Painting and Drawing Research Associate

Painting and Drawing Staff Research Associate

The IRD for this job is:
10-26-2026

UC Santa Cruz is a public university like no other in California, combining the experience of a small, liberal arts college with the depth and rigor of a major research university. It's known as an unconventional place where innovation and experimentation is part of the campus's DNA. That playful, bold spirit still thrives today, all on a campus renowned as among the most beautiful in the world.

The Art Department currently consists of 12 permanent faculty, 30 visiting lecturers per year, 8 technical and clerical staff, and approximately 500 art undergraduate majors and 20 graduate students. Art Department faculty and staff support a graduate and an undergraduate program.

The Art department staff promote a strong spirit of teamwork and embrace UCSC’s Principles of Community in meeting the needs of a diverse range of constituents.

Under the general supervision of the Department Facilities and Operations Manager, the Painting and Drawing Staff Research Associate (SRA) primarily assists students and faculty in the use of wood shop, painting and drawing equipment and supplies. The SRA keeps work and studio spaces orderly and safe, and is responsible for ordering supplies, providing research support, and maintaining course materials fee budgets for the wood shop and painting and drawing areas.

The SRA provides wood shop equipment demonstrations, including digital fabrication tools, framing and canvas making workshops, routine equipment maintenance, and safety protocols. Location will be in the wood shop (C-101) and painting studios (L-101, M-101, J-101) at the Baskin Visual Art Studios.

Budgeted Salary: $3,789.48 - $4,102.47/monthly. (Full time equivalant is $6,315.81 - $6,837.45/monthly). Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience.
Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The salary shown above is the budgeted amount the University reasonably expects to pay and the salary extended should not exceed this posted amount.

Benefits Level Eligibility: Full benefits

Schedule Information:

• Part-time, Fixed
• Percentage of Time: 60%, 24 Hours per Week
• Days of the Week:
  Mon-Fri, Three full days per week. Actual days can vary quarter to quarter.
• Shift Includes:
  Day

Employee Classification: Partial Year Career appointment with a two month furlough in July and August.

Job End Date: None

Travel: Never or Rarely

40% - Instructional and Technical Assistance

• Assists in the conduct of painting and drawing classes and wood shop equipment use.
• Utilizes extensive and specialized technical knowledge and skill on various wood shop equipment, including but not limited to table saw, band saw, digital fabrication tools, and a wide variety of hand and shop power tools.
• Discusses technical procedures with undergraduate and graduate students in support of classwork, or advises them on technical aspects of unique independent research projects.
• At faculty request, makes formal, in-class presentations or demonstrates stretching canvas and building frames; presents health and safety guidelines; demonstrates use of wood shop equipment and/or studio procedures.
• Conducts other technical workshops in the department as needed.
• Ensures student safety in a facility containing potentially hazardous equipment and materials by informing and training students on appropriate procedures and practices.
• Enforces safety guidelines in the studios and shops.
• Instructs and supervises students in tool, equipment and facility use, and tool checkout.
• Assists the professor in arranging field trips and…