Graduate Student Instructor: Graduate Writing Consultant

How to Apply

This is a limited availability position.
Interested applicants must complete both of the following steps (Incomplete applications will not be considered):

1. Apply to Job Opening ID #264882 through the U-M Jobs portal.
2. Email a cover letter, CV, and a sample of their academic writing (any academic genre) as a single PDF document to [email protected]

Who We Are

About the English Language Institute

The ELI is a unit of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts which provides language, academic, and intercultural instruction to members of the University of Michigan community. The core of ELI?s offerings consists of a full range of credit-bearing English for Academic Purposes courses for international graduate students. We also offer a comprehensive program of language and pedagogy courses for prospective and current graduate student instructors (GSIs), ESL/EFL teacher education courses for undergraduates interested in teaching English in local communities or abroad, and full-time summer intensive programs for students who have been accepted into degree programs at the University of Michigan or another US institution of higher education.

Additional ELI support resources include writing and speaking clinics that provide international graduate students and GSIs with one-on-one language and academic support; courses for visiting scholars, researchers, faculty, staff, and post-docs; and a volunteer Conversation Circles program that  provides opportunities for international students to practice speaking English in an informal setting and for domestic U-M students to learn about other cultures.

Course Description

The English Language Institute (ELI) seeks one or more Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) to serve as a consultant in ELI?s Graduate Writing Clinic for both Fall 2025 term.  This is an in-person position. Continuing appointments for Winter 2026 and  future academic years are available for consultants with satisfactory job performance. This is a 25% appointment with full tuition benefits. Writing Clinic Consultants? hours are determined by the instructional fraction according to the GEO contract guidelines. This position qualifies for health benefits and a 100% tuition waiver.

Graduate Writing Clinic Consultants offer international and other multilingual graduate students and scholars at the University of Michigan support in developing their written work, including course papers, dissertation chapters, and journal articles. This support is provided in the form of individual appointments scheduled through an online sign-up system. The purpose of Clinic sessions is not to provide copy-editing, but to discuss student concerns about their writing and ideas for meeting genre expectations, strengthening  organization, and improving information flow.  In these discussions students learn strategies for identifying aspects of their writing in need of revision and for revising their own texts.

Responsibilities*

A Writing Clinic Consultant with a 25% appointment is required to be present in person at the ELI Writing Clinic and available for a mix of in-person and online appointments for 12 hours per week throughout the Fall and Winter terms. Ten hours per week is spent in 45-minute Clinic appointments meeting individually with graduate students and scholars to discuss their writing. Two hours per week is spent in structured training and professional development activities under the direction of a Writing Clinic Faculty Mentor. Consultants are required to be onsite when appointments are not booked and to use un-booked Clinic time for walk-in appointments, to assist with program development, and to engage in professional development. 

Writing Clinic Consultants maintain a weekly schedule that includes appointments on at least three days per week, agreed upon in consultation with the Writing Clinic Faculty Mentor and approved by the ELI Director. Appointment hours are posted via an online sign-up system. Hours may need to be adjusted if  necessary to meet student demand. Consultants are also responsible for completing a Client Report form after each session. Newly-hired Consultants participate in several pre-service training/orientation meetings and weekly mentoring and feedback sessions with the Writing Clinic Faculty Mentor.

Required Qualifications*

Writing Clinic consultants must be enrolled and in good standing in a University of Michigan graduate program. To be considered, applicants must meet one of these criteria  by the Fall 2024 term:

1. Have completed at least one year of a U-M graduate program; OR 
2. Hold a (post-)graduate or professional degree from a peer institution and be accepted to a U-M graduate program for the Fall 2024 semester.  

Consultants must also demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills. Familiarity with the conventions of graduate academic writing, as well as the ability to follow directions and work independently are also required.

Desired Qualifications*

1. Prior experience working with the writing of graduate students, particularly second language writers
2. Prior experience teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language at the university level
3. Coursework or degree in Applied Linguistics, TESOL, Composition/Rhetoric or related field
4. Background or experience in the natural sciences and/or science writing
5. GSI experience in the College of LSA - Preference will be given to applicants enrolled in LSA graduate programs.
6. Current enrollment in an LSA graduate program

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Contact Information

For questions about the position, please email [email protected]

Decision Making Process

A hiring committee composed of the ELI Director, Associate Director, and Writing Clinic Faculty Mentor will review all applications and select finalists for interviews. Hiring decisions are made by the ELI Director. Anticipated Decision Making Date: August 1, 2025

Selection Process

Selection criteria include writing ability, teaching experience, and other training or experience relevant to the work of the ELI Graduate Writing Clinic. Applicants may request the status of their application by emailing [email protected].

GEO Contract Information

The University will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, marital status, familial status, parental status or pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression (whether actual or perceived), sexual orientation, age, height, weight, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, HIV antibody status, political belief, membership in any social or political organization, participation in a grievance or complaint whether formal or informal, medical conditions including those related to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, arrest record, or any other factor where the item in question will not interfere with job performance and where the employee is otherwise qualified. The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and regulations which implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Information for the Office for Institutional Equity may be found at https://oie.umich.edu/ and for the University Ombuds at https://ombuds.umich.edu/

Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings for available positions. In the event that an employee does not receive their preferred assignment, they can request a written explanation or an in-person interview with the hiring agents(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.

This position, as posted, is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Graduate Employees' Organization, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO 3550.

Standard Practice Guide 601.38, Required Disclosure of Felony Charges and/or Felony Convictions applies to all Graduate Student Assistants (GSAs). SPG 601.38 may be accessed online at https://spg.umich.edu/policy/601.38 , and its relation to your employment can be found in MOU 10 of your employment contract.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.