Graduate Teaching Assistant Opportunities

Biological Sciences MS Students 

Students may apply on a quarterly basis. Assignments are based on School need and are offered solely at the discretion of the School of Biological Sciences. While an instructor may request a student as an IA, such a request does not guarantee placement, nor does it constitute an offer of apprenticeship or employment. See Eligibility Requirements below.

For more information on Summer Session opportunities, please visit the Summer Session IA page.

MS Students in Other Programs

Biological Sciences has a large pool of applicants within the School, both master’s and doctoral students, from which IA positions are staffed. The number of applicants far exceeds the number of open positions, so hiring students from outside the School is rare. Students may apply through the Instructional Assistant Data Management System. See Eligibility requirements and Quarterly Application Timelines below.

All assignments are based on instructional needs and are offered solely at the discretion of the School of Biological Sciences. While an instructor may request a student as an IA, such a request does not guarantee placement, nor does it constitute an offer of apprenticeship or employment.

Biological Sciences PhD Students 

The teaching program is designed to expose each student to a variety of instructional environments including small group instruction in a laboratory setting as well as leading discussion sections and review sessions for lecture courses. To achieve this, students assist as a Teaching Assistant in a total of three courses during their graduate career, which is equivalent to one year of experience.

A link to the application for the upcoming academic year will be sent via UC San Diego email to all Biological Sciences PhD students who need to complete program requirements or require supplementary support as an IA. The application is typically open in June prior to the academic year of the assignment.

Biology PhD students with an active fellowship grant or training grant that may preclude additional employment such as TAship, please email biogradsupport@ucsd.edu for guidance.

PhD Students from BMS/Neuro/SIO

The School of Biological Sciences has TA service agreements for doctoral students with the Biomedical Sciences Program, the Department of Neurosciences, and the graduate program at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Doctoral students in these programs should contact their graduate coordinator in the spring quarter prior to the academic year in which they would like to assist as a TA to inquire about eligibility and the application cycle. The application for students in these identified programs is typically open in June prior to the academic year.

PhD Students in Other Programs

Biological Sciences has a large pool of applicants within the School, both master’s and doctoral students, from which IA positions are staffed. The number of applicants far exceeds the number of open positions, so hiring students from outside the School is rare. Students may apply through the Instructional Assistant Data Management System. See Eligibility requirements and Quarterly Application Timelines below.

All assignments are based on instructional needs and are offered solely at the discretion of the School of Biological Sciences. While an instructor may request a student as an IA, such a request does not guarantee placement, nor does it constitute an offer of apprenticeship or employment.

Prospective BS/MS, who meet the above graduate eligibility requirements, are encouraged to apply by the deadline using the current IA application.

Applicants must be available to attend all in-person lectures, discussion/ lab sections, meetings, and related instructional activities.

Assignments are based on School need and are offered solely at the discretion of the School of Biological Sciences. While an instructor may request a student as an IA, such a request does not guarantee placement, nor does it constitute an offer of apprenticeship or employment.

A “Held to Interview” status may appear after submission to reflect a pending BS/MS admission decision. Applicants are initially reviewed as undergraduate candidates; if admitted to the BS/MS program, they may be considered for graduate-level TA positions. No additional action is required.

For more information on Summer Session opportunities, please visit the Summer Session IA page.

TA Duties

Actual duties for a particular course may vary and will be defined by the supervising instructor. Typical duties may include:

• Attend lectures
• Lead discussion section(s) or lab section(s)
• Hold office hours
• Assist with development of exams
• With faculty oversight, develop new (written) course material for use in discussion sections/ homework/ exams/quizzes/ review sessions
• Proctor and grade exams
• Meet regularly with the instructor
• Assist with course management
• Mentor undergraduate instructional assistants
• Other applicable duties as assigned by the instructor
• 20 hours per week (average)

Note that IAs are not expected to reply to electronic inquiries from students at all hours or to exceed maximum workload in replying to email. Please note allowable working time (found in the offer email), work with the supervising instructor to budget time for tasks accordingly, and feel free to refer students with extensive questions to office hours and/or section time.

Time Expectations

Graduate Teaching Assistants are typically appointed at 50% FTE, corresponding to an average of 20 hours per week (220 hours per quarter). Most hours are worked during the 10-week instructional period and finals week. The distribution of these hours is determined by the supervising instructor based on course needs. Instructional Assistants are expected to plan and manage their time in coordination with the instructor to ensure responsibilities are completed within the established workload. If support is needed prior to the start of the quarter, instructors will communicate this in advance.

Workload expectations are governed by the Academic Student Employee Union Contract. Instructional Assistants are expected to manage responsibilities within their assigned hours and are not expected to be available reply to electronic inquiries from students at all hours or to exceed maximum workload in replying to email.

Assigned hours are outlined in the appointment notification and offer communication. Instructional Assistants should plan their time accordingly and may refer students with extensive questions to office hours or discussion sections.

Appointments may not exceed the established maximum workload. Instructional Assistants who anticipate exceeding their assigned hours must consult with their supervising instructor in advance to ensure workload remains within established guidelines. Early communication is essential.

Training

• Assigned students are required to complete all campus and School of Biological Sciences training requirements.
• First-time instructional assistants in laboratory courses must attend a one-time Safety Training for Laboratory Instructional Assistants and complete any required online safety training modules. Additional instructions will be provided to appointed TAs prior to the start of the quarter.

Performance Evaluations and Standards

All Instructional Assistants are evaluated by the instructor of the course and by the students enrolled in the course via online evaluation surveys conducted at the end of the quarter.

Salary

Graduate Students who are assigned as paid TAs can find information about salary and pay rates on the Division of Graduate Education & Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) website under Salary & Fee Remission.

Tuition Remission

Graduate Students who are assigned as 50% TA are eligible for partial tuition and fee remission. Once an official offer has been accepted, The School of Biological Sciences will submit the partial tuition and fee remission request on the behalf of the student to the Division of Graduate Education & Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA). The School of Biological Sciences does not directly administer remission or fees to a student account.

More information on partial ASE tuition and fee remission can be found on the GEPA Fee Payment webpage.

Questions regarding tuition balances should be sent to GEPA Financial Support.

Note: Biological Sciences can only request partial tuition and fee remission for Biological Sciences' graduate students after they have officially accepted their TA offer in the Instructional Assistant Data Management System (IADMS).

For graduate students outside of Biological Sciences, their academic home department is responsible for requesting the partial tuition and fee remission once the student has accepted their TA offer in IADMS. Students should take prompt action to accept their offer when they receive the notice from IADMS. Delay in accepting the offer before the tuition/fee deadline each quarter can result in a delay in the processing of the partial tuition and fee remission payment, and could result in an assessment of late fees, which the student may be responsible to pay.

Benefits

Graduate Students who are assigned as paid TAs can find information about Benefits on the Division of Graduate Education & Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) website under Benefits.

Biology PhD students with an active fellowship grant or training grant that may preclude additional employment such as TAship, please email biogradsupport@ucsd.edu.

This section outlines employment and onboarding requirements for students appointed as Graduate Teaching Assistants (TA). 

Employment Paperwork & Onboarding

Graduate students selected for a TA position will receive onboarding instructions via their UC San Diego email prior to the start of the appointment. Failure to meet onboarding deadlines or respond to onboarding communications may result in delays in start date or pay

•  New Appointments - Graduate Students appointed as a TA for the first time in The School of Biological Sciences are required to complete onboarding steps before beginning work, which may include:
  • Completing required employment forms electronically.
  • Completing Form I-9 employment eligibility verification.
  • Attending an in-person appointment to present original work authorization documents.

• Detailed instructions will be provided directly via email upon appointment.

• Rehired / Continuing TAs
  
  • Employment information (e.g., direct deposit, personal details) should be reviewed and updated in UCPath
  • Additional steps will be communicated if any action is required

For questions about onboarding, please email biota@ucsd.edu

Payroll & Timekeeping (EcoTime)

TAs are paid monthly and must submit timesheets via EcoTime. 

• TAs (salaried) report only absences.  
• The supervising instructor will approve their TA’s timesheets.

Ecotime Resources

• EcoTime Support Guide.
• EcoTime Deadline Schedule.

For questions about timesheet submission, please email biotimekeeping@ucsd.edu.

Pay vs. Service Period

TA appointments include a service period (when instructional duties are performed) and a pay period (how and when compensation is distributed).

• The service period generally aligns with the academic quarter dates
• Pay periods are based on UC San Diego payroll schedules and may not align exactly with academic quarter dates

Standard pay periods are structured as follows:

• Fall: October 1 – December 31
• Winter: January 1 – March 31
• Spring: April 1 – June 30

These standardized pay periods are designed so that Teaching Assistants receive three equal monthly paychecks per quarter, regardless of the exact start and end dates of the academic term.

For questions please email: GEPA Financial Support.

UCPath

TAs can expect to be able to log into UCPath one week aftter the start of their assignment.

• First Time Accessing UCPath 
• Verify your Personal Information: please update your home & mailing address, personal email, and phone number. 

• Enroll in Direct Deposit: It is strongly recommended to sign up for Direct Deposit. Until you have successfully signed up for direct deposit, your paycheck will be mailed to your address listed in Tritonlink. 

For questions regarding UCPath please access help via AskUCPath Portal. 

Additional Information 

• Graduate students employed in Teaching Assistant title code 2310 are covered by a collective bargaining agreement between UC San Diego and the UAW.
• Names and addresses of all Academic Student Employees (ASE) are released to the UAW as a condition of employment.
• See the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) website for additional information concerning Academic Student Employment (ASE).

• The IA Resource page includes information about office hours, make-up sections, review sessions, technology, etc.
• Biological Sciences Faculty Assistants can assist IAs and Course Instructors with course supplies, printing, scantrons, etc. 
• Teaching and Learning Commons: Checklist for Foundations Tasks as an Instructional Assistant 
• Teaching and Learning Commons:Remote teaching resources 
• Canvas: Keep Calm and Teach On: Resources and Support 

Application Status Listed as "Held to Interview"

Prospective students who have applied to the BS/MS program and submitted a TA application will have an IADMS application status as "Held to Interview" until decision of their BS/MS program application is finalized. No student action is needed.

Students must continue to meet all TA graduate eligibility requirements to be considered for a position.

Assignments are based on School need and are offered solely at the discretion of the School of Biological Sciences. While an instructor may request a student as an IA, such a request does not guarantee placement, nor does it constitute an offer of apprenticeship or employment.

Contacting the Supervising Instructor

IAs may or may not receive instructions from the supervising instructor before the start of the quarter. If no communication is received, IAs are encouraged to proactively reach out to the supervising instructor via email. If unable to make contact, IAs should notify biota@ucsd.edu and attend the first class meeting. Discussion section assignments are coordinated directly with the supervising instructor.

Application Timelines

*Approximate timeline. Actual dates may vary.