Physics - Assistant Equipment Manager

OSU Oregon State University; Corvallis (OR); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

Oregon State University, College of Science, seeks a student to assist in introductory physics labs. You will prepare and stage equipment for lab sections, set up and tear down lab gear, and maintain organized storage areas to support teaching and demonstrations.

Preferred: an Intro Physics sequence completed or in progress, ability to work independently and reliably. Duties also include cleaning, poster hanging, monitoring supplies, and helping faculty locate equipment for outreach events.

Qualifications

• Required: Physics major at OSU.
• Preferred: Completion of the Introductory Physics sequence, or completion by the end of the term; ability to work independently; reliability.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and stage equipment for upcoming lab sections.
• Set up and tear down lab equipment.
• Maintain and organize the lab storage areas.
• Cleaning and organization of lab spaces.
• Reset lab rooms each week.
• Clean and care for equipment, including glassware, optics, and instrument surfaces.
• Keep storage rooms, shelving, and cabinets orderly and labeled.
• Become familiar with the demonstration collection and set up demonstrations for classes.
• Maintain demonstration equipment and keep the demo room organized.
• Repair demonstration equipment where practical.
• Prepare documentation for demonstrations.
• Light repairs and general upkeep, including hanging posters.
• Monitor supply levels and assist with equipment and supply purchases.
• Help faculty locate equipment for outreach events and other courses.
• Prep work prior to the academic year.

Education

Physics major at OSU

Introductory Physics sequence completed or in progress

Job description

Department

College of Science

Job Description

• Prepare and stage equipment for upcoming lab sections
• Set up and tear down lab equipment
• Maintain and organize the lab storage areas
• Cleaning and organization
• Reset lab rooms each week
• Clean and care for equipment, including but not limited to glassware, optics, and instrument surfaces, using the appropriate method for each
• Keep storage rooms, shelving, and cabinets orderly and correctly labeled
• Become familiar with the demonstration collection
• Set up demonstrations for classes as needed
• Maintain the demonstration equipment and keep the demo room organized
• Repair demonstration equipment where practical
• Prepare documentation for demonstrations
• Light repairs and general upkeep around the department, including tasks such as hanging posters
• Monitor supply levels and assist with equipment and supply purchases
• Help faculty locate equipment for outreach events, demonstrations, and other courses

This is not the entire list of duties and special projects. Duties will also include prep work prior to the beginning of the academic year.

Qualifications

• Required: Physics major at OSU.
• Preferred: Completion of the Introductory Physics sequence, or completion by the end of the term; ability to work independently; reliability.

Eligibility Requirements

Full Employment Eligibility Requirements can be found here: https://hr.oregonstate.edu/student-employment-manual/500-employment-eligibility-requirements

• Must be academically enrolled in a high school, community college, or university and pursuing a program or course of study
• Must meet Academic Standing Requirements; students on academic suspension are not eligible for employment
• Must meet the applicable minimal enrollment standard
  • High School student: Regularly enrolled in a high school or participating in a home‑schooling program
  • Undergraduate and post‑baccalaureate student: 6 credit hours per term
  • Undergraduate international student: 12 credit hours per term*
  • Graduate student officially admitted to Graduate School: 5 credit hours per term
  • Graduate international student officially admitted to Graduate School: 9 credit hours per term*
• *International students may be allowed to carry fewer hours than specified above and still be considered “full‑time” by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A reduced course load is approved by the Office of International Services (OIS), and must be provided to the Student Employment Center.

Working Conditions / Schedule

Assistance is required by the dept. to help prepare, maintain, and organize the teaching equipment that every introductory physics student uses.

Salary Range

15.55 - 21.50

Anticipated Start Date

2026-08-26

Anticipated End Date

Working for Oregon State University is so much more than a job! Oregon State University is a dynamic community of dreamers, doers, problem-solvers and change-makers. We don’t wait for challenges to present themselves — we seek them out and take them on. We welcome students, faculty and staff from every background and perspective into a community where everyone feels seen and heard. We have deep-rooted mindfulness for the natural world and all who depend on it, and together, we apply knowledge, tools and skills to build a better future for all.

FACTS

• Top 1.4% university in the world
• More research funding than all public universities in Oregon combined
• 1 of 3 land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the U.S.
• 2 campuses, 11 colleges, 12 experiment stations, and Extension programs in all 36 counties
• 7 cultural resource centers that offer education, celebration and belonging for everyone
• 100+ undergraduate degree programs, 80+ graduate degrees plus hundreds of minor options and certificates
• 35k+ students including more than 2.3k international students and 10k students of color
• 217k+ alumni worldwide

For more interesting facts about OSU visit: https://oregonstate.edu/about

Locations

• Oregon State has a statewide presence with campuses in Corvallis and Bend, the OSU Portland Center and the Hatfield Marine Science Center on the Pacific Coast in Newport.
• Oregon State’s beautiful, historic and state-of-the‑art main campus is located in one of America’s best college towns. Corvallis is located close to the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade mountains and Oregon wine country. Nestled in the heart of the Willamette Valley, this beautiful city offers miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, a river perfect for boating or kayaking and an eclectic downtown featuring local cuisine, popular events and performances.

Total Rewards Package

• Medical, Dental, Vision and Basic Life. OSU pays 95% of premiums for you and your eligible dependents.
• Free confidential mental health and emotional support services, and counseling resources.
• Retirement savings paid by the university.
• A generous paid leave package, including holidays, vacation and sick leave.
• Tuition reduction benefits for you or your qualifying dependents at OSU or the additional six Oregon Public Universities.
• Robust Work Life programs including Dual Career assistance resources, flexible work arrangements, a Family Resource Center, Affinity Groups and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Optional lifestyle benefits such as pet, accident, and critical care insurance, giving you peace of mind and the support you need to thrive in all aspects of your life. Future and current OSU employees can use the Benefits Calculator to learn more about the full value of the benefits provided at OSU.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status. The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. At Oregon State University, no qualified person shall, solely by reason of disability, be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity operated by the University. If requested, OSU will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants in order to provide access to the application, interviewing and selection process. You are not required to note the presence of a disability on your application to receive an accommodation. Please request any reasonable accommodations for disability as early as possible in the application and search process. Requests may be directed to the hiring unit, or to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at [phone]. See Request an Accommodation Procedures for the OSU policy. Oregon State University, in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, including Title IX and its regulations, does not unlawfully discriminate and prohibits discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, including in academic admissions and employment. The university prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin (including ancestry and ethnicity), citizenship, marital or family status, pregnancy or related conditions, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status / service in the uniformed service, or any other status protected by law or OSU policy. Inquiries about Title IX may be referred to OSU’s Title IX Coordinator, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (link to https://ocrcas.ed.gov/contact-ocr), or both. OSU’s Title IX Coordinator is the Executive Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA). For information on OSU’s nondiscrimination policy and procedures, including how to report information about conduct that may constitute discrimination or make a complaint of sex discrimination under Title IX, contact EOA by phone: [phone], email: [e-mail], mail/location: 330 Snell Hall, Corvallis OR 97331, or visit EOA’s website: eoa.oregonstate.edu. Know Your Rights Oregon Family Leave Act: Department of Labor Family and Medical Leave Act: