Student Lab Assistant

The New School; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 23,000 - 26,000; Part time

Job summary

The New School’s Innovation Center is seeking undergraduate Student Lab Assistants to support AI, XR, and emerging technologies. You will work with seniors, faculty, and peers to test, document, and enable hands-on learning in workshops, labs, and events.

This on-campus, part-time role offers an hourly rate of $17-$19, emphasizes curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to learn. Ideal candidates are excited by creative computing, digital storytelling, and human-computer interaction across

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at The New School.
• Demonstrated interest in AI, emerging tech, immersive media, XR/AR/VR, interaction and visual design, or digital media.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Support AI, XR, and emerging technology initiatives within the Innovation Center.
• Assist with workshops, labs, and events, providing technical support and access to equipment.
• Help document projects, create learning materials, and assist with media production and communications.

Skills

AI interest

Immersive media

Communication

Team collaboration

Willingness to learn

Education

Undergraduate student

Tools

Unity

Unreal Engine

Blender

Adobe Creative Cloud

TouchDesigner

Job description

The New School’s Innovation Center is seeking enthusiastic, curious, and motivated undergraduate students to join our team as Student Lab Assistants. The Innovation Center explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality (XR), emerging media, creative technology, design, and future-facing practices. Through the Center’s AI, XR, and emerging technology initiatives, students and faculty engage with new tools and modes of creative practice through workshops, courses, research, experimentation, public programs, hackathons, and collaborative projects. Student Lab Assistants work closely with the Senior Director, Innovation Center team, faculty, and fellow students to support the Center’s programs, spaces, technologies, and projects. The position offers an opportunity to develop hand-on experience with emerging technologies while contributing to a multidisciplinary community of students, faculty, researchers, artists, designers, and external partners. We are particularly interested in students who are curious about AI, immersive and spatial media, interactive experiences, creative computing, digital storytelling, and emerging forms of human‑computer interaction. Candidates are not expected to have expertise in every technology or area listed below. We are looking for students who bring relevant skills, intellectual curiosity, strong communication abilities, and a willingness to learn new tools and approaches. Student roles and responsibilities will be shaped around each individual’s background, experience, skills, and interests.

Responsibilities:

AI, XR, and Emerging Technology Support Explore, test, evaluate, and document emerging technologies, platforms, applications, and creative tools used by the Innovation Center. Support experimentation and projects involving generative AI, immersive media, virtual and augmented reality, spatial computing, interactive media, creative coding, 3D environments, and other emerging technologies. Assist students and faculty in learning and using Innovation Center technologies and platforms. Facilitate access to equipment and resources during open lab hours, workshops, classroom visits, demonstrations, and special programs. Provide basic technical troubleshooting and user support. Assist with prototyping, experimentation, user testing, research, and documentation of Innovation Center projects. Research new tools, platforms, creative practices, and developments in AI, XR, emerging media, and related fields. Participate in testing and evaluating technologies for potential use in teaching, learning, creative practice, and public programming. Help maintain equipment, software, digital resources, and Innovation Center workspaces.

Workshops, Learning, and Community Support Assist with the preparation and facilitation of workshops related to AI, XR, immersive media, creative technology, and emerging tools. Support students during open lab hours and hands-on learning sessions. Help develop tutorials, demonstrations, resource guides, and other learning materials. Assist faculty and classes visiting the Innovation Center. Help create a welcoming and accessible environment for students with different levels of technical experience. Explain technical concepts and tools clearly to students, faculty, and visitors from a wide range of disciplines.

Projects and Events Support Innovation Center projects, research initiatives, exhibitions, demonstrations, hackathons, design jams, talks, conferences, and public events. Assist with event preparation, technology setup, participant support, documentation, and event logistics. Collaborate with Innovation Center staff, student teams, faculty, and external partners on interdisciplinary projects. Support project organization, scheduling, research, documentation, and other administrative needs. Assist with tracking project progress and maintaining shared project resources.

Media, Communications, and Documentation Help document Innovation Center projects, workshops, events, student work, and research through photography, video, and other media. Assist with the creation of visual and multimedia materials for the Innovation Center’s website, social media, presentations, events, and public communications. Produce or edit content including graphics, short-form video, photography, web content, and social media posts. Help organize and maintain digital archives of Innovation Center projects and activities. Contribute ideas for communicating emerging technology, student projects, research, and Innovation Center initiatives to broader audiences.

Work Mode:

On-Campus Position - Employees in this position are expected to work on-campus during regularly scheduled work hours due to the nature of the work being that which is not feasible, or not in the best interest of the organization, to be performed remotely.

Hourly Rate:

$17-$19 per hour

Minimum Qualifications:

Currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at The New School. Demonstrated interest in one or more of the following areas: artificial intelligence, emerging technology, immersive media, XR/AR/VR, interaction and visual design, digital media, creative technology, creative coding, game design, storytelling, video, communications, or multimedia production. Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills. Ability to communicate effectively with students, faculty, staff, and visitors from different disciplines and levels of technical experience. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team. Willingness to learn new technologies, platforms, and workflows. Ability to work responsibly within Innovation Center policies, procedures, and equipment guidelines. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

Photography, video production, motion graphics, audio, or multimedia editing. Generative AI tools and creative AI workflows. Creative and development tools such as Unity, Unreal Engine, Blender, Adobe Creative Cloud, TouchDesigner, Figan or related platforms. Interactive media, creative coding, web development, game development, or physical computing. AI-assisted image, video, audio, design, research, or prototyping tools. XR technologies, including virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, or spatial computing. VR headsets and immersive hardware such as Meta Quest or similar platforms. UX, interaction design, prototyping, or user testing. Web publishing and digital communication platforms. Workshop facilitation, peer tutoring, technical support, or student mentoring. Event production, exhibitions, hackathons, or public programming. Research into emerging technologies, creative practices, or technology trends. A strong candidate will be curious, collaborative, proactive, creative, dependable, and comfortable learning through experimentation. Excellent candidates will also demonstrate patience and enthusiasm when helping others explore unfamiliar technologies.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion or belief, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, marital or domestic partnership status, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, age, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. The New School recognizes and values the benefits of a diverse workforce.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion or belief, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, marital or domestic partnership status, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, age, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. The New School recognizes and values the benefits of a diverse workforce.

Second Responsibilities:

The position involves exploring, testing, evaluating, and documenting emerging technologies such as AI, XR, immersive media, creative coding, and 3D environments. Student Lab Assistants provide technical support to students, faculty, and visitors by assisting with equipment, software, troubleshooting, and open lab activities. They support workshops, classes, tutorials, demonstrations, and hands-on learning while helping create an inclusive and welcoming environment for users with varying levels of technical experience. Assistants also contribute to Innovation Center projects, research, events, exhibitions, hackathons, and other programs through technology setup, project coordination, documentation, and participant support. Additionally, they help create and organize media and communications materials, including photography, video, graphics, web content, social media, and digital archives.