Employment Opportunities
Students who have completed their introductory physics courses are eligible to be employed during the academic year on a part-time basis in various capacities. Though preference is generally given to physics majors, these opportunities are open to all who are suitably qualified.
- Laboratory Teaching Assistants
Helping with lab classes
Once students have completed the labs associated with the introductory physics courses, they are eligible to become paid teaching assistants (TAs) in these lab. classes. (Those who did not take their physics courses at Tennessee Tech will be asked to demonstrate their competence.) Responsibilities of a TA are to prepare for each lab meeting in advance, provide assistance to students in the class while they perform the lab assignments, grade reports, and return them to faculty in a timely manner. (Note: TA experience makes your resume look much stronger when applying for graduate schools or employment.) More information and an application from can be obtained from the department office, or by contacting Linda Kreis (lkreis@tntech.edu).
- Physics Tutors
Helping one-on-one
The Tutoring Center in the Volpe Library also employs peer tutors. As a physics tutor you would provide individual assistance to facilitate learning and help students become successful, independent learners in introductory physics classes. Tutors receive training to learn effective tutoring practices and can become a CRLA certified tutor. Typically they work anywhere from four to nine hours a week, which may include evenings and Sundays.
- Transcriptionist
Helping to study learning
Some of the physics education research carried out in the department occasionally requires that classes be video recorded. These recordings are then analyzed for interesting segments that are then edited and transcribed. Employment in this capacity may involve any or all of these different elements.
Check in the department office to see if any such opportunities are currently available , or contact Linda Kreis (lkreis@tntech.edu).
- Summer Research
Research with Tennessee Tech faculty
The department has a long history of involving undergraduates in the research of its faculty members. During the summer months, students from freshman level upward are employed as research interns, and are paid a stipend for their work. This work can take place on-campus or at various other research facilities. In recent summers students have worked at such places such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, TRIUMF Lab in Vancouver, Canada and the Sanford Underground Research Facility. (Opportunities to continue research are also available during the academic year, but are not paid!)
Research elsewhere
There are also numerous paid summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs around the country that are sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The department posts information about these as it arrives. Applications are usually on a competitive basis, and are mostly (but not exclusively) restricted to upperclassmen.
