Graduate Assistantship: Department of Educational Administration

Description:
The Graduate Assistant (GA) will work under the supervision of one or more faculty members in the Department of Educational Administration on a variety of research, teaching, and/or administrative tasks. Research tasks and activities relevant to the research process- may include but are not limited to research design (e.g. providing feedback on research ideas, preparation and management of institutional review board applications, etc.), data collection (e.g. administering a survey, conducting interviews, etc.), data analysis (e.g. qualitative transcription and coding, statistical analysis of student survey findings, etc.), and reporting findings in written and/or oral format (e.g. preparing ppt. presentation). Teaching tasks make include managing online discussions, assisting with preparing course materials, grading support and/or communicating with students. Administrative duties to be performed may include assisting with file, data, or office management activities and/or serving as a representative of the department for prospective students and other stakeholders (e.g. speaking to prospective students). Students at the master’s and doctoral level will be considered for this assistantship.

Benefits:
A Graduate Assistant (GA) appointment may be awarded to a student in good standing in a graduate degree program at UNL. The benefits of working as a GA are many as it is an opportunity for students to strengthen their research skills and work hands-on with a variety of projects they might not otherwise be exposed to. In working closely with a faculty member on research, teaching, and/or other administrative activities, GA s often have the opportunity to gain valuable research and professional experience, present at conferences, and/or publish research findings. GAs are awarded on a competitive basis to qualified students.

In addition to the professional development benefits afforded to GAs, additional benefits include tuition remission of up to 12 hours per semester, monthly stipend, and individual student health insurance at a reduced cost to the student.

Evaluation:
Each GA appointment will be for one academic year-renewable up to four years- and is dependent on satisfactory academic progress and job performance. GA s will meet with their supervisor on an ongoing basis to receive feedback on their performance and set goals on a variable (e.g. weekly, monthly, or semester) basis. Each year, GAs complete a formal assessment of their job performance.

Requirements:

• Must live within commuting distance to campus
  
• Available to meet regularly with supervisor on campus
  
• Able to work 19.6 hours per week
  
• Must be enrolled for credit (during time of appointment) in graduate program at UNL for fall and spring semesters

• Strong interpersonal skills to effectively communicate and work with diverse individuals, including students, faculty, staff, and community members.
  
• Demonstrated ability to work with minimal supervision and complete work in a timely manner in the face of fluctuating workloads and competing priorities.
  
• Responsive to work requests and available for correspondence via phone, e-mail, and in-person meetings.
  
• Demonstrated attention to detail.
  
• Demonstrated ability to effectively organize and manage documents and files in both online and paper forms.
  
• Demonstrated proficiency in using Microsoft Office Suite (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
  
• Demonstrated analytic and critical thinking skills.

• Providing instructional/teaching support in online, in-person, and/or hybrid classroom settings.
  
• Supporting complex research projects with different administrative and research elements.
  
• Elements of qualitative and/or quantitative research design.
  
• Developing capacity for conducting qualitative and/or quantitative research.
  
• Critically reviewing academic literature and report on its relevance and applicability for developing research design.
  
• Statistical computing software (e.g. SPSS) and/or qualitative coding software (e.g. NVIVO) preferred.

• Cover letter addressing how a GA position will contribute to your academic and professional interests, career goals, and describe your qualifications for this position (no more than two pages)
  
• CV or resume
  
• Names and contact information for 2 references