Graduate Administrative Assistant - Texas Inventionworks, Cockrell School of Engineering

Job Posting Title:

Graduate Administrative Assistant - Texas Inventionworks, Cockrell School of Engineering

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Hiring Department:

Cockrell School of Engineering

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

20

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FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt from FLSA

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Earliest Start Date:

Immediately

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue Until Aug 31, 2027

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

General Notes

The Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin has been a global leader in technology innovation and engineering education for over a century. It is a top-10 engineering school and the No. 1 program in Texas that includes 11 undergraduate and 13 graduate programs, over 20 research centers and a faculty community that boasts one of the highest number of National Academy of Engineering members among U.S. universities, Texas Engineering has launched some of the nation’s most accomplished leaders and pioneered world-changing solutions in virtually every industry, from space exploration to energy, manufacturing and health care. Situated in the heart of Austin — named “America’s Coolest City” by Expedia and “The Best Place to Live in the U.S.” by U.S. News and World Report — the Cockrell School embodies the city’s innovative spirit. Major companies with Austin campuses, such as Dell, National Instruments, Apple, IBM, Samsung, Google and many others, recruit Cockrell School students, launching thousands of successful careers.

Texas Inventionworks, based in the Cockrell School of Engineering, is a vibrant hands-on education program, fabrication resource and innovation hub. The Texas Inventionworks staff is dedicated to fostering open exploration, hands-on experience, cross-disciplinary collaboration and enabling students to take a shot at solving real problems. In addition to online training, support for curriculum development and guidance for product development, the program operates more than 25,000sf of lab space divided into 22 labs that include 3D printing, laser cutting, wood and metal working, electronics, testing and other capabilities. There are 6 professional staff members and a highly-empowered 65-member student staff who establish a vibrant, collaborative culture and peer-to-peer learning for the roughly 3,500 students who visit the facilities each year. The vision is to be a design, fabrication and innovation ecosystem at UT Austin that empowers students from all backgrounds to easily learn, collaborate, build and invent together.

Position Purpose

The Graduate Administrative Assistant plays a key role in supporting the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of Texas Inventionworks (TIW), a hands-on university makerspace. This work includes supporting purchasing workflows, managing inventory for the internal materials store, and coordinating scheduling and communications. The role collaborates closely with professional staff and student employees across these areas. As a member of the TIW team, this position shares responsibility for maintaining efficient administrative systems that keep the organization running smoothly.

This position offers graduate students meaningful, real-world administrative experience at TIW, with close mentorship from professional staff, flexible scheduling to support academic commitments, and opportunities for expanded responsibilities and professional development over time.

Responsibilities

• Support purchasing workflows, including order tracking, vendor communication, and shipment receiving and distribution

• Manage inventory for the internal materials store, including stock levels, pricing, and product listings

• Operate and maintain the materials store point-of-sale system

• Coordinate communications between students, staff, and faculty

• Support outreach efforts and connect students and campus partners with TIW resources

• Other functions as assigned

Shared Responsibilities

• Support coordination of facilities access, workspace assignments, and storage spaces

• Track tasks and projects and contribute to building workflows using work process management software.

• Support calendar management and event coordination

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin

• Clear and positive communication skills

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively

• Responsible, dependable, and punctual

• Strong attention to detail

• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel for data entry, tracking, and reporting

• Curiosity and resourcefulness, with a willingness to learn new tools and workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

• A valid Texas driver's license and acceptable driving record

• Experience with Monday.com or similar project and workflow management platforms

• Experience with Shopify or similar inventory and point-of-sale systems

• Experience working with students in an educational or university environment

• Interest in or experience with academic makerspaces, including familiarity with hand tools, 3D printers, sewing equipment, laser cutters, or similar fabrication tools

Salary Range

$22.00 per hour based on experience.

Working Conditions

• Work is performed in a variety of fabrication labs, such as a wood shop, machine shop or 3D printing lab. There will also be work in a standard office environment.

• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation

• May work around electrical and mechanical hazards

• May work around chemicals

• Security Sensitive; criminal background check will be conducted

• Uniforms and/or personal protection equipment will be furnished as needed

Career Competencies

• Gather and apply relevant information and data to support decisions and operations

• Exercise sound reasoning to analyze issues, make decisions, and solve problems

• Demonstrate personal accountability, effective work habits, and the ability to manage time, workload, and collaborative relationships

• Interact respectfully with people of all backgrounds and perspectives

• Build collaborative relationships and communicate effectively across a diverse university community.

Work Shift

• This is a part-time position (10 hour hr/wk minimum to 20 hr/wk maximum). Specific scheduling will be determined with your supervisor and can be arranged flexibly within standard business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) to support your academic commitments.

• Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required for special events.

Required Materials

• Resume

• Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume in the first step of the online job application process. Then, any additional Required Materials will be uploaded in the My Experience section; you can multi-select the additional files or click the Upload button for each file. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find Jobs. Before you apply though, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will need to click the Upload button multiple times in order to attach your Resume, References and any additional Required Materials noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Please confirm your eligibility for this position here: http://www.utexas.edu/hr/student/student_acad_employment.html

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

Students in this position may choose to enroll in the UTSaver voluntary retirement programs.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.