Working at the Writing Center

Job description

The Writing Center is a component of the Undergraduate Writing Program in the Department of English and Comparative Literature. We hire undergraduates, graduate students, and professional writing consultants to provide support to thousands of Columbia undergraduates and graduate students while maintaining a thriving community of teachers, scholars, poets, fiction writers, playwrights, scientists, non-fiction writers: writers of all stripes.

Writing Center consultants help writers develop. Primarily they accomplish this by conducting individual consultations. In these sessions, consultants help writers improve any project from any discipline and at any stage of the writing process. This help is always offered with an eye toward the writer’s long-term growth. In addition to individual sessions, consultants keep accurate records of consultations and participate in professional development activities such as orientation, observations, and twice-monthly staff meetings. Consultants may also engage in outreach efforts as needed, such as conducting class visits and designing resources for writers.

The Writing Center is committed to advancing anti-racism and social justice. Because racism reproduces itself through language, the Writing Center is positioned to disrupt that reproduction. We seek consultants who are committed to supporting writers’ diverse languages, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, and identities.

Required qualifications

To be eligible, candidates must be...

  • Skilled academic writers with rich metacognitive language to describe the writing process.
  • Strong listeners and communicators who are invested in others’ development.
  • Able to take on the role of collaborator (instead of the roles of instructor or editor).
  • Able to work day, evening, and limited weekend hours.
  • Able to work a minimum of 2/3 of their hours in-person.
  • Able to work both fall and spring semesters of the academic year they are applying for. Students should not apply for academic years during which they anticipate doing a semester abroad.
  • Able to attend all required staff meetings in-person. Staff meetings are Fridays from 12:00 - 1:30, typically twice a month.
  • Able to attend an all-day in-person orientation session the Friday before their first semester of work.

In addition, please review the specific eligibility requirements for undergraduate peer writing fellows, graduate student writing consultants, and associate/professional staff.

Desired qualifications

  • Previous experience consulting in writing centers.
  • Previous experience teaching or tutoring non-native English speakers.
  • Previous experience teaching writing.
  • Fluency in languages other than English.

Application deadline

Applications for professional writing consultant appointments are due March 20 each year for positions that begin the following fall semester.

To apply

Please use this form to upload the following materials in ONE pdf file. Note that when you submit your materials, you will be asked to attest that the material you are submitting has not been produced using assistance from an LLM. We will not consider application material that contains AI-assisted writing.

  • A letter of application explaining your qualifications and your interest in the position. Please confirm in your letter that you would be able to attend in-person the orientation and all staff meetings.
  • Your c.v.
  • An 8- to 25-page sample of academic writing that works meaningfully with multiple sources and cites them.

If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Writing Center Coordinator Jason Ueda at writingcenter@columbia.edu.

Undergraduate Peer Writing Fellows

Time commitment

The peer writing fellow position is a TA III position that requires a 6.5-hour per week commitment in addition to twice-monthly meetings.

Compensation

TA IIIs earn $2,076 per semester.

Eligibility

In addition to the required qualifications listed above, undergraduate peer writing fellow candidates must meet the following requirements:

  • Applicants must be enrolled as full-time undergraduates at Columbia (CC, SEAS, GS) during the academic year for which they are applying.
  • International students should confirm with the International Students and Scholars Office that they are eligible to work as a TA III.
  • If working elsewhere on campus, applicants may not exceed 20 total hours per week at all paid pursuits.
  • Hiring is contingent upon confirmation from CC/SEAS/GS that the applicant is in good standing.

We encourage but do not require undergraduates to take the course, ENCL3394UN How Writers Think, which introduces students to foundational writing pedagogy.

Graduate Student Consultants

Time commitment

Full-time GSAS master's and doctoral candidates may work as writing consultants. For teaching fellows (including TAs), the position requires a 5-hour per week commitment in addition to one's teaching responsibilities. For dissertation fellows, the position requires a 5 to 10-hour per week commitment. Per university policy, if students work elsewhere on campus, they may not exceed 20 total hours per week. For those not on fellowship, the position requires between 5 and 10 hours per week commitment depending on need and availability.

Compensation

Graduate students earn $29/hour.

Eligibility

In addition to the required qualifications listed above, graduate student candidates must meet the following requirements:

  • Applicants must be GSAS students enrolled full-time in one of the programs listed here.
  • Applicants must be in their funding-eligible years and have department approval as demonstrated by an email from the candidate's director of graduate studies (DGS).
  • If working elsewhere on campus, applicants may not exceed 20 total hours per week at all paid pursuits.

Associate / Professional Staff

Time commitment

The associate position requires a 15-hour per week commitment, which includes staff development and meetings.

Compensation

Associates earn $20,000 for a fall/spring appointment.

Eligibility

In addition to the required qualifications listed above, associate/professional staff candidates must meet the following requirements:

  • Applicants must have a master’s degree in hand from any field.

  • Not be currently enrolled Columbia students (which includes Teachers College)

  • Not be a part-time employee at Columbia.