Instructional Assistant Jobs at University of Kentucky with Visa Sponsorship

Job Title: Chemistry Department Teaching Assistant – Fall 2026

Requisition Number: DU14551

Department Name: 8E030:Chemistry

Work Location: Lexington, KY

Salary Range: (Determined by the college/university)

Type of Position: Student

Position Time Status: Part-Time

Required Education

Qualified applicants must be a current UK graduate student in good standing with the Graduate School; have a 3.0 GPA; have taken General Chemistry with Lab and Organic Chemistry with Lab (CHE 105, 107, 111, and 113 or equivalents); and made a “B” or better in these courses. Preference is given to students with an “A” in these courses.

Required Related Experience

N/A

Required License/Registration/Certification

N/A

Physical Requirements

Lifting and/or carrying light-weight objects; standing for approximately 3 hours at a time.

Shift

Monday through Friday. Exact schedule varies according to course, section(s), schedule, and other factors. Please refer to the course catalog for listing of potential shifts. Assignments, schedules, and shifts are finalized by the Academic (Lab) Coordinator.

Job Summary

The Department of Chemistry is seeking talented and highly motivated graduate students to fill positions as Out-of-Department Teaching Assistants (OODs). OODs guide students in chemistry courses to a deeper comprehension of material which the OODs themselves are expected to understand. They are to maintain the utmost standard of responsibility, integrity, and professionalism while in this position. OODs in the Chemistry Department are assigned to teach multiple course sections of a lower level lab, typically the General Chemistry laboratory (3 sections of CHE 111 or 2 sections of 113), as determined by the Academic Coordinator (laboratory supervisor). Assistantships are dependent upon availability of all teaching and instructional assistants.

This position requires a full semester commitment of approximately 20 hours per week and includes the following duties, expectations, and requirements:

• Completion of the Graduate School’s university-wide TA Orientation including micro-teaching, ITA Language screening (where applicable), etc.
• The department’s orientation activities.
• The following UK Environmental Health & Safety Training courses with record of completion provided to the Academic Coordinator before the first day of classes. Training must have been completed within the past nine months and be valid through the end of the semester.
• Chemical Hygiene Plan / Laboratory Safety or the Annual Refresher
• Hazardous Waste, specific
• Chemical Fume Hood
• Fire Extinguisher Training
• Emergency Eyewash and Safety Shower Station Use & Inspection
• Attendance and participation in weekly TA/ULA meetings.
• Laboratory preparation, clean-up, and safety management before, during, and after class.
• Instruction and monitoring of a maximum of 24 students per section, under the supervision of the Academic Coordinator(s), in the following capacities:
• Pre-lab directions
• Assistance with experiments
• Answering questions, providing feedback, and other correspondence in-person and online via email, the course discussion site, Piazza, or other methods
• Three office hours per week in the General Chemistry Learning Center
• Proctoring
• Grade and evaluate student work according to rubrics.
• Specific training on the use of the grading rubrics is provided during orientation and during the weekly meetings to ensure all sections are evaluated consistently. Academic Coordinator(s) spot-check grades, resolve any discrepancies or disputes, and determine all final grades.
• Records maintenance and retention of student coursework via the course Learning Management site as well as hard copies.
• Participation in professional development included in but not limited to orientation, weekly meetings, formal in-lab observations and end-of-semester evaluations conducted by the Academic Coordinator (or delegate), and with any activities throughout the assignment in which there are discussions of appropriate behaviors befitting a professional in an academic setting.

Other duties as assigned within the scope of the position.

Students may not exceed 20 hours per week during the academic year for all assignments across campus.

OODs receive a stipend, a tuition scholarship provided by the UK Graduate School/College of Arts & Sciences, and Student Health Plan Coverage provided by the Graduate School/College of Arts & Sciences. For more information on tuition scholarships, please visit: https://gradschool.uky.edu/tuition-scholarship-information. For more information on health plan coverage, please visit https://gradschool.uky.edu/health-plan.

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? No

Preferred Education/Experience

Deadline to Apply: 09/30/2026

Our University Community

We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.

The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status.

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.