Applications for the 2023 – 2024 academic year are now open! Preferred application deadline: April 2, 2023. We may accept rolling applications after that date. Please read the information below before applying, and note our in-person training dates: August 21 – 25, 2023.
Position Description
Graduate Writing Consultants work one-to-one with both undergraduate and graduate students on a variety of writing activities. Primarily, this takes the form of academic papers for coursework, but we also work with students on personal statements, conference papers, and longer projects such as senior theses, master’s theses, and doctoral dissertations. We are also embedded in the Fulbright application process in early fall. Depending on interest and program need, consultants may also have opportunities to lead or help develop workshops, writing groups, writing retreats, or training for other writing consultants. Most Graduate Writing Consultants will work on the Medford campus, but SMFA students may apply to work on-site at the SMFA Fenway campus.
Our program emphasizes collaboration and process as crucial aspects of becoming a more engaged writer. Since our work is conversation-based, strong interpersonal skills are vital. We are looking for nonjudgmental, collaborative consultants who are good listeners and committed to writing and learning as process. Our approach is informed by feminist and anti-racist pedagogies, and our community values diversity in all forms, especially when related to identities such as race, gender, disability, nationality, and language that have historically been marginalized by language-based oppressions. We strongly encourage applications from students who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, multiracial, or POC, students who are bilingual or multilingual, students from the LGBTQ+ community, and students who identify as a person with a disability.
More about our commitment to DEJI values in hiring, training, and pedagogy. Read our position statements on linguistic diversity.
Compensation, Time Commitment, and Training
Compensation:
- $21/hour to start, including paid training, ongoing professional development, and preparation when appropriate.
Training Commitment:
- Mandatory, paid training workshop intensive, held in-person on the Medford campus. Fall 2023 Dates: August 21 – 25.
Academic Year Time Commitment:
- Minimum 5 hours per week for at least one full academic year (hours during intersessions/summer are optional), some evenings and weekends desirable
- Ongoing, paid, mandatory professional development and staff meetings throughout the academic year
- Modality for 2023 – 2024 academic year, including training, is in person.
Qualifications
- Tufts graduate student in any discipline from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (including SMFA), the School of Engineering, or the Fletcher School
- Outstanding interpersonal, verbal communication, and listening skills
- Commitment to and willingness to learn more about anti-racist praxis and writer-focused, process-oriented tutoring approaches
- Excellent written communication skills
- Experience with ANY of the following:
- tutoring writing, especially for college, high school, or adult students
- teaching or TA-ing a class with a writing component (including lab reports)
- teaching or tutoring bilingual/multilingual students or adults
- tutoring other subjects, working informally with writers (including classmates) on their drafts, editing publications, or other related work (please explain in cover letter)
How to Apply
Please gather these materials (see FAQs for more information or if you have questions) and proceed to the application portal:
- Cover Letter, addressed to the director of the program (Kristina Aikens), reflecting on relevant experience for this position. We especially value your descriptions of working with others on their writing and/or of your approach to working with writers, so please prioritize this in the letter; if you do not have specific experience with this, please explain what your approach might be like based on your other experiences.)
- Resume or CV
- Academic writing sample (any length is acceptable; see FAQs for more information)
Interviews will be conducted in April and May.
You can read more about us on the StAAR Writing Support page
Questions? Email the director of the program, Kristina Aikens