Opportunities

Now Hiring Graduate Peer Tutors!

MASTERS AND PHD STUDENTS, JOIN OUR TEAM! 

We’re hiring UWaterloo graduate students to join our dynamic peer tutor team at the Writing and Communication Centre (WCC). WCC peer tutors coach their peers to meet a wide range of writing and communication goals during daytime appointments at the Write Spot (South Campus Hall 219) and the Dana Porter Library, and during evening online appointments from their home. All WCC tutors are trained to support peers by identifying areas of growth and next steps for an assignment or communication task. Students often return to work with peer tutors regularly and provide positive feedback about the many meaningful impacts on their academic progress. 

Graduate peer tutors are paid $28/hour (plus 4% vacation pay). 

As a WCC Graduate Peer Tutor, you’ll be responsible for: 

  • Working with UW students from all disciplines in all years of study during your scheduled shifts.  
  • Supporting your peers to meet their writing and communication goals by asking guiding questions, providing constructive feedback, and sharing relevant resources (from genre-specific guidelines to navigating academic deadlines and stresses). 
  • Using equitable, collaborative, and encouraging tutoring strategies to coach students through brainstorming, drafting, revising, or presenting their assignments (we’ll teach you how!) 
  • Participating in ongoing professional development at team meetings with other peer tutors. 

To be a WCC Graduate Peer Tutor, you need to be: 

  • Registered as a UWaterloo graduate student throughout Fall 2024 and Winter 2025 terms. 
  • Available to work 3.5-hour daytime shifts on campus at least two days of the week, and possibly in the evenings (6pm to 9pm, online only).  
  • Experienced with written, verbal, visual, and digital communication. You don’t have to see yourself as the ‘best’ writer, but instead you have experience revising and strengthening your drafts, and you are interested in further developing your skills. 
  • Friendly, compassionate, and genuinely interested in helping others.  
  • Skilled at listening, asking questions, and explaining concepts.  
  • Skilled at managing your time and organizing tasks.  
  • Available for 24 hours of paid training in late August and early September 2024.  
  • Preferred: experience with STEM writing and communication. 

We provide: 

  • 24 hours of paid training at the start of your role plus ongoing professional development through each term. 
  • Opportunities for engaging in writing centre research and conferences.  

Why peer tutors enjoy working at the WCC: 

  • Supportive Team Environment: Our tutors often mention how much they appreciate the collaborative and supportive atmosphere. We value open communication, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to empowering students to succeed. 
  • Rewarding Experience: Tutors find it incredibly rewarding to support their peers, often directly hearing positive feedback about the impacts of their appointments. 
  • Professional Growth: Through ongoing professional development, tutors continually enhance their own skills and knowledge, benefiting from regular training sessions and engaging team meetings.  
  • Commitment to Equity, Access, and Inclusion: We provide resources and training that promote equity, accessibility, decolonization, and anti-racism. We acknowledge that there are multiple, valid Englishes, and our teaching practices value students’ agency by empowering and supporting their rhetorical and language choices. 

To apply to join our team: 

By 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, email a single document titled with your name containing the following to Dr. Maša Torbica, mtorbica@uwaterloo.ca:  

  • A one-page cover letter. In your letter, please also tell us: 
    • Why you’re interested in being a WCC peer tutor  
    • How your work and educational experiences have prepared you for this role 
    • Your program and anticipated graduation date 
  • A résumé or CV detailing your relevant experiences  
  • A recent assignment, proposal, or publication as a sample of your academic communication (written, oral, visual, or digital)  
  • A brief memo describing your sample text (when and why you wrote or created it) and reflecting on it (what was your process for writing or creating it? What worked about the piece? What would you change now if you could?)  

If the application process does not meet your access needs, please email Maša Torbica at mtorbica@uwaterloo.ca for alternate application processes. 

The WCC is committed to actively working towards breaking down systemic barriers. We seek applicants who embrace our values of equity, antiracism, and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from those who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including those who identify as First Nations, Métis, Inuit/Inuk, Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women, and 2SLGBTQ+. 

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that by accepting this position they would not compromise their enrolment status, visa conditions, or scholarship/award terms. If you are unsure, check with your program coordinator or advisor.