Instructional Learning Assistants​/Undergraduate Tutors

Position: Instructional Learning Assistants/Undergraduate Tutors/Spring 2027
Position overview

Position title: Instructional Learning Assistant/Undergraduate Tutor

Salary range: See Table 20 for the salary range for this position. A reasonable estimate is $29.38 per hour.

Percent time: up to 25%

Anticipated start: January 12, 2027

Review timeline: November 12, 2026 - January 4, 2027

Position duration: Spring 2027

Application Window

Open date: October 21, 2026

Next review date: Wednesday, Nov 11, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Final date: Sunday, Dec 6, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

An Instructional Learning Assistant works with groups of students on challenging course materials during class time. This undergraduate student has recently taken the course they will be working in and works as a bridge between students and faculty. An Instructional Learning Assistant is responsible for interacting with students and managing in class discussions. This job is ideal for someone who is a good listener and communicator, wants to help others learn, interested in learning more about teaching and/or pursuing a career in teaching, wants to learn course content more deeply, and wants to work with graduate students and faculty to transform STEM classrooms.

Key Responsibilities

• Facilitate discussion with groups of students in lecture by asking questions to help students learn material
• Work one-on-one with the students and hold office hours
• Attend weekly meetings with course instructor and TAs to prepare for sessions
• Participate in mandatory one-hour long weekly meetings with the instructor of record
• Working as a newly-hired LA requires you to register for an Instructional Learning Assistant Pedagogy Course, anticipated to meet once per week. Location/Day/Time TBD.

Spring 2027 LA-Supported Courses Include:

• MATH 005:
  Preparatory Calculus
• MATH 008:
  Foundations of Quantitative Reasoning
• MATH 021:
  Calculus I for Physical Sciences and Engineering
• MATH 022:
  Calculus II for Physical Sciences and Engineering
• BIO 011:
  Introduction to Molecular Biology
• BIO 012:
  Introduction to Organismal Biology
• CHEM 002:
  General Chemistry I
• CHEM 010:
  General Chemistry II and CHEM 010:
  Honors
• PHYS 008:
  Introductory Physics I for Physical Sciences
• PHYS 009:
  Introductory Physics II for Physical Sciences
• PHYS 018:
  Introductory Physics I for Biological Sciences
• PHYS 019:
  Introductory Physics II for Biological Sciences

Qualifications Basic qualifications

• Currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at UC Merced
• Has completed course assigned and earned a B or higher
• GPA 3.0 or higher
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Awareness and sensitivity to individual learning styles and student needs
• Ability to apply study strategies, organizational skills, & time management in sessions

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with tutoring or mentoring
• Interested in pursuing a teaching career

Application Requirements Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae
  - Your most recently updated CV or resume.

• Cover Letter
  - Please include the following in your cover letter:

  UC Merced Student

  Have you previously worked as a LA at this program? If yes, what semester and for what courses?

  Why would you like to become a Learning Assistant?

  What motivated you to apply for this position?

  Which course/s are you interested in assisting (see list under "Job Description")? You may choose more than one but, please, include a ranking of preference.

  Briefly describe an experience in which you helped someone learn something. This could be in any context: related to study groups, hobbies, at work, sports, home, etc.

• Unofficial Transcript
  - Your most recently updated UC Merced unofficial transcript.…