Fall 2026 Course Assistant for UMSI

Course Assistant

The University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI) is a progressive, interdisciplinary school offering a Bachelor of Science in Information, a Master of Science in Information, a Master of Health Informatics, a Master of Applied Data Science, and a Ph.D. in Information. The School's mission is to create and share knowledge so that people will use information - with technology - to build a better world. The intellectual diversity of faculty, staff, and students reflects the broad range of social and technological sciences that comprise UMSI's unique approach to solving information problems.

UMSI offers a variety of courses with large enrollments (50 or more students) in the fall semesters. In these courses, instructional teams led by lead Faculty Instructor(s) facilitate lectures, conduct small group discussion sections, and provide feedback and grades on student assignments. Course Assistants serve as members of one or more instructional teams, with the primary role of providing feedback on assignments and/or grading.

Course Assistants may be assigned to the instructional team of one or more UMSI courses based on a match between their skills, experience, and the courses' knowledge domains.

1. UMSI offers undergraduate and graduate-level courses that explore the theoretical, cultural, and practical fundamentals of information studies, including value-sensitive uses and impacts of technology, the ethics of new and emerging technologies, and interdisciplinary problem-solving and team-based project management techniques for information problems.
2. UMSI courses in UX (user experience), qualitative research, and design impart knowledge of what end users of a system or product need and want, then employ those insights to enhance the design process for products, services, or software. Course Assistants supporting UX-oriented courses must have sufficient knowledge to assess the accuracy and completeness of gradable assignments.
3. UMSI emphasizes the importance of basic and advanced knowledge of object-oriented programming languages, particularly Python. In addition to achieving proficiency in programming, students acquire the ability to "show their work" and explain the reasoning behind applying programming concepts in specific problem settings. Course Assistants supporting programming courses must have sufficient programming knowledge and the ability to provide feedback on assignments.
4. Technical writing skills: UMSI courses often require students to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and concisely, demonstrating learning through multiple self-directed assignments. Course Assistants supporting courses emphasizing technical writing should have the skills and experience to provide concise, value-neutral, and objective written feedback on written assignments, including guidance on revision.

Course Assistants may have the opportunity to assist with course-related work outside the bounds of a scheduled course. Examples of occasional temporary assignments include preparing course materials to comply with University accessibility guidelines, preparing rubrics and training materials for new Course Assistants, and running focus groups with students and alumni of UMSI degree programs.

• Participate in mandatory training in August (before the beginning of the semester) that can be done remotely (asynchronous and synchronous components).
• Provide feedback and/or assign initial grades on student assignments, quizzes, and exams as prescribed by the instructor's methods.
• Carry out all assigned duties within the turnaround times specified by the course instructional team.
• Attend and/or participate in course-specific remote training and meetings as specified by the course instructional team.
• Complete instructional support duties outside the bounds of specific courses.

• For assignment to undergraduate-level courses, graduation from a college or university with a Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. For assignment to graduate-level courses, graduation from a college or university with a Master's degree or equivalent experience.
• Specific prior experience applying guidelines or rules to accomplish tasks.
• Relevant work or educational experience in one or more knowledge domains.
• Demonstrated ability through prior work experience or coursework to schedule and organize multiple tasks.

Estimated 8 - 10 hours a week, with a flexible schedule, with the expectation of attending regularly scheduled synchronous remote meetings. The estimated Fall 2026 schedule is August 16, 20206 to December 31, 2026; Winter 2027 dates are January 1, 2027, through April 30, 2027.

This is a fully remote position and follows the UMSI Remote Work Policy, with supervisor approval. Remote work agreements are reviewed annually and may change depending on our needs.

You must be eligible to work in the United States, as visa sponsorship is not available for this position. In addition, while remote work is allowable for this position, all work must be performed within the United States and its territories.

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.