Teaching & research assistants
Specialist instructor positions
These positions are covered by a collective agreement between CUPE Local 4163 Component 1 and UVic. These positions are university-funded. They include lab instructors, academic assistants and scientific assistants.
All graduate students are eligible to serve as TAs and must apply for these paid positions when advertised.
There are currently no open positions. When available, you can find postings on this page.
Research assistants (RAs)
Faculty with external research grants often hire graduate students as RAs. Details of these appointments (salary, hours, etc.) are worked out between the student and the faculty member.
Contact faculty members to find out about possible openings.
FAQ
TAs at UVic are unionized, and we follow the appointment guidelines in the CUPE 4163 Agreement (article 13.02). To be eligible, students must be registered full-time and be on campus for the term of the TA appointment (unless the class itself is online).
Selection decisions include:
- qualifications and ability of the candidate (s) based on academic merit and related experience
- the career and/or pedagogical value that the position will provide the student
- the student's preferences (as listed on the application form)
- other sources of graduate student financial support being received
All TAs must have a solid background in the related subject (unless specified otherwise). A good command of spoken and written English is essential.
Priority in hiring goes first to graduate students registered in the Department of Geography, following our appointment priority policy.
Appointment priority policy:
- Priority level 1: master's year 1 and PhD year 1, PhD years 2 and 3 (where previously appointed to a bargaining unit position)
- Priority level 2: where previously appointed to a bargaining unit position, masters year 2 and PhD year 4 or 5
- Priority level 3: other graduate students (in other years, not previously appointed, or from other departments)
- Priority level 4: undergraduates
- Priority level 5: others/non-students
120 hours per term is normally the maximum number of hours that will be assigned to each position. The actual number of hours worked per week varies by course and term.
Sending us an application confirms that you do want a TA job. It also gives you the chance to list your course preferences so we can consider them when we make assignments.