January 15, 2025
Graduate Assistantships at the Purdue OWL
| Position Type: | Administrative |
|---|---|
| Priority: | No |
Graduate Assistantships at the Purdue OWL
The Purdue OWL seeks graduate students with experience in composition, education, working one-on-one with students, or related areas. Deadline to apply: February 10, 2025
Writing Consultant
Writing consultants meet one-on-one with writers to discuss their projects and their writing concerns any time Purdue classes are in session. Consulting takes place in our main location (KRCH 2nd floor) or satellite locations (vary by semester). Consultations may occur in person or online, but the consultant will be in person during all work hours. Consultants may also participate in workshop development or facilitation, OWL outreach activities, website content development, or writing center research and conference presentation as part of their scheduled hours. Ideal candidates possess experience working one-on-one with other students, strong communication skills, and an awareness of writers’ needs. This position is a 0.5 AY appointment (Fall 2025 & Spring 2026). Positions may be rolled over to the following summer or subsequent years, depending on performance, OWL staffing needs, and funding availability.
OWL Website Content Coordinator
This coordinator oversees content development for the globally renowned Purdue OWL, one of the most-used educational resources around writing with an average of 1.3 million users each week. Ideal candidates are interested in working at the intersection of mentoring writers, user experience, and web innovation. Candidates should have facility with HTML or website editing platforms; familiarity with other web coding languages is encouraged. This position is a 0.5 AY (Fall 2025-Spring 2026) or FY (12 month) appointment. Applicants should possess strong communication skills, project-based teamwork experience, and a willingness to understand writer’s needs across disciplines, institutions, and audiences.
Time Commitment
- Mandatory orientation begins early August for the Fall 25 semester.
- 20 hours of in-person work per week any days Purdue classes are in session.
- The 20 hours will be a consistent schedule that you negotiate each semester with OWL senior staff.
Eligibility
- Appropriate experience related to mentoring other students, writing, web innovation, user experience, etc., as described above.
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Academic status
- Admitted to Purdue University graduate program via your home department.
- If you are waiting to hear about admission, you may apply and let us know that in the email. We can begin the application process, but you will not be offered a position until you are already admitted.
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Employment status
- Eligible to work half-time at the university.
To Apply for Either Position
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Email Writing.Lab@purdue.edu and include the items listed below
- In the subject header, put GTA Application
- Address the email to Vicki Kennell (Associate Director)
- In the body of the email, indicate which position you are applying for
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Materials to attach as PDF:
- A copy of your resume/CV (indicating anticipated graduate date, if relevant)
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A cover letter that includes the information below
- For the consultant position, explain your qualifications for the position, share any relevant background experience related to writing or mentoring, and describe how working as a writing consultant relates to your personal career goals.
- For the OWL Website Content Coordinator position, indicate an awareness of the Purdue OWL and how it dovetails with your teaching & learning experience as well as what you would be interested in developing or refining.
- An email or letter of recommendation from a faculty or university staff member familiar with your communication skills, teamwork capacity, and experiences with mentoring/writing (for the consultant position) or web-based tech facility (for the OWL Tech position). Where possible, a recommendation from a Purdue faculty member is preferred.
- Deadline to apply: February 10, 2025