Graduate Administrative Assistant , Texas Inventionworks, Cockrell School of Engineering

The University of Texas at Austin•Austin, UT

4d•Onsite

About The Position

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. The Graduate Assistant for Communications & Online Learning plays a key role in supporting the instructional content and visual communications produced by Texas Inventionworks (TIW), a hands-on university makerspace. This work includes maintaining and updating online learning modules in Canvas, developing graphics and job aids, and coordinating interactive learning activities for both online and in-person delivery. As a member of the TIW team, this position shares responsibility for producing clear, effective learning and communication materials that support TIW's mission and user community. This position offers graduate students meaningful, real-world experience in instructional content development and visual communications at TIW, with close mentorship from professional staff, flexible scheduling to support academic commitments, and opportunities for expanded responsibilities and professional development over time.

Requirements

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 Instructure Canvas for building and managing online learning content
Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite or Canva for creating graphics and visual materials
Curiosity and resourcefulness, with a willingness to learn new tools and workflows.

Nice To Haves

A valid Texas driver's license and acceptable driving record
Background in learning science, instructional design, or educational technology
Experience with Monday.com or similar project and workflow management platforms
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

Responsibilities

Maintain and update Canvas modules, quizzes, and other online learning content to reflect current processes, equipment, and safety information
Develop and refine interactive learning activities and resources for both online and in-person delivery
Create graphics, job aids, posters, and other visual communications using Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or similar tools.
Coordinate with professional staff and subject matter experts to ensure learning and communications content is accurate, current, and aligned with TIW operations
Coordinate with student staff teams to host workshops and build nights.
Support consistent application of TIW branding and visual identity across all communications, learning materials, and public-facing content
Draft and support digital communications efforts promoting TIW programs and events
Support outreach efforts and connect students and campus partners with TIW resources
Track tasks and projects and contribute to building workflows using work process management software
Support calendar management and event coordination