Design Center Graduate Assistant

Barnard College; New York (NY); On-site; USD 17,000 - 26,000; Part time

Job summary

Barnard College's Design Center seeks a Graduate Assistant to support daily operations, training, and community engagement on campus in New York. You will supervise open hours, assist with tool training, maintain a clean, safe space, and help with workshops and communications under the supervision of the Associate Director.

Ideal candidates are enrolled in a graduate program, hold a bachelor’s degree, and have hands-on experience with design tools or makerspace environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Enrollment in a Graduate Degree program.
• Competencies in sewing, textile arts, 3D printing, laser cutting, woodworking or wearables programming.
• Proficient with Illustrator, AutoCAD/Rhino, Tinkercad or similar software.

Responsibilities

• Provide front-facing support during open hours, ensuring safe tool use and supervision of undergrad staff on weekends/evenings.
• Assist with training new student employees on Center tools and equipment.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of the space; assist with deliveries, inventory, and restocking.
• Provide basic equipment maintenance and communicate needs for major repairs.

Skills

Teamwork

Multitasking

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Enrollment in Graduate Degree program

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

AutoCAD

Rhino

Tinkercad

Job description

Job:

Design Center Graduate Assistant

Job Description:

1) Daily Operations:

the Graduate Assistant will

• Provide front-facing support for Design Center users during designated “open-hour” periods, emphasizing safe and responsible tool-use throughout the space. Monitor undergraduate staff members especially during weekends and evenings when full-time staff are not available.
• Assist the Associate Director and Coordinator with training new student employees who are learning Center tools and equipment for the first time; supporting student employees while on-shift, should they run into troubleshooting issues or user questions they need help answering.
• Ensure that the Design Center stays clean and organized. Some light cleaning tasks include sweeping, wiping down surfaces, rinsing out paint brushes and silk screens, etc. Assist with unpacking and organizing deliveries of materials. Assist with inventory and identifying materials in need of restocking.
• Provide basic equipment maintenance as needs arise. (Examples include unclogging 3D printers, rethreading sewing machines, replacing drill bits.) Communicate with the Coordinator when more significant machine maintenance needs are identified.

2) Instructional and Curriculum Support:

the Graduate Assistant will

• Assist with workshops including material preparations and co-teaching support as needed.
• Support Undergraduate Design Assistants through guidance and feedback as they lead Safety Orientations and Getting Started Workshops.

3) Community Building:

the Graduate Assistant will

• Contribute to inclusive and welcoming makerspace shop culture, and help ensure that users adhere to similar practices when interacting with others throughout the space.
• Assist the Associate Director and Coordinator in communications tasks including social media posts, event flyering, etc.

4) Additional job responsibilities and duties as needed

Skills, Qualifications & Requirements:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to work on a team in a collaborative environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously.
  Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.

Required Qualification Summary

• Bachelor’s degree
• Enrollment in a Graduate Degree program
• Competencies in one or more of the following areas: intermediate to advanced sewing skills, textile artistry, hand or machine embroidery, 3D printing, laser cutting, woodworking (with handheld tools or power tools), or experience programming arduinos/raspberry pis/wearable microcontrollers.
• Proficient with one or more of the following software: Adobe Illustrator (Photoshop and/or InDesign is a plus, but not required); AutoCAD or Rhino, Tinkercad, or similar software.

Preferred Qualification Summary

• Degree (or minor) in a design-adjacent subject area, such as architecture, urban planning, fashion design, engineering, or others.
• At least 1 to 3 years of related work experience, or a combination of education and related experience.
• Demonstrated experience providing technology or makerspace tool support to student, staff, or faculty communities.
• Experience working in education, especially higher education.

Pay $33/hour

Looking for about 10-15 hours per week. Weekend and evening availability required.

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimateof the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Company:

Barnard College

Time Type:

Part time