GTA positions are filled for the Fall 2024 semester. Please check back to apply for Spring 2025.

The MSU Writing Center hires graduate student teaching assistants (GTAs) to work as interdisciplinary peer writing tutors and encourages students from any discipline to apply—past GTAs have come from counseling, nursing, statistics, and history. Graduate assistantships provide an opportunity for students to develop communication, facilitation, and collaboration skills that complement their discipline-specific work. Candidates for the job should be strong writers; however, the ability to work well with others and to be generous readers of others’ writing are just as (if not more) important. 

Duties and responsibilities:

  • Tutors in this position will work online and face-to-face with undergraduate and graduate student writers from across the MSU campus. 
  • Tutors will work with writers from diverse disciplines and must be able to switch modes and mindsets from one session to the next. 
  • Tutors will participate in ongoing tutor education together with the undergraduate tutoring staff. Tutor education includes reading writing center research, participating in group discussions and inquiry groups, attending regular all-staff meetings, and engaging in the intellectual work of the writing center. 
  • Tutors will participate in ongoing partnerships with a variety of classes/departments across campus. These partnerships may require facilitating writing groups, delivering presentations, participating in events, workshops or other forms of writing support as determined by the instructor and the Writing Center staff. 

Required qualifications—experience, education, knowledge and skills

  • Applicants for this position must be enrolled in a graduate program at Montana State University and must not already have been awarded an assistantship from their department. 
  • Successful candidates are personable, intellectually engaged, community-oriented individuals. 
  • Successful candidates are strong readers and writers and can bring their knowledge of writing conventions to the Writing Center.    
  • Applicants are active listeners who demonstrate empathy and understanding for students working towards becoming a professional writer in their discipline. 
  • Applicants must be comfortable not knowing; they will be working with writing outside of their disciplines and may not always understand content.  
  • Successful candidates are dependable, punctual, resourceful, and flexible. The Writing Center’s needs shift and change due to the nature of our partnerships and the candidate should be willing to take on new duties as needed. 

GTAs will work 15-19 hours a week and receive tuition costs and a stipend of $17,331 for the fiscal year.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience writing in multiple disciplines, particularly STEM writing styles and conventions  
  • Familiarity with both professional and academic writing styles 
  • Experience working collaboratively with peers
  • Familiarity with multiple languages, dialects  
  • Demonstrated potential for meaningful contributions to the diversity and excellence of the MSU Writing Center  

MSU is an equal opportunity institution committed to building a broadly diverse educational environment. Applicants may include information about how they will further this objective in their application materials.  

How do I apply?

1. Find out what we're all about!  All applicants  should  try out a session as a writer before applying to be a tutor. You can have an in-person or online appointment—even if you are not yet an enrolled student. Simply make an account on WC Online. You can even meet with a tutor to get some feedback on your tutor application (it’s not cheating). 

2. Ask a faculty member or mentor to write a letter of recommendation in support of your application. Direct your recommender to the Faculty Recommendation  link (you may also find the link in the top-right corner of this page). Recommendations are due the same day as the rest of your application. Please make sure your recommender knows the deadline. 

3. Follow the Tutor Application link to submit your application materials. You will need the following to apply to the Writing Center: 

  • your resumé or CV 
  • a cover letter explaining why you want to be a Writing Center tutor and how your knowledge and experience make you a good fit for this position 
  • a 3-5 page writing sample 

    • If you have recent academic work, please submit a sample that showcases your highest level of academic writing. An excerpt of a longer piece is acceptable as is a submission of multiple shorter pieces (three one-page lab reports, for example).  

    • If you are re-entering academia after a gap of three or more years, a more recent writing sample is preferred, e.g. professional workplace writing or a personal statement.

4. (Optional) You may also ask a peer to write a brief  Peer Recommendation in support of your application. Peer recommenders should address your ability to engage with peers collaboratively, respectfully, and successfully. Peer recommendations are due the same day as the rest of your application. Please make sure your recommender knows the deadline. 

We accept applications at any time, but we typically hire twice a year, in April and November. 

Questions may be directed to the Assistant Director of WAMSU, Erin Strickland (erin.strickland@montana.edu).