graduate researcher

research assistant

graduate assistant

student worker

student researcher

Iowa State University

Co-workers are your friends, at least some of them. There are some people that have been working there for over 20+ years, and have had absolutely zero advancement working as a Custodian. 

The pay is just above the average jobs in Ames, being at $13.04 hourly.  However, it can't even pay for the cost of living by yourself here in Ames, because they take most of your money away "thanks" to benefits. So, in reality, you make around $1700 a month. If you are trying to support a family, don't work here unless you have another spouse also working. This job doesn't cover any necessities, especially if your have student loans to pay off.  

They also force you to work "mandatory weekends," therefore, you are forced to work 12 full days before you get a weekend off. The management is terrible, they don't care about you at all. In fact, they don't even know you exist because you are at the lowest pay grade scale. 

There's also no "promotion" or pay increase for doing a good job. Just make your areas "look" average. Don't work too hard if you decide to work here. There's no reason to be the best because you get nothing out of it. 

There are 2 supervisors that are decent, the weekend supervisor (2019) as of right now is absolutely garbage. The worst kind of person to really ask any questions because you just get yelled at, literally. 

Getting time off is easy, as long as you ask weeks ahead of time. However, if you ask for a half day, it is quite easy to get. You get 12 hours of sick leave per month, and 8 hours of vacation time per month. Save your vacation and sick time for the summer, trust me, you don't want to work during that time. It's gross, hot and awful.

This is a very laborious job. If you want something relaxing, look else where. If you want to be paid $30k and above, look else where. If you want to clean for a living, take this job. It has great benefits and is likely to still be here within 20 years. 

My advice to younger people 20's - 30's, go back to school. Get a graduate degree and move the heck out of Iowa!

Typical day is very busy.  Managed the licensing of all software for the College of Veterinary Medicine, supervised the 100 different loaner checkout equipment for College of Veterinary Medicine, Information Technology Services (ITS) to make sure nothing gets stolen or misplaced. Created an Excel spreadsheet tracking the checkouts
Planned, sourced, put orders together, and purchased of 149 laptops for incoming freshman class. Responsible for spending over $335,000.00 of students’ dollars.  Consulted with students about purchasing their laptop.  Worked with Accounting on campus to charge the student the correct dollars.  Tracked multiple budget accounts balances for the fiscal year for Information Technology Systems Group, VETS Group and other accounts for Student Services.
Determined and analyzed over 900 tickets of technology problems for end users in 2009 in a ticketing system called IssueTrak.
Loved working with the students to fix their laptops, help with computer issues and train the users on the software.  
Co-workers were great to work with.  Management tried hard.  
Most enjoyable part was working with the users.  The worst part of the job was if a user lost their hard drive and we couldn't get the data back.




As a lab assistant, I would prepare the chemicals and solutions for the many freshmen chemistry labs throughout the semester. Days could include : *Some lifting of 5 gallon containers to shoulder level. *Some math skills required for multiplication and division in your head. *Ability to take on several tasks at the same time while helping any students or Teaching Assistants that approach (A notepad and pen is suggested). *Consolidation of chemicals and solutions of the same percentage or molarity requires attention to detail. *Ability to neutralize and dispose of some types of acids and bases that are safe for sink disposal. *End of week involves removing all previous lab materials and replacing with new materials. Cleaning counter tops and misplaced lab equipment. Logging any chemical waste that could not be disposed of personally.

Management were very accepting of various levels of chemistry knowledge, and were willing to train in any skills that were needed; From having taken chemistry a few years previously up to chemistry majors.

What is the best part of working at the company?
In retrospect, having a hard time coming up with a "best" part of working for ISU.  Over the years, there were many, many reasons that negated what might have qualified as "best" early on in my time spent in academia.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
University Human Resources makes working there stressful.  Heaven help you if you ever need assistance as an employee or are in a tangle with a supervisor.  You're better off quitting or never applying for one of their jobs in the first place.  Merit staff are considered disposable and they do very little to make it feel any other way.  After 22 years and two horrific experiences in dealing with UHR, I would never ever work for Iowa State again.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
If you're higher up, it seems to be ok.  But too many people are treated as though they're disposable, especially Merit staff (who actually keep ISU running).  There are good supervisors and bad ones all over.  But if you have to rely upon the University itself to resolve issues you're having with your duties, supervisor, co-workers, well good luck.  You'll need it.

I was not a computer man before I learned ME 170 which is a basic CAD course at Iowa State University. I tried really hard on the course since I love that course even thought I could not sleep due to the homework problem. 
   The following year, since I used Solidworks tool a lot than other students, my 3D drawing skill is better than the rest of the class. On my senior year I applied for TA for ME 170, and Iowa State University gave me a opportunity to be a TA for me 170. I have 10 hours a week teaching Solidworks with freshman, and tried to be patient, let them understood the meaning for different tools in Solidworks. 
   One of the hardest thing for this job was the understanding of the student. Because different student had different background, so their level for computer tools were different, some student asked very simple problem, I explained to them carefully, and other students probably had different problem; therefore, I tried my best to teach them step by step, which spent long time period.
   I really enjoy this work since it is my first professional work in my life. I felt very happy helped students learning new software. When students got A on the course, I was proud of my patient and skill.

Iowa State is a large university where individual experiences depend on where a person works. I worked in dining services to start, and then worked in several departments at the library for approximately 30 years. This review will concentrate on my time at the library.
Hours at the library are flexible depending on what department a person works in. I worked in both public-facing and technical services areas with a flexible schedule throughout my career there. My experience was generally pleasant with good, thorough supervisors who wanted workers to succeed and become long-term employees. I had many chances for advancement, and was able to obtain my Masters degree while employed there.
The culture was akin to a large family with social activities and learning experiences through the local Library Staff Association (LSA). Full time employees had the opportunity to get to know faculty, staff and students of the university through a variety of services and interactions. 
Overall my experience there was positive and fulfilling 


Working as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant at Iowa State University is a rewarding blend of teaching, mentorship, and professional growth. UGTAs support instructors by facilitating labs or recitations, holding office hours, answering questions on class forums, and helping grade assignments with clear rubrics. The role builds real confidence in explaining concepts, spotting common misconceptions, and giving constructive, timely feedback. It also sharpens essential skills—communication, empathy, time management, and teamwork—while offering a front-row seat to thoughtful course design and assessment. Supervising faculty are approachable and set clear expectations, and peers form a supportive community that shares tips and resources. Scheduling is generally flexible around coursework, but peak weeks can be busy, so planning ahead matters. The experience looks strong on a résumé, opens doors to research or advanced tutoring, and, most importantly, lets you contribute to a welcoming learning environment where students feel seen and supported. It’s genuinely worth the commitment.

 Pros: People- The most enjoyable part of the job was helping the people in the departments I supported. There are some wonderful people to work and collaborate with at ISU.  The team I worked in was a great group. We helped each other and covered for each other on vacations or sick time.  It is a beautiful campus with coffee and lunch options to meet coworkers and colleagues. 
Time off - 2 days vacation & 1.5 day sick leave /month. 

Cons: Pay- Be sure to negotiate your compensation needs at your hire date- they try to appease new hires by the reclassification of position speech.  It is not a simple process and can take years. Sadly the quicker way to get a promotion or pay increase is to change jobs.  

The hardest part of my job was the incredible lack of support from Management & HR & EO office when I was assaulted on campus. They refused my disability accommodation due to the workplace assault which led to my resignation. 

The culture could definitely be improved.  There is little voice or protection for P&S staff. 

100-120+ hours/week

A typical day entailed answering phone calls and emails.  These emails/phone calls typically came from recruits, the parents and coaches of recruits, and a number of university employees.  On a daily basis, I also managed a group of 20-25 students, including graphic designers.  I delegated tasks for the students to perform and organized their use for the events that I planned.  

I worked under 2 supervisors. One was my primary supervisor and in charge of the recruiting department; the other was a supervisor of the entire staff, with the exception of coaches. 

I worked closely with another recruiting coordinator along with the students I managed.  

The most difficult part of this job were the hours.  Working upwards of 120 hours a week is daunting.  There was little time left for anything else in life.

The part I enjoyed the most about this job - working with people.  Plain and simple.  Every week I met a multitude of people from varying backgrounds.  It was such a joy to introduce them to Iowa State University and show them our facilities.  Making sure they were happy, made me happy.

A typical day at work involved multiple tasks= phone and email communications, meetings, instructional development and delivery, and in general, putting in long hours: evenings and weekends are common. Learned a lot about operations in higher education, curricula development, interacting with diverse populations.

Co-workers were great, supportive and positive, felt like a family. Management on the other hand, was abysmal. Poor-to-no communication skills, little respect given to anyone without a doctorate degree, tends to assign more responsibilities than stated in contract and be dismissive when brought to their attention.

Hardest part of job= insecurity of the position. Non-tenure track instructors are at high risk of having hours and pay reduced or of losing entire position on very short notice. Most enjoyable part of job= working in a field of interest with multiple opportunities for research and practical application, with enjoyable coworkers and students.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Graduate researcher 11 salaries reported	$28,060 per year
Research assistant 3 salaries reported	$20.00 per hour
Graduate assistant 6 salaries reported	$22,772 per year
Student worker 3 salaries reported	$12.67 per hour
Student researcher 4 salaries reported	$14.58 per hour

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