SPH 480: Research Methods in Public Health Teaching Assistant - SPH 480 (Student/ASE)
Description:
PUBLIC HEALTH-GLOBAL HEALTH MAJOR POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
Position Title: Teaching Assistant
Course: SPH 480: Research Methods in Public Health
Supervising Faculty: Kate West
Hours per week: Up to 20
Start Date: September 16, 2026
End Date: December 15, 2026
Application Deadline:
Position Summary: The Public Health-Global Health Major is seeking ONE (1) In person Teaching Assistants (TA), up to 20 hours per week, during Autumn 2026. The TA will support teaching of the undergraduate course, SPH 480: Public Health Research Methods, with anticipated course enrollment of approximately 110 students. This is an upper division methods course that uses a “flipped classroom” design. Students work in small groups during class time to develop, implement, and analyze findings from a research project (survey). The position is appropriate for graduate students in the School of Public Health with substantial research experience and enthusiasm for teaching. This position is a mentored, in-depth teaching experience, and the TAs are expected to be a highly motivated member of the teaching team.
Specific Job Functions:
- Serve as the in person “research coach” for small groups of students, including guiding students in each step in designing and implementing a survey study, providing written feedback on twice-weekly group assignments, and answering student questions; specific research skills include writing research aims and hypotheses, designing a cross-sectional survey study administered over Google Forms, creating consent forms and recruitment materials, cleaning data and using IF functions and pivot tables in Excel, writing research protocols and reports.
- Prepare and lead weekly quiz sections with students
- Actively participate in every class session and weekly teaching team meetings
- Update and maintain course Canvas site, including on-going communications with students
- Assist in course coordination and implementation
- Present some lectures and facilitate discussions
- Grade assignments
- Create complex surveys and compile data from student responses
- Host Facilitated Study Groups and/or office hours (2 hrs/week)
- Request or acquire necessary IT equipment and help troubleshoot any issues that arise
- Prepare and maintain course attendance records, group assignments
- Review literature
- Other tasks, as necessary
Skills/Eligibility:
Required Qualifications: Minimum standing of current graduate student in the School of Public Health; Successful completion of graduate level Epidemiology and Biostatistics courses (or equivalent at an external institution); experience designing and conducting survey studies; satisfy a sexual misconduct background check; excitement for teaching undergraduates and developing own teaching skills.
Preferred Qualifications: PhD standing; experience with the instructor side of Canvas; experience teaching undergraduates
Notes: SPH 480 lectures will occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30pm-2:50pm in AUT 2026, with discussion sections happening on Fridays. Please consult the Time Schedule for additional information about days, times, and locations.
Salary: Half-time (50% FTE) monthly salary rates range from $3,611 to $3,983, commensurate with academic eligibility. Benefits and eligibility information available here.
Application Procedure: Please submit application, CV or resume, cover letter, and transcript via the google form here: https://forms.gle/1zsmqQ2hLUH8TnhH8 **Note that you must be signed into a Google account (UW or preferred Gmail account) in order to submit this application** If you’re having problems, please contact michtru@uw.edu.
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