Undergraduate Research Assistant (work-study)

University of Texas; United States; On-site; USD 20,000 - 29,000; Part time

Job summary

The Harris Lab in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Texas at Austin is seeking an Undergraduate Research Assistant (work-study) to support daily work with our animal colony. Training will be provided; a 2026-27 work-study award is required.

Responsibilities include animal husbandry, genotyping, handling, and detailed record keeping. The position is at UT Main Campus, 19 hours per week, starting Oct 1 2026 and continuing through Dec 31 2026.

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to self-direct and work independently.
• Ability to receive and incorporate feedback into a skillset.
• Ability to promptly respond to emails on weekdays.
• Available to commit to a minimum of one year.
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Federal Work-Study award for current academic year is required.

Responsibilities

• Husbandry: set up breeding pairs, check for litters, wean.
• Genotyping: ID animals, collect tissue samples, and send samples for sequencing.
• Animal handling: acclimate animals to human handling, document animal weights.
• Detailed record keeping: births, deaths, genotype, cage census, etc.

Skills

Written and verbal communication

Self-direction

Feedback incorporation

Email responsiveness

Long-term commitment

Work-study eligibility

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Job Posting Title: Undergraduate Research Assistant (work-study)

Hiring Department: Department of Neuroscience

Position Open To: All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours: 19

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt from FLSA

Earliest Start Date: Oct 01, 2026

Position Duration: Expected to Continue Until Dec 31, 2026

Location: UT MAIN CAMPUS

Job Details: General Notes The Harris lab in the Department of Neuroscience is looking for a reliable Undergraduate Research Assistant to provide daily support with our animal colony. The right candidate will receive training. A work-study award for academic year 2026-27 is required Learn more about our lab here: https://synapseweb.clm.utexas.edu/

Purpose

To provide research support to the Harris Lab in the Department of Neuroscience.

Responsibilities

• Husbandry: set up breeding pairs, check for litters, wean
• Genotyping: ID animals, collect tissue samples, and send samples for sequencing
• Animal handling: Acclimate animals to human handling, document animal weights
• Detailed record keeping: births, deaths, genotype, cage census, etc

Required Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to self-direct and work independently
• Ability to receive and incorporate feedback into a skillset
• Ability to promptly respond to emails on weekdays
• Available to commit to a minimum of one year
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Excel
• Federal Work-Study award for current academic year is required

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience working in a research setting.
• Experience with database management and relevant software tools.

Hourly Rate

$18.00

Working Conditions

• May work around chemicals and chemical fumes
• May work around biohazards
• May work around standard office conditions
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
• Use of manual dexterity
• Climbing up the stair
• Climbing ladders
• Must be able to lift a minimum of 30 pounds

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

Employment Eligibility

Please confirm your eligibility for this position here: http://www.utexas.edu/hr/student/student_acad_employment.html

Retirement Plan Eligibility

Students in this position may choose to enroll in the UTSaver voluntary retirement programs.

Background Checks

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency

The University of Texas at Austin 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.

Employment Eligibility Verification

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following: E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF] Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF] Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and may also be required to report: etc. (full compliance text as provided).

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Comments and Inquiries: Email comments to [e-mail]. For questions or concerns regarding equal opportunity only, contact Equal Opportunity Services. Additional information for applicants can be found on the Human Resources web page: Applying for Employment. For more job information, call the Human Resource Service Center at [phone], or toll-free at [phone]. UT Austin is a Tobacco-free Campus