Student Assistant I

Teaching Assistant – SOCW 604 – Organizational & Community Practice

Position Title:                                     Teaching Assistant I 

Reports To:                                          Faculty 

Department:                                       Social Work 

Status (Hours per week):                 Up to 10 hours/week 

Start and end dates:                         1/4/2026 to 3/20/2026 (Winter 2025) 

Position Title:                                     Teaching Assistant – SOCW 604 - Organizational & Community Practice

Salary:                                                 $20.00 Hourly 

Palo Alto University (PAU), a private, non-profit university, founded in 1975 and located in the heart of Northern California’s Silicon Valley, is a community grounded in values of social justice, dedicated to addressing pressing and emerging issues in the fields of psychology, counseling and social work that meet the needs of today’s diverse society.  

The Department of Social Work encompasses a new online Master of Social Work (MSW) program that offers a specialization in Culturally Informed Behavioral Health Practice (CIBH) with two tracks, (a) practice with children and youth in school and community settings and (b) practice with adults in public behavioral health settings. The program’s goal is to graduate students who are competent and culturally sensitive behavioral health practitioners who provide care to underserved populations in urban and rural regions of California. The MSW program is in candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA). The program’s website URL is: https://www.paloaltou.edu/academic-programs/master-social-work

General Description: 

Graduate Teaching Assistant Duties & Responsibilities may include, but not limited to:

• Support review and assessment of student assignments
• Moderate the classroom environment with technical assistance and organize student learning and engagement
• Facilitate group discussions and activities
• Provide tutoring and hold office hours
• Manage Canvas course, creation of Tasks and Assignments
• Helping with creating/presenting didactics and guest lectures if interested
• Making course materials accessible
• Support proctoring exams
• Creation and presentation of teaching materials
• Carry out duties and responsibilities remotely, except for providing assistance in-person for one day at the start of the quarter during the immersion residency.

Other Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Attend the Teaching Assistant Orientation training.
• Other tasks as assigned, including providing assistance for a BBS licensing course in the MSW program. 

Qualifications: 

• Currently enrolled PhD or PsyD student in good standing at PAU in your 2nd or 3rd year of study.
• Advanced understanding of the subject matter (see course description below)
• Strong communication, interpersonal and organizational skills
• Excellent classroom management skills
• Able to create a comfortable learning environment for students
• A strong work ethic, dependable, and ability to prioritize multiple tasks and follow through in a timely manner
• Previous tutoring or teaching experience (preferred qualification).

Application: 

To apply, please submit the following items combined into one PDF:  

• Resume/CV
• Brief cover letter, including information on how your background and experience has prepared you to work at a high level of quality of work with students and co-workers from a variety of different backgrounds.  
• Writing sample from a graduate course assignment at PAU 
• Unofficial baccalaureate and/or graduate transcripts (optional) 

Course Description: 

SOCW 604 - Organizational & Community Practice 

This course explores conceptual models and methods for organizational and community practice, such as community organizing and community-based planning and program development.

Discussion topics will include human rights, social work values, and diversity, equity, and inclusion as guiding principles of practice. Students will be introduced to organizational structures and policies, organizational psychology, organizational change, and management and leadership in public and non-profit social services organizations. Students will learn best practices for engagement and relationship building, problem and needs assessment, identification of interventions, and evaluation of effectiveness for working with organizations and communities. Students will also develop skills foundational to mezzo and macro practice, such as team collaboration, including working with individuals from diverse disciplines and backgrounds, and advocacy for program and policy change.

EEOC Policy:  

The University is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to non-discrimination in its hiring and other employment practices and in the application of its personnel policies. In compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists, employment decisions will be made irrespective of the staff member's race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except for minors), sex, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, sexual orientation, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic condition), disability and/or any another status protected by law. When necessary, the University will reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities, if the individual is otherwise qualified to safely perform all essential functions of the position and if it will be done without undue hardship to the University.