GSI for Ling 321 (Winter 2027)

University of Michigan; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 30,000 - 44,000; Part time

Job summary

University of Michigan in Ann Arbor seeks 2 Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) to support LING 321: Alien Anatomy, with responsibility for labs, grading, and IA supervision. Position is onsite and part-time for the Winter 2027 term.

Candidates should be UM graduate students in good standing and ready to teach scheduled sections. Experience with Canvas, Python basics, and related computing courses is preferred.

Qualifications

• Graduate student in good standing at UM
• Available to teach the scheduled section times
• Have previously taken these courses or relevant courses
• Experience with Canvas
• Experience with computing or related fields using Python
• If English instruction language was not English, ELI evaluation and testing requirements must be met

Responsibilities

• Attend all lectures and lab days; in-person sessions
• Hold at least 2 office hours each week
• Manage IAs who are graders and helpers in lab sessions
• Grade assignments per lead faculty instruction
• Meet weekly with the lead instructor and respond to emails
• Additional items listed in fraction calculation form

Skills

Python basics

Education

Graduate student in good standing at University of Michigan

Tools

Canvas

Job description

Responsibilities*

• Attend all lectures and lab days for the course. Lab days are held at the same time as lecture, but are just for students to work and seek help. (Verify your own course schedule against the schedule for the course to which you are applying as a GSI. All GSIs are required to attend the lecture and lab times as posted.) Note that class sessions are scheduled as in-person instruction.
• Hold at least 2 office hours each week.
• Manage IAs who are serving as graders and helpers in lab sessions
• Grade assignments, per lead faculty instruction.
• Meet weekly with the lead instructor, and respond promptly to emails.
• Additional items listed in fraction calculation form

Required Qualifications*

• Enrolled in good standing as a graduate student at the University of Michigan
• Available to teach the scheduled section times
• Have previously taken these courses or relevant courses, and have demonstrated expertise and interest in subject area
• Experience with Canvas
• Completed basic courses, or have experience, in Computing or a closely related field (e.g., CSE, Information, Statistics, Sciences classes using Python).
• If the language of instruction at a students undergraduate institution was not English, the student must be evaluated by the English Language Institute (ELI) for English proficiency and either pass the GSI-OET or have this test waived by the ELI before they can be eligible for a GSI appointment in LS&A.
  

Desired Qualifications*

• Previous experience as a GSI is desired
• LSA graduate students are preferred
• Knowledge of AI/ML mechanisms such as reinforcement learning, unsupervised and supervised learning, training a neural network, and transformers.
• Be comfortable with Python (e.g., know basic control structures and function and class definitions, comfortable working with Python programs of 100-500 lines of code)

Course Description

The Linguistics Department is looking to hire 2 GSIs in the Winter 2027 term to manage undergraduate instructional aides (IAs), grade, and lead lab sections for faculty-led lectures in the following course:

• LING 321: Alien Anatomy: How ChatGPT Works, 2 section (anticipated enrollment: 160 students)Students will learn about the basic AI and machine learning techniques that make up UM ChatGPT, such as neural networks, back propagation, transformers, training, and guardrails. Students will build several AI projects, including a chatbot, image recognizer, and gesture recognizer. Readings and discussions will explore the limitations, regulation, and comparisons with humans to ChatGPT and similar LLM technologies.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes .

The course instructor will make the hiring decisions in consultation with the Linguistics Department Graduate team.

Selection Process

Applications are reviewed, and decisions made, based on each applicants knowledge, experience, and past teaching record. Preferential consideration will be given to applicants with relevant academic preparation for teaching the course material.

GEO Contract Information

The University will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, marital status, familial status, parental status or pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression (whether actual or perceived), sexual orientation, age, height, weight, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, HIV antibody status, political belief, membership in any social or political organization, participation in a grievance or complaint whether formal or informal, medical conditions including those related to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, arrest record, or any other factor where the item in question will not interfere with job performance and where the employee is otherwise qualified. The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and regulations which implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings for available positions. In the event that an employee does not receive their preferred assignment, they can request a written explanation or an in-person interview with the hiring agents(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.

This position, as posted, is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Graduate Employees' Organization, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO 3550.

Standard Practice Guide 601.38, Required Disclosure of Felony Charges and/or Felony Convictions applies to all Graduate Student Assistants (GSAs). SPG 601.38 may be accessed online at https://spg.umich.edu/policy/601.38 , and its relation to your employment can be found in MOU 10 of your employment contract.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Job Opening ID

285129

Working Title

Job Title

GRAD STU INSTR

Work Location

Modes of Work

Onsite

Full/Part Time

Part-Time

Regular/Temporary

Regular

FLSA Status

Exempt

Organizational Group

College Of Lsa

Department

Posting Begin/End Date

10/30/2026 - 11/13/2026

Graduate Students
Graduate Student Instructors (GEO)