graduate researcher

research assistant

postdoctoral researcher

graduate assistant

teaching assistant

University of Delaware

As long I address the learning outcomes in the syllabus, I can teach the way that is best for the students in each class.  My supervisor trusts me to do whatever is necessary to create the best learning environment.  I can vary and adapt the activities, create new materials, select any learning format that works, and use my experience and discretion to guide my instruction.  I really enjoy having this freedom because I can give each group of students exactly what serves them best.
My colleagues at the ELI are wonderful!  We always help each other and meet regularly to work on projects together.  With a level coordinator for each class level, class objectives/learning outcomes are clear.  Working with amazing colleagues is so helpful and creates a great work atmosphere!

Typically, each day begins as soon as I wake up (around 5:00 a.m.).  I check my email to be sure there are no emergencies or student requests and then do whatever is needed so I am ready to teach that day.
I sometimes grade or score students' work while I am eating breakfast.
After arriving at work around 8:00, I prepare for the class, which begins at 8:15 (check that class materials are in order,etc.)
I usually teach two classes every weekday.  In an eight-week session, these classes are one hour and forty minutes long: in a seven-week session, the classes are about two hours long because I must teach the same material with fewer class meetings.  After finishing my instruction for the day, I meet with students in hours set aside for this purpose.  Three office hours are required weekly, but if students can't meet with me during those hours, they can make an appointment for a different time that works better for them.
I have also been working in the listening laboratory as the language assistant.  I really enjoy this part of my work because it allows me to meet new students who are not in my class and help them to feel comfortable using the prepared programs for practice.  Some of these students join my classes because we met in the listening lab.

Because the classes meet for a very short time (eight weeks at most, with the last week for final exams) and there are many goals to meet, I have learned how to create activities that help students practice basic skills they have already learned and acquire the new skill being taught.  
In addition to efficiency with instruction, I must also grade quickly so that students receive their score and feedback before the next assessment.  For example, I will often have only three days to finish the grading so that students can use my feedback to prepare for the next test. Exams are usually every seven to ten days, with 3 major exams expected for each subject taught in the class: reading and writing class includes 3 exams for reading, writing, and grammar. 

The most difficult part of my job is time management.  On a typical day, I will usually work from 8:15 a.m. (although I actually begin working before I come in to the classroom) until 6:00 or 6:30 p.m.  On Friday, I often work until 7:00 p.m. to lighten my workload on the weekend.  If I need to  meet with many students during office hours or later in the day, I will have to work later as well.  In weeks with more testing, it is not unusual to work until 7:00 or 7:30 p.m. every evening.  I have found that working later is usually not effective since I'm not as accurate or efficient at that time.
However, no matter how late I work, I always have at least four or five hours of work on the weekend.  
As a result, it's difficult to maintain the social life I would like.  I have missed important celebrations with friends and family, including visiting family members who live in other states.  I truly love my students, but I've decided that this job is no longer the best fit for my life, so I'm looking for employment that will allow me to give my best efforts but leave me free on the weekend.  I do expect that some overtime could be needed, but I hope that will be the exception.

The only negative aspect of my job now is the work/life balance.  That is why I'm applying for new jobs that are not in education and hoping to find a job that will also have clear boundaries between work time and free time.  However, I am certainly willing to pitch in for occasional overtime as needed.

My work responsibility is to develop transition metal complex catalyst platforms for homogeneous/heterogeneous electrocatalytic systems suited for energy storing applications. So far, I have accomplished four projects related to the electrocatalytic CO2 and O2 reduction on nickel and cobalt macrocyclic complexes. 

I have full experience starting all the way from initial design, synthesis, characterization to final evaluation of a catalyst. The broad scope of various techniques that I have gained becomes my strong suit in my professional field. Also because of this, I always need to plan my work time ahead, typically staggering half of it needed for synthesis with the rest needed on catalysis. Therefore I am well capable of multitasking.  

My projects involves the employment of different types of instrumentation. So I need to communicate with staff in charge to master each instrument, and also help maintain some of them (such as a glovebox, gas chromatography, UV-vis/IR spectrometer and potentialstat). Working with these instruments is most challenging in my work, since starting from setting up, customizing, running tests to maintainance, all sorts of unexpected situations can emerge. From years of practice, I have strong learning ability, problem-shooting ability, sense of responsibility and I am always initiative in communication.

I have very pleasant relationship with my research advisor who trusts me on my work, and we always communicate well on things that we do not agree. His support has been a great help in my whole research career. Even though I am mostly working independently which is required by my project's nature, my colleagues find me helpful when they needed my opinion on their problems. I had two collaborators in different projects, and we all played good team and we worked efficiently together. 

At present, I am instructing a junior undergraduate student doing research in our lab. He has learnt quickly and become capable of performing high level of organic synthesis. Not only in my research lab, but also in teaching assistant position, I have earned my students' respect and fondness due to my enthusiasm in teaching and heart of willing to help. I have been awarded a teaching award from the university in 2014. This is my most enjoyable part of my work because I am able to pass down knowledge and make a positive influence on others.
 
Overall, I enjoyed my working experience as a research assistant in the University of Delaware. This experience turned out to be fruitful and I am seeking employment at a company that will allow me to further develop my skills as a catalysis scientist. I want to be a part of a team that helps design sustainable solutions to solve the needs of the populace.

There certainly are many capable faculty and staff at UD, but several administrators tend to be petty and vindictive. Higher education is decidedly low on their list of priorities. They focus instead on building turf, acquiring personal perks, and scoring political points. Self-interest, boorish and unethical behavior, poor treatment of staff, failure to recognize their own shortcomings as supervisors, and unbridled vanity often pass as "leadership." 

Administrators constantly snipe at each other and engage in turf battles, resulting in high employee turnover and low faculty and staff morale. My boss often bragged about her many petty arguments with other university administrators, oblivious to her own childishness. She publicly touted the importance of collaboration and teamwork while working behind the scenes to sabotage others’ efforts. More than once, my boss slammed the phone on reporters who dared to ask legitimate questions about her decisions and actions affecting the local community. 

I saw UD administrators bully their own and others' staffs. They routinely break university policies knowing they won’t be held accountable. They cozy up to local community leaders and residents in public while expressing contempt in private—especially when those residents share concerns about UD activities affecting their communities. Community concerns are mocked behind closed doors. The residents of Newark and Lewes should always remain vigilant, as UD administrators won't hesitate to engage in political tricks and regulatory runarounds to get what they want.

No matter what academic degrees they hold, some people are simply not good leaders. Unfortunately at the University of Delaware, many sit at the highest levels of administration.

The majority of my time is spent at the service desk helping students, faculty and staff use multimedia and productivity software. During this time as the service desk, I am also supervising the students who are on shift to ensure optimal customer service outcomes. When away from the service desk, I complete administrative tasks such as; write performance comments, process payroll, write/ respond to confidential emails, and work on focus-driven multimedia projects. 

In this job, I have learned how to lead by example and developed my unique leadership style, which is a cross between democratic and laissez-faire leadership styles. I believe that an engaged employee should have the autonomy and freedom to be creative and share his/her point of view.

I work with an interesting group of people, all of which, have different perspectives and points of view. This mix gives me insight into the mindsets of a diverse population and has driven my decision making. 

The hardest part of my job is managing service desk time with administrative tasks. I am a highly focused, organized and goal-oriented individual. Getting my work done in a timely and stress-free fashion is the greatest challenge at this job.

The most enjoyable part of my job helping people, whether student employees or the university community, achieve their goals.

As a student, I always knew that undergraduate research was an important part of the academic experience. However, I never fully appreciated just how valuable it could be until I began participating in a research program at my university.

Through this program, I was able to work alongside experienced professors and researchers, gaining hands-on experience in my field of study. I learned how to conduct experiments, analyze data, and present my findings in a clear and concise manner.

But perhaps the most valuable lesson I learned was the importance of collaboration. In order to succeed in research, you need to be able to work effectively with others, bouncing ideas off of one another and providing support and feedback at every step.

As I look back on my time in the program, I am grateful for the opportunity to have learned so much and to have made lasting connections with others in my field. I know that the skills and knowledge I have gained will serve me well in my future endeavours, whether I go on to pursue a career in academia or industry.

Overall, my experience with undergraduate research has been a truly transformative one, and I would encourage any student with an interest in research to explore the opportunities available to them at their own universities. With dedication, hard work, and a willingness to learn and grow, anything is possible.

Working in the Facilities Department at the University of Delaware has been a disappointing experience. Management consistently fails to show appreciation for the hard work and dedication of its employees. There is a clear lack of support, recognition, and communication from leadership, which creates a toxic and demoralizing environment.

Despite the physical demands and responsibilities of the job, compensation remains well below industry standards, with little room for advancement or meaningful raises. Employee concerns are routinely ignored or dismissed, making it clear that morale and retention are not priorities.

To add insult to injury, employees are required to pay for parking — even though they’re working on-site daily to keep the university running. It’s an unnecessary burden, especially considering the already low wages. This decision reflects a larger pattern of disregard for frontline staff.

Overall, this department suffers from poor leadership, undervalues its workers, and fails to provide even the basic support employees deserve. I would not recommend it to those seeking fair pay, respect, or professional growth.

We have an organization that is losing $250m in a year. They have lots of high priced professors (who are covered by a union) and low priced adjuncts who teach more than the professors. Common sense says that if cuts are necessary, reductions should come from the high priced staff who contributes less revenue. Not at UD! They announced in the Spring that all adjuncts would be let go. This didn’t actually happen because the Professors union contract limits the number of classes that they have to teach, and many didn’t want to do more to help. Btw....adjunct salaries are negotiated by that same union though the union makes clear that they don’t represent us.  For an adjunct, pay is horrible, benefits are non existent (even when teaching a full time schedule) and when requesting an annual review or any contact with a manager, the response (by email) was, “you’re doing great! Keep up the great work”. No raise came with the review. I’ve been with the University for close to 25 years because I LOVE working with the students. Based on their reviews, they love learning from and working with me. But after being treated so poorly for so long, I’ll be leaving UD in the Spring.

Working as a Resident Assistant (RA) at the University of Delaware offers a rewarding experience focused on leadership, mentorship, and community-building. RAs play a critical role in guiding residents through their college journeys, fostering an inclusive environment, and supporting academic and personal growth. Responsibilities include organizing engaging programs to encourage social interaction, addressing student concerns, enforcing campus policies, and responding promptly to emergencies. The role significantly develops communication, conflict-resolution, and time-management skills through continuous interactions with diverse student populations. Additionally, RAs collaborate closely with university staff and fellow team members, contributing to a cohesive and supportive campus community. The position, though challenging, is highly fulfilling; RAs witness firsthand their positive impact on residents' lives, helping them navigate college transitions, build lasting relationships, and feel connected to UD's vibrant culture. Overall, serving as an RA equips students with lifelong skills, fostering leadership qualities and a profound sense of responsibility.

Every department is different. I am reviewing for my time spent at the Hospitality Department. Almost 2 years in an Administrative Assistant Role. They are hiring for administrative assistant II and III and the reason why? No one can work under the Business Administrator there. She is awful. No one can excel at their job because you are always given half of the information. You're set up to fail. The Business Administrator (supervisor of the admins) takes pride in staying there day and night (at a detriment to her health and personal life but that's none of my business) and anyone who doesn't have that 'work ethic' she tries to shame. You won't do things on your job description and if you try to take sick days she will retaliate against you. There have been numerous complaints about her but because she's been there for 30+ years, nothing changes. Admins just leave. The turnover rate is so high in that department and if you work there you'll hate it and leave, too.

Work elsewhere. UD is a great place to work, for the right people. Pick an educated Business Administrator, not one that is set in her ways after 30 years.

I would help break down game film with the Graduate Assistants, as well as run the Offensive Scout Team during practice weeks. During camp, I would help the incoming Freshman Defensive Backs learn the playbook. I would coach them on the field, and hold extra meetings with them reviewing film and plays. On game day, I sat in the booth to keep track of down and distance, personnel tendencies, and examine the Secondary. I learned that Coaching takes a lot of commitment. I understand the amount of time it takes to break down and study film. As a Coach, I've learned that you must not be complacent. When a coach becomes complacent with the teams accomplishments at practice or on game day, the players tend to put their efforts on cruise control. I always have extra time for a player when he wants to learn more. I learned that you grade the players performance, not the player himself. I am very knowledgable to the game and am able to understand different concepts of the defense.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Graduate researcher 17 salaries reported	$34,559 per year
Research assistant 6 salaries reported	$34,500 per year
Postdoctoral researcher 10 salaries reported	$56,049 per year
Graduate assistant 4 salaries reported	$22,750 per year
Teaching assistant 4 salaries reported	$16.25 per hour

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