Academic Year 2026-2027
Join the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute (TESI) in helping inspire the next generation of scientists and environmental stewards!
TESI is hiring a 12-month graduate assistant (GA) for the 2026-2027 academic year. The GA will receive a 12-month, half-time (0.5 FTE) stipend of $30,000, in-state tuition, as well as medical and other benefits afforded to UF graduate assistants. This position is funded by a grant from the Smallwood Foundation and the Thompson Earth Systems Institute.
This is a one year, time-limited fellowship.
Duties:
The Smallwood Graduate Assistant (GA) will support TESI’s mission of advancing education in Earth systems science by providing coordination support for TESI’s Scientist in Every Florida School (SEFS) (90%) and Environmental Leaders (EL) (10%) programs. This role requires strong organization, communication, and content creation skills, as well as a passion for environmental topics. Some evening, weekend, and University break work required.
Key responsibilities include:
- Recruiting new school districts and teachers that have not yet been served by the SEFS program (with a particular focus on Gulf, Calhoun, Liberty, Franklin and other low or no participation counties).
- Coordinating scientist visits to classrooms
- Providing technical and content support to scientist livestreams and maintaining calendar of events in WordPress
- Helping coordinate teacher professional development workshops (including recruiting teachers, selection, coordination with participating scientists, and providing follow-up support to teachers).
- Conducting outreach visits (virtual/in-person) to K-12 students and schools about their research and experiences as an early career scientist.
- Collaborate on program development, outreach, and evaluation.
- Promoting SEFS through social media and blog posts.
- Writing, editing, and curating content for the SEFS Spotlight newsletter.
- Supporting compliance with accessibility requirements for SEFS materials.
Additional responsibilities will include:
- Promoting SEFS/TESI and educating about Earth systems-related topics at outreach events on campus and in the greater Gainesville community.
- Assisting with Environmental Leaders programs and other TESI initiatives as needed.
Required Qualifications:
- Graduate student (Master’s or Doctoral) at the University of Florida
- Strong interest in environmental and other science topics
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Proficient in using social media platforms and email marketing tools
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Willingness to be on-camera for promoting SEFS programs through digital media
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience working with K-12 students and/or teachers
- Experience in event planning and/or community organizing
- Experience in education and outreach
Note: This position requires 20 hours of work per week on average, with weeks that feature professional development workshops being more hours-intensive than others. In collaboration with the TESI team, the GA will establish a regular M-F schedule in the TESI office suite. An ideal candidate will be able to dedicate some time each day, M-F, to stewarding scientist visit requests from teachers.
Location:
TESI Office Suite
McGuire Hall, Florida Museum of Natural History
3215 Hull Rd Gainesville, FL 32611
How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit their application via Qualtrics by Sunday, July 26, 2026 at 11:59 pm. A complete application will include:
- A cover letter (no more than 2 pages)
- A CV
- Contact information for 2 professional references
- A support letter (no more than one page) from the applicant’s advisor in support of the student’s desire to participate and briefly describing why they are suitable for this opportunity. If you do not have an advisor, a letter from your UF department indicating support for your participation may be submitted instead.
Application Deadline: Sunday, July 26, 2026 at 11:59 pm. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Please send inquiries about this position to Sadie Mills at smills@floridamuseum.ufl.edu
This position is funded by a grant from the Smallwood Foundation.
Feature image courtesy of FloridaMuseum/Kristen Grace