Department of Psychology

Lab TA Positions

Available Fall 2009-Spring 2010

As of October 2009, at least one opening remains for an undergraduate Teaching Assistant to help out in the Psychology Teaching Laboratories (200b and 200c Schermerhorn Hall) next spring. We are looking for candidates who can commit to 10 open lab hours per week on a regular basis, plus two flexible hours/week. The typical stipend is $2100 per term ($11.67/hour for 12 hours per week for 15 weeks). These positions are open to full-time students only. Please keep in mind that Columbia does not allow full-time students to work more than 20 hours per week, or to hold more than one TAship in any given term.

What do Lab TAs do? They hold Open Lab Hours in 200b and 200c Schermerhorn, during which time they admit psychology undergrads who need to use the computers for psychology research or course work. Lab TAs assist students during open lab hours with basic computer operation as well as with specific applications (e.g., lit searches, PowerPoint presentations, web page creation). Lab TAs learn how to operate the electronic podium and other equipment and assist students and faculty setting up for class presentations.

Lab Teaching Assistants also prepare online manuals and help maintain the labs. They need to be comfortable with Macintosh computers, familiar with basic applications (e.g., MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Firefox), and able and willing to learn new applications (Dreamweaver, SPSS). Some familiarity with html programming would be a big plus, but is not a requirement. Lab Teaching Assistants do not need to be computer experts, just competent users, willing learners, and patient teachers.

Hours are flexible, but once Open Lab Hours have been established, Lab TAs are responsible for keeping them or arranging for a replacement. These positions provide excellent experience for future employment as well as for graduate or professional school. Some lab TAs keep these positions for several semesters.

To learn more about the Instructional Labs, visit the lab web page at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/psychology/200bc/

If you are seriously interested in this position and think you might be qualified, please complete the TA Application form. You may contact Prof. Lois Putnam (e-mail: putnam@psych.columbia.edu) for more information or to arrange for an interview.

page last updated by lep1 on October 15, 2009