by students in upcoming lab section.
When requested, provide brief introductory presentations at the beginning of the lab period.
Assist students during the lab by answering questions or providing experimental advice.
Clean up after each lab:
Properly dispose of solutions that do not keep.
Clean spills using proper methods.
Clean/ wipe-down the hoods, lab benches, the areas around balances, and the areas around instruments used during the laboratory period.
Return and secure all caps and tops to reagent bottles.
Refill/replace reagents and consumable supplies as needed.
Return reagents, supplies, equipment to location found at beginning of the laboratory period.
Take dirty glassware or bio-hazardous waste bags to the dishwashing room.
Wash and put away other glassware, as needed.
Show up at time designated by instructor. TAs must notify Instructor if they cannot prep lab, attend, or assist with clean up for a lab period for any reason.
Promote Safety in the Laboratory: enforce proper use of protective equipment, proper handling of chemical spills, proper handling of broken glassware, proper collection of chemical waste for disposal, and proper disposal of non-hazardous laboratory waste; be alert for potentially unsafe behavior, practices, set-ups, and situations, and correct them; or bring them to the attention of the instructor, if you are unsure of the proper procedures to be used.
Attend all TA meetings – times to be arranged with instructor.
Provide feedback to faculty on exercises.
May be asked to assist with grading (exams, quizzes, lab assignments).
May be asked to prepare review materials for lab sections, as needed.
May be asked to independently run Open Laboratory sessions.
Submit accurate, bi-monthly timesheet via on-line portal to Laboratory Manager.
Other tasks, as needed by instructor.
Minimum Qualifications
Successful completion of the course(s) that are appropriate to your assignment as a TA or relevant experience
Satisfactory evaluations in any previous position as a departmental assistant in the Department of Biology
Satisfactory progress toward a degree
Preferred Qualifications
Preference will be given to Biology majors and minors and/or students with prior experience as a laboratory assistant
Students with Federal Work Study in Financial Aid Package preferred.
Students with Green Dot Certification preferred.