Undergraduate Student Employment Opportunities

Every term the Physics Department hires graders, undergraduate TAs, and mentors. Listed below are the various positions and their details. There is one application for all positions.

Important Things to Note:

  • You may hold more than one position at a time; each program coordinates their operations.
  • The combined time commitment for UG student work cannot exceed 20 hours/week. This limit also includes positions students may hold with other departments.

We’re hiring Proctors for the Advanced Standing Exams (ASEs) taking place on Monday, January  29th (8.01 ), and (8.02 ), and Tuesday, January 30th  (8.03), and (8.04). Please see the application link below if you’re interested in either opportunity.  In the application, we provide the dates and the details about the jobs.

Application for ASE Proctoring:   Next available in December 2024

Subjects that hire graders:

  • Fall Classes: 8.012, 8.021, 8.03, 8.033, 8.04, 8.05, 8.07
  • IAP Classes: 8.20, 8.223, 8.S228
  • Spring Classes: 8.011, 8.022, 8.03, 8.04, 8.044, 8.06, 8.21, 8.282

Responsibilities: Grader will receive 15-20 p-sets to grade on a weekly basis using Gradescope or another system. Graders are given the solutions and usually about a week turnaround time. Access to a tablet and stylus is ideal but the need varies by class. Graders are expected to check their inbox daily for important emails, keep all student information confidential, and maintain an open communication with the graduate TA and instructor of the class.

Qualifications: Applicants are expected to have taken the class (or earned credit another way) and demonstrated a solid understanding of the material.

Time Commitment: 3-7 hours weekly (flexible, vary by class, your own schedule)

Compensation: $19/hr (Pay rate will increase $0.50 for each semester that you are hired as a UTA for the same subject).

Application Link: https://forms.gle/CvfU68DzTGDAoVgbA
Deadline: January 29, 2024

Subjects that hire UTAs:

  • Fall Classes: 8.01, 8.01L (extends to IAP), 8.02, 8.13
  • IAP Class: 8.01L
  • Spring Classes: 8.011, 8.02, 8.13, 8.14, 8.S228
8.01 & 8.02 Undergraduate TA [Fall Term Only]:
  • Responsibilities: Each UTA will be assigned to 1-2 sections, and have between 9 -12 students in each section. They will need to attend all synchronous classes in a section (including Friday Problem Solving). UTAs will help their students during group activities and grade their problem sets on a weekly basis. They will attend weekly staff meetings. There is also one mandatory training session at the start of the term.
  • Qualifications: Applicants are expected to have taken the class (or earned credit another way) and demonstrated a solid understanding of the material. They will need to exhibit a willingness to help others learn using patience and effective communication skills.
  • Time Commitment: 8-10 hours weekly (5 class hours, 1-3 grading hours, ½ hour staff meeting)
  • Compensation:  $19/hr (Pay rate will increase $0.50 for each semester that you are hired as a UTA for the same subject).
8.01L Undergraduate TA [Fall Term Only]:
  • Responsibilities: UTAs will need to attend all synchronous classes in the section they are hired for. UTAs will help their students during group activities and grade their problem sets on a weekly basis.
  • Qualifications: Applicants are expected to have earned credit for 8.01 and demonstrated a solid understanding of the material. They will need to exhibit a willingness to help others learn using patience and effective communication skills.
  • Time Commitment: 5-7 hours weekly (4 in-class hours, 1-3 grading hours)
  • Compensation:  $19/hr (Pay rate will increase $0.50 for each semester that you are hired as a UTA for the same subject).
8.011 Undergraduate TA [Spring Term Only]:
  • Responsibilities: UTAs will need to attend all synchronous classes in the section they are hired for. UTAs will help their students during group activities and grade their problem sets on a weekly basis.
  • Qualifications: Applicants are expected to have earned credit for 8.01 and demonstrated a solid understanding of the material. They will need to exhibit a willingness to help others learn using patience and effective communication skills.
  • Time Committment: 5-6 hours weekly (4 in-class hours, >1 grading hours)
  • Compensation:  $19/hr (Pay rate will increase $0.50 for each semester that you are hired as a UTA for the same subject).
8.13/14 Undergraduate TA [8.14 Spring Term Only]:
  • Responsibilities: Each UTA will usually be assigned to 1 section, for which they should attend regular class hours, although some UTAs in some semesters may be assigned specifically to float across several lab sessions with fewer hours per section. Except for occasional 1-hour staff meetings, all work is during lab time, circulating among students to provide aid and advice with experiments, to step in to provide extra help for students missing a lab partner, to participate with the instructional staff on occasional in-class administration tasks, and to communicate to section leaders on any issues of note observed within the section. 8.13 and 8.14 UTAs are not involved in course grading.
  • Qualifications: Applicants are expected to have passed either 8.13 or 8.14, demonstrate a solid enthusiasm for the lab program and community, and exhibit a willingness to help others learn using patience and effective communication skills.
  • Time Commitment: 6-7 hours weekly (6 in-class hours, occasional staff meeting)
  • Compensation:  $19/hr (Pay rate will increase $0.50 for each semester that you are hired as a UTA for the same subject).
8.S228 Undergraduate TA [Spring Term Only]:
  • Responsibilities: TBA
  • Qualifications: TBA
  • Time Commitment: TBA
  • Compensation:  $19/hr (Pay rate will increase $0.50 for each semester that you are hired as a UTA for the same subject).

Application Link for all positions: https://forms.gle/CvfU68DzTGDAoVgbA
Deadline: January 29, 2024

Subjects that need peer tutors:

  • Fall Classes: 8.03, 8.033, 8.041
  • Spring Classes: 8.03, 8.04, 8.044

The Peer Tutoring program matches individual undergrads or grad students with undergraduates in our core sophomore subjects (8.03, 8.033, 8.041 in fall; 8.03, 8.04, 8.044 in spring).  The goal of the program is to provide support to undergraduate majors at risk of failing one of our core subjects.  Peer Tutors are connected with tutees at mid-term, after initial exams have provided feedback about who could most use this additional academic support.

Peer Tutors need to have earned a B+ or better grade in the subject they hope to tutor.

Peer Tutors have access to all class materials and are hired to work for up to 5 hours per week.  Depending on demand and tutor availability, Peer Tutors may tutor a single student or a group of two to three; details of scheduling are set up by mutual agreement between tutors and tutees.

For questions, please contact Michal Holland, Undergraduate Advising and Program Coordinator.

Application Link: TBA
Deadline: TBA

Disability & Access Services is seeking a scribe for a student with a disability. The employee(s) will assist the student with specific tasks related to in-class assignments. As a scribe, you must adhere to the academic integrity of the institution; you may not use your own words (numbers), interpret, prompt, or offer suggestions to the student whom you are scribing for.  If interested in applying, please contact Michal Holland <holland3@mit.edu>.

Requirements:

  • Proficient knowledge of upper-level classical mechanics and quantum physics required
  • Physics major or minor and successful completion of 8.03 preferred
  • Task-oriented and able to sustain courtesy and concentration over extended sittings with breaks determined by student
  • Ability to read and write clearly
  • Excellent organizational skills

Guidelines for Scribing:

  • Use clear voice when reading each exam question verbatim.
  • If the student needs clarification on any exam questions, please ask the instructor or TA to assist you.
  • The student will likely talk through their thought process, if they want, you should write down all of their steps.
  • If you are unsure of the student’s final answer, explicitly ask them to please state their final answer.
  • Do not correct or guide the student: you may not use your own words (numbers), interpret, prompt, or suggest answers to the student who is being tested. This can be challenging, but it is important to refrain from doing so in order to maintain the integrity of the exam.
  • Once the student has completed the exam, please assist the student in turning it in to the instructor or TA.
  • All information related to the student’s identity, disability, accommodations, exam content, and responses must be kept fully confidential.

Pay scale: $20.00/hour
Contact: Michal Holland <holland3@mit.edu>

Mentorship information has moved to a new page: https://physics.mit.edu/academic-programs/mentoring-programs/.