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How to Apply

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying to work at the Technology Lab, this page will tell you everything you need to know about our process and what we seek in team members. As a Technology Lab Student Technician (ST), you would work alongside the full-time team, the Technology Resources and Innovation Group (TRIG). The Technology Services Coordinator, Courtney Morshed, supervises the Technology Lab STs.

Eligibility

All currently enrolled full-time UTSOA students are eligible to apply. Additional requirements and expectations that may impact position eligibility are listed below.

Application Process

The Technology Services Coordinator runs a Student Technician selection process every semester. To be considered for a position, students must complete an application via the Qualtrics survey distributed for that semester.

The Technology Lab hiring process runs after the TA selections are completed. GRA positions are posted by those supervisors on their own timeline. Please consider applying to the Technology Lab only if you don’t already have another campus position. Our team training begins before the semester starts and we need to have our team finalized before that.

The process begins when the SOA Student e-mail distribution list is sent a link to complete an application. This brief application contains a general availability section and a technology experience section. The Technology Services Coordinator then evaluates students who complete the online application. If time allows and the applicants are competitive, brief interviews are scheduled. Please review the expectations and requirements below before filling out the application.

There are currently 10 graduate (15-hour) and 3 undergraduate (10-hour) Student Technicians in the Technology Lab for Fall and Spring, and the number of open positions varies from semester to semester. We typically have 2-3 Student Technicians during the Summer. Current employees who perform adequately in our peer evaluation process generally are invited to stay on the team (if they apply). Vacancies are created mainly by students accepting other positions, going out on residency, or graduating.

Job Expectations

  • Work at the Tech Desk in the Technology Lab up to 13 (grad) / 8 (undergrad) hours per week

    • Help students, faculty, and staff with lab, classroom, and studio technology

    • Supplies, maintenance, job processing, and user training on printers, plotters, and digital fabrication equipment

    • Troubleshoot computer and software issues with students

    • Contribute to our social media presence and advocate for your fellow students

    • Participate in outreach to new students: training on printing, plotting, and fabrication

    • Assist TRIG staff with technology and service-related issues, including event recording

  • The total number of hours to be worked during an average long semester (Fall or Spring) is approximately 250 (grad) / 175 (undergrad)

    • 200 hours (grad) / 125 hours (undergrad) working at the Tech Desk

    • ~43-60 hours for Meetings & Training Sessions

      • Some of the initial Training hours can be completed remotely, but no other remote hours or tasks should be expected

Applicant Requirements

Our core requirements are:

  1. Availability to attend weekly staff meetings on Tuesdays from 11 A.M. to 12 P.M. (1 hour per week)

  2. Availability to attend weekly staff training sessions on Thursdays from 11 A.M. to 12 P.M. (1 hour per week)

  3. Availability to attend pre-semester in-person team training on Wednesday and Thursday before classes start (8 hours)

  4. Initial availability of 25 hours per week (during open hours), as we settle into a recurring weekly schedule of 15 hours per week

  5. For undergraduates: must be in third year or later

  6. The ability and willingness to work in a fast-paced, friendly customer service environment

  7. Competence, comfort, and curiosity with respect to technology

  8. Practice good judgment, honesty, and integrity regarding team members and resource access

Our staff members come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Some know a lot of applications, while others have mastered only a few. What we have found is critical for success in the role is a willingness to engage in customer service and to learn a lot of new information about a variety of technologies. We are committed to a regular schedule of on-the-job and structured training to ensure that our team members acquire the knowledge and skills they need to succeed at the job. All team members must attend these sessions (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 A.M. to 12 P.M.). The SOA does not schedule courses during this time, and it is the student's responsibility not to schedule outside electives during these times. These sessions are crucial, so no exceptions will be made if students can’t attend.

The position begins on Monday, the week before classes start. A Canvas course guides the team's training process, and that course begins on the same day as the position. Later that week, there is a mandatory 2-day in-person training on Wednesday and Thursday from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.

Please avoid completing an application if you can't commit to these requirements.

Compensation

Student Technicians are expected to work 15 hours per week at a rate of $21 per hour. Students continuing in this role or those considered Leads may earn a higher hourly rate. There are approximately 16 working weeks in Fall and Spring. Our open hours are also reduced at the end of the semester, which may impact how many hours are available to you during that time. Additional Compliance (UT Learn) and Training (Canvas) Modules can be completed outside the work week. We have an optional tool to help you plan your anticipated outages and how they affect your hours. There are no benefits offered for this position.

Scheduling

At the beginning of each semester, the team will complete the availability survey and then meet to discuss and establish the semester's Technology Lab schedule. During this process, each team member can declare hours when they are unavailable due to classes or other serious obligations and hours that they prefer to work. By optimizing these preference matrices, we arrive at a regular weekly schedule that is fair and optimal for every team member. The position ends on the final day that the Technology Lab is open for a given semester. That final day typically falls on Wednesday, the same week as the Last Day for Final Exams.

  • We staff the desk with at least 2 Student Technicians, and we're open 8 hours on Sundays and 12 hours each weekday, so applicants should anticipate working at least one weekend shift.

  • MSCRP students and those not taking a studio course should expect to be scheduled to work during studio times.

    • Outside of serving students during studio, the School also holds events during these times, and Student Technicians assist TRIG with these events.

Evaluation

Our team engages in an active process of peer and self-evaluation each semester. These evaluations are the primary tool by which the Technology Lab Student Technicians' job performance is evaluated. The decision to re-hire Student Technicians from one semester to the next semester is based on this evaluation process. It is critical for our team to work well together, so individuals who negatively impact the team aren't invited to return.