Hiring Categories for Students and Short-Period Positions

Requirements

• The student has proof of eligibility to work in the U.S.
• The student is 18 years of age or older.
• The student passes a background check.
• For employment during the academic year, the student must be a registered and enrolled UC San Diego student (graduate or undergraduate).
• For summer employment:
  • Continuing UC San Diego students must have paid the student services fees in the previous spring quarter.
  • Undergraduate students who graduate spring quarter may keep their undergraduate status until the end of summer.
  • Incoming first year/transfer students with proof of committing to a UC school may work during the summer.
  • Students from other UC Schools may work for UC San Diego during the summer.
• For graduate students, the position cannot be relevant to research work, such as working in a research lab, performing any type of research data objectives, or working alongside other researchers. See Graduate Student Researcher for research-related positions.

Hours and Pay

• The student is allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year and up to 40 hours per week during the summer.
• Paid hourly (biweekly checks).

How to Hire

Open Recruitment

• The position will be posted on Handshake.
• Students will apply directly to the department.

Hire by Exception (Direct Hire)

• To directly hire a student for any paid position, you must provide SDSC HR with a justification for hiring this student instead of posting an open job on Handshake.
• Justifications usually fall in line with having worked with the student before at SDSC and explaining how you are already familiar with the student's skills and abilities.
• If the student has already worked at SDSC in a specific project or volunteer program, that information should be provided to HR with the direct hire request.

Requirements

• The student is a registered graduate student at UC San Diego.
• The student has proof of eligibility to work in the U.S.
• Approval from the student's academic home department.
• Approval from the Principal Investigator (PI) of the funding source which will pay the student.
• The supervisor/PI is responsible for the GSR's tuition and fees during the academic year (called tuition remission). No tuition and fees are paid during summer.

Hours and Pay

• The position must be at least 25% and no more than 50%.
  • The majority of GSRs are employed at 50% time during the academic year.
  • GSRs may be eligible to work 100% during the summer quarter, depending on their academic home department guidelines.
• Paid monthly.
• Salary is based on the step of the graduate student.

STEs, also known as limited positions, are appointments on a temporary basis.

Common Reasons for Hiring an STE

• For a specific project or other short-term work.
• For a recently-graduated student to finish working on projects.
• For situations where someone is being hired into a career position for which recruitment takes a long time, and the work needs to start sooner. This is a way to get started while recruitment is underway.

Requirements

• The candidate has proof of eligibility to work in the U.S.
• The candidate is 18 years of age or older.
• The candidate is not a student.
• The candidate passes a background check.

Hours and Pay

• The appointment is limited to one of the following:
  • 40% or less, fixed or variable, with an expected duration of 12 months or less.
  • Between 41% and 100%, fixed or variable, with an expected duration of 150 calendar days or less.
• The position cannot exceed 875 hours within a rolling one-year period.
• The salary must meet the minimum requirements set by campus.

STE appointments can be extended, pending approval.

Benefits

• Appointments to work 100% time for at least 3 months but less than 1 year are eligible for mid-level benefits.
• Appointments to work 40% time or less are not eligible for benefits.

Requirements

• The position is unpaid.
• The volunteer has proof of citizenship or visa work eligibility.
• The volunteer may be a student or non-student.
• Volunteers under 18 years of age require a parent or legal guardian to sign consent forms.

Visiting Scholar

A Visiting Scholar is normally a faculty member or researcher from another university, research institution, government agency, or non-profit organization, on leave from their home institution, who visits UC San Diego to participate in a collaborative research project or as part of a cooperative agreement, under the supervision of a UC San Diego faculty member.

• UC San Diego charges a $250 visiting scholar fee that can be paid by the PI host or by the scholar.
• Most visiting scholar appointments are unpaid, and the scholar must provide proof of financial security of at least $2400/month.

Visiting Research Scholar Intern (Undergraduate Student)

A visiting undergraduate student, considered a Visiting Research Scholar Intern, is normally visiting from a non-UC college or university to participate in research as part of an academic course (with learning objectives), or to gain experience that will open up future academic and/or professional opportunities.

• The intern should not be given work that would normally be given to a paid employee.
• The intern must provide proof of enrollment at their home college/university.
• Most visiting research scholar intern appointments are unpaid, and the student must provide proof of financial security of at least $2400/month.

Visiting Graduate Student (VGS)

A Visiting Graduate Student is a pre-doctoral graduate student (PhD, MA, MS, MBA, MD, or DO) pursuing research at UC San Diego related to their degree program at their home institution.

Acceptance of a VGS implies a commitment on the part of the host faculty member to provide, at a minimum, appropriate mentoring. Programs with significant numbers of VGS should also consider arranging events to orient the students to practical and social aspects of campus life as well as U.S. research culture, and to promote their continued engagement.

• The student must provide proof of financial security of at least $2400/month. The source of support may come from their home institution (fellowship/scholarship or grant), personal funds, and/or salary from UC San Diego.
• Visit the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs for more information.