What does a student assistant do?
Student assistants lend a helping hand in academic and organisational work and thus play a key role at universities. The position offers students the opportunity to get actively involved in research projects, gain initial experience in teaching or perform administrative tasks in a university setting. Depending on the subject area and the requirements of the institute, the work of a student assistant can vary greatly.
For many students, this position is an ideal opportunity to gain practical experience in an academic environment and directly apply the theoretical knowledge they have acquired so far in their degree programme. This position is ideal for any student looking to find out what university life is like not as a student, but as an employee.
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Studying while working as a student assistant
Tasks
- Helping out with experiments and research projects
- Assisting with literature research
- Preparing data
- Supervising practical exercises
- Teaching tutorials for newer students
Working hours
Working as a student assistant at TU Graz is a part-time job with a minimum of 4 to 20 hours per week, so that your degree programme can remain your top priority. Furthermore, we try to make sure that you can make your own schedule flexibly so that it does not cut into or overlap with your classes.
How do I become a student assistant?
Working as a student assistant generally does not require formal qualifications like a completed master’s degree, but you should have an interest in the relevant field and a solid academic foundation, therefore the position is recommended for students in the later semesters of their degree programme. Many institutes specifically seek out motivated students who are ready to gain initial academic work experience and are willing to take on responsibility.
Interested?
Applications can be made directly through the respective institutes. We recommend you inquire with the lecturers and administrative staff of the institutes to show your motivation and interest!
Opportunities and challenges
Working as a student assistant comes with a lot of opportunities:
- Early professional experience: You get the chance to apply the knowledge you have acquired during your studies.
- Skills development: You develop professional and soft skills, such as time management and teamwork.
- Networking: You can make your first contacts in research and teaching, which can be very beneficial to you when you go on to look for a job.
- Academic career path: Working as a student assistant is the ideal entry point for students looking at a career in academia and university research and prepares you well for a potential position as a university assistant.
Similar career opportunities at TU Graz
After completing your master’s or diploma degree programme, you can apply to become a university assistant at TU Graz.
In addition to regular university operations, TU Graz works closely with companies from technology and industry to set new milestones in research. For these projects, we are always looking for student project employees and university project assistants. Working in these positions allows you to participate in exciting research and administrative activities within the framework of specific scientific projects.
Student project employees
How do I become a student project employee?
To work as a student project employee, you do not have to have any formal qualifications such as a master’s degree, however, you should have an interest in the respective research area and a solid academic foundation, therefore the position is recommended for students in the later semesters of their degree programme.
Applications can be made directly through the respective institutes. We recommend you inquire with the lecturers and administrative staff of the institutes to show your motivation and interest!
University project assistants
How do I become a university project assistant?
To work as a university project assistant, you must have completed a master’s or diploma degree programme, or an equivalent qualification. While the work of university assistants focuses on research in combination with teaching, university project assistants focus on research and the management of research projects. Therefore, they often do not have to participate in teaching-related activities at all.
Typical tasks include:
- Participating in academic and scientific activities, depending on the faculty involved
- Collaborating on innovative research projects
- Writing academic papers and other publications
- Writing a doctoral thesis is also possible in many cases
Vacant job positions for university project assistants are advertised on our job portal. Alternatively, you can apply for a vacant position directly through the respective institute. We recommend you inquire with the lecturers and administrative staff of the institutes to show your motivation and interest!
University assistants
Once you have completed your degree programme, you can apply to work in research and teaching as a university assistant at TU Graz while writing a doctoral thesis.
You can find all the relevant information on the page University assistants.
