Undergraduate Job Opportunities in IB
The School of Integrative Biology is dedicated to creating accessibility & opportunities for our students. We have created multiple paid student roles within the school in recent years to help our students who may need to work in order to support themselves as students. We never want our students to have to choose between supporting themselves and leadership or resume building opportunities. Some of these new student roles include:
- IB Peer Leaders
- IB Advising Desk Clerk
- IB Recruitment Representative
- IB Peer Advisor
- IB Classroom Assistant
- IB Undergraduate Research Assistant
Full descriptions of each role and the application process outlined below. Additional undergraduate job opportunities can be found on the university-wide virtual job board as well. Research roles can also be found on the undergraduate research page.
IB Peer Leaders
The role of an IB Peer Leader is diverse. Working in the advising suite (2002 NHB) alongside with the IB advisors they are the first person you will see when they greet you to the space. They are a wealth of knowledge and can answer questions about the major, their experience, or help you make an appointment with a full time advisor. They are also the first people the department turns to for feedback on new student initiatives for the school. Within the IBPL team there are currently three defined roles:
- IB Peer Advisor
- IB Peer Leader: Desk Clerk
- IB Peer Leader: Recruitment Representative
Application Periods: Undergraduate advising support hiring periods outlined below. Hiring will only take place if there are available positions. If there are currently no openings, that will be communicated to you when you apply.
- Fall Semester: Apply in the spring semester March 15th - March 31st
- Spring Semester: Apply in the fall semester October 15th - October 31st
- Summer Semester: Apply in spring semester March 15th - March 31st
Additional Information on the IB Peer Leader Program:
IB Peer Leaders Apply Here
IB Peer Advisor
- Advise first & sometimes second year students on course selection on general education and electives.
- Answer basic registration questions during registration periods.
- Provide Prospective and Admitted students insight and experience on being a University of Illinois Biology student through Office of Admissions Events
- Assist underclassmen in the transition to Illinois as a mentor to first-year students.
- Are outstanding students who know how to succeed and get involved on campus, so please reach out by emailing ibpeerleaders@sib.illinois.edu or make an appointment.
- Serve as a think tank and provide feedback to the School on various topics that concern IB students.
IB Peer Leader: Desk Clerk
- First interaction within advising suite, serving as the face of IB Advising
- Help students with general advising appointment scheduling questions
- Monitor the professional and paraprofessional advising bookings calendar to check students in and notify appropriate staff
- Open and close the advising office by preparing the office for the day and closing it down at 5PM
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Peer Leaders helps with general administrative tasks and occasionally helps develop content for IB Career Connections or IB Info & Opportunities Newsletter, when not working with students
IB Peer Leader: Recruitment Representative
There are many events throughout the year in which IB Peer Leaders play a vital role in the recruitment of prospective high school students or prospective majors on campus. During these recruitment events, IB Peer Leaders will be speaking individually with prospective students or participating in a student panel for a small group of prospective students and their parents. In the past, the contribution of IB Peer Leaders have proven to be the most valuable aspect of the recruitment process.
Additional IB Undergraduate Positions
Application Periods: Undergraduate roles in the school of IB will have two hiring periods outlined below. Hiring will only take place if there are available positions. If there are currently no openings, that will be communicated to you when you apply.
- Fall Semester: Apply in the spring semester March 15th - March 31st
- Spring Semester: Apply in the fall semester October 15th - October 31st
Apply Here
IB Classroom Assistant Program
- Classroom assistants (CAs) will be active participants with the course instructors. Possible duties include weekly prep meetings, attending lectures and/or discussions/lab sections, and/or holding office hours/tutoring sessions. CAs will learn how to and practice acting as facilitators for active learning activities. As needed (e.g., before exams), classroom assistants may also hold additional office hours and act as exam proctors. For IB 203 specifically, CAs may also drive vehicles for labs.
- Classroom assistants will NOT be responsible for grading.
- Students must have completed one or more of the following classes: IB 104, IB 150, IB 151, IB 202, IB 203, IB 204, IB 302, IB 303, or IB 361.
- Students must be able to commit to working 6-20 hours per week. Students will submit timesheets based on working hours.
IB Undergraduate Research Program
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Many undergraduate students in the Integrative Biology major carry out undergraduate research. IB offers students the opportunity of participating in the research being conducted in the laboratories of its faculty members and other affiliated researchers. This may involve anything from collecting data in the field to doing experiments in the lab. It may involve assisting a faculty member, postdoc, or senior graduate student with ongoing experiments or may involve independent research no one has ever undertaken before. There are both paid and unpaid research opportunities within IB.
- Students who are selected for this position will be assigned to a research lab. That lab will provide the exact duties.
- Students need to be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd year
- Students must be eligible for the federal work-study program
- Students need to be able to commit to working 6-20 hours per week in the lab of an SIB faculty member
Find out more information on how to involved in research with the link below!
IB Laboratory Prep Staff
- Set up lab equipment and prepare materials used in the labs associated with IB 104, 151, 202, 203, 204, and 302
- Learn valuable lab safety techniques and proper chemical and biological waste disposal procedures
- Care for the SIB teaching animals (mainly invertebrates), including daily feeding and aquarium/cage maintenance
- Build a resume by gaining valuable lab experience
- Work Study students are highly encouraged to apply
- Experience maintaining salt water or reef aquariums is also encouraged, though not necessary
- Applicants must be able to work at least 5-10 hours a week