Each year the chemistry department hires and trains students to be Laboratory Teaching Assistants. These students are often chemistry or biochemistry majors and have taken the lab they will be a TA for or have taken a class that qualifies them for teaching the lab. Their responsibilities are outlined in the job description below , but include preparing the chemicals and equipment for the lab, writing and grading a weekly quiz, giving a pre-lab lecture to prepare the students for the lab, assisting the students in the laboratory, cleaning up the lab, returning equipment and chemicals to their proper place, grading lab reports, and calculating lab grades. The professor will assist the TA in any or all of these responsibilities. The chemistry department also hires several Desk Workers.
Students can work as a desk worker during the day in one to four-hour blocks.
Any student, including freshmen and non-science majors, may be hired in this position. Please see the job description for Desk Workers below. Before the first lab session, prepare a list of all chemicals and equipment that will be used during the semester. Take the time to determine the items that the chemistry department does not have, and ask your supervisor to order those items. Notify supervisor of necessary chemicals that need to be ordered at least three weeks before they are needed.