Research assistantships and teaching assistantships
The department supports students in the doctoral program with Research Assistant or Teaching Assistant appointments. Academic student positions are covered by the contract between the UW and the United Auto Workers (UAW).
Pay
The table below shows half-time (50% FTE) monthly rates for Research and Teaching Assistantships in the Department of Chemical Engineering.
| Level | Pay |
| Premaster | $3612 |
| Intermediate | $3794 |
| Candidate | $3984 |
Please note, graduate students move between pay classifications in the quarter after they meet the requirements. For example, if a graduate student reaches intermediate status during the summer quarter, their pay increase will be implemented at the beginning of fall quarter.
More information on TA and RA salaries can be found on the UW Graduate School website.
Benefits
Students on RA and TA appointments are exempt from most tuition and fees and are covered by medical insurance. RAs are also available during the summer at the same stipend rate. Moreover, if a student comes to the Department with a fellowship carrying a stipend below the prevailing departmental rate, the Department will provide a supplementary fellowship to bring the total to the prevailing rate.
Eligibility and requirements
Supported students must register for 10 or more credits in fall, winter and spring quarters and two credits in summer quarter, and make satisfactory progress toward their degree. Regardless of the form of support, students are expected to work on their thesis research projects.
All Ph.D.-track students must serve as a TA for two quarters at some time during their UW tenure. Doctoral students may be required to work as a TA for additional quarters depending on the department's needs. Each TA works closely with one or more faculty members, assisting in grading, handling undergraduate laboratory instruction, quiz sections, etc. The typical TA workload averages 20 hours per week.
Hourly Academic Student Employees
The following pay rates apply to hourly academic student employee positions within the Department of Chemical Engineering. The hourly rates for Academic Student Employees vary based on the type of role and, in some cases, degree status.
The College of Engineering and other departments may employ students with different job titles and at different pay rates.
| Title/Pay Classification | Occupation Code | Minimum Hourly Rate | Job Duties | Standard Qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Assistant | 10889 | $23.78/hr | Administrative assistance | Graduate Student |
| Reader/Grader | 10886 | $23.78/hr | Non-teaching/research academic assistance | Graduate or Undergraduate Student |
| UG Research Assistant | 10869 | $23.78/hr | Assist in research | Undergraduate Student |
| Summer Only Graduate Research Student Assistant (Premasters) | 10854 | $49.25/hr | Assist in research | Graduate Student |
| Summer Only Graduate Research Student Assistant (Intermediate) | 10854 | $51.74/hr | Assist in research | Graduate Student |
| Summer Only Graduate Research Student Assistant (Candidate) | 10854 | $54.33/hr | Assist in research | Graduate Student |
Other Student Employment
For all other student employment positions, UW Compensation establishes compensation requirements in accordance with University policy and as described on UW HR's Student Employees web page.
External funding resources
Both Ph.D. and MS students are strongly encouraged to pursue fellowship opportunities. Popular funding mechanisms which have supported ChemE graduate students include:
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
- National Institutes of Health F31
- The Department of Defense National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG)
- UW Graduate Funding Information Service (GFIS)
- UW College of Engineering Scholarships & Fellowships
- The UW Office of Research maintains a list of funding opportunities
- The UW Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) has opportunities for Travel Grants, Diversity Funds, and Special Allocations for Registered Student Organizations (RSOs)
- The UW Clean Energy Institute (CEI) Graduate Fellowship provides 2 quarters of salary support for Ph.D. research in CEI focus areas of solar energy conversion, energy storage, and grid integration technologies.
- The CEI Education and Outreach Fellowship provides support as an RA position to support its initiatives in K-12 outreach, teaching, learning resource development, and science communication.