Graduate Assistant

Job Posting Title:

Graduate Assistant, McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering

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Hiring Department:

McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

10

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FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt from FLSA

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Earliest Start Date:

Oct 12, 2026

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue Until May 15, 2027

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

General Notes

The project is funded by the UT Green Fund and supervised by Dr. Carlos Landaverde-Alvarado in the McKetta department of Chemical Engineering. The work will be associated with Chemical Engineering courses CHE-253M and CHE-264 and conducted within the undergraduate teaching laboratories in the chemical engineering department. The labs are housed in the CPE building and the new ACS building.

Purpose

The Landaverde-Alvarado Lab within the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering is seeking a current graduate student to work on a project focused on the study, development, and implementation of sustainable practices in teaching laboratory spaces. The student will support courses ChE 235M and ChE 264 by collaborating to create and modify manuals, instructional materials, laboratory materials, and other educational support resources (e.g., experiment stations). As part of these activities, the graduate assistant will apply the Engineering for One Planet (EOP) framework to facilitate the integration of sustainability education and sustainable practices within the chemical engineering program. This work will contribute to improved student learning, the reduction of waste generated and energy consumed within teaching laboratories, and the optimization of resources used in these spaces.

Experiments, manuals, and laboratory practices developed through this project will be tested and implemented to create long-term environmental value on campus. The project will focus on identifying and integrating solutions that are both financially feasible and environmentally beneficial. Responsibilities will also include supporting the development of an educational framework to promote the adoption of sustainable laboratory practices across the university. Project outcomes may be disseminated to the broader scientific community and will contribute to sustainability education and awareness efforts in collaboration with UT Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) and other campus organizations.

Responsibilities

• Modify existing experiment manuals, materials, and equipment in the lab spaces for CHE-253M and CHE-264 while studying methods to reuse waste, reduce energy consumption, and optimize use of resources within these lab
• Propose experimental solutions to redesign experiments and courses, revamp student experimental practices, and utilize lab resources more effectively
• Develop new processes and frameworks that can be practically applied in any teaching lab spaces
• Modify the courses and identify effective practices using these courses as a living lab to test and develop this project
• Test course updates (i.e., experiments) via direct measurements, LCAs, and financial analysis
• Create awareness of our efforts within our campus and externally through participation in campus fairs, collaborations with the Green Labs and Zero Waste Programs, and other scholarly products

Required Qualifications

• We are interested in hiring 1 Graduate Assistant (GA) with a commitment and interest in sustainability.
• Student must be a current graduate student.
• Students with the following academic backgrounds will be ideal to participate in this project: Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Energy and Earth Resources, Energy Management, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, etc. 

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with STEM-related research laboratory work is preferred.

Salary Range

$30.00 hourly

Working Conditions

• All work will be completed within the chemical engineering teaching laboratory spaces associated with the courses CHE-253M and CHE-264.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• Letter of interest
• Class Schedule
• Proposed work schedule

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.

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Employment Eligibility:

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

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

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

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Background Checks:

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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]

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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). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.