The art department employs over 30 student workers, all of whom help make our department a vibrant, fun, and safe place for students to learn and make art!
Joining the department as a student worker is a great way for art majors and non-majors to enhance their subject matter knowledge, deepen their connection to the St. Olaf art community, and spend time in the studio.
Please read all of the following information before applying:
Eligibility
- Art department student work positions are open to both majors and non-majors.
- Some student work positions require prior classroom experience. In order to apply for a student work position in Ceramics, Photo, or the Sculpture Shop, students must have taken (or be currently enrolled in) a course in that respective area at St. Olaf. (i.e. Prospective Photo Lab Workers must have taken or be currently enrolled in Intro to Photography at St. Olaf before applying.)
- There are few opportunities for art department student workers to work more than 10 hours per week. Students who want to maximize their student work award have sometimes chosen to get a second student work job on campus. Most art department student workers work 3-8 hours per week for the department.
- Each position includes additional training and mentorship by the Studio Technician and faculty members in each media area.
Review and Hiring Timeline:
Unless otherwise noted, the art department will review applications for next semester’s workers at the end of each semester. For example, if you are interested in joining as a student worker in Photography at the beginning of an upcoming Fall Semester, make sure that your application is submitted in Oracle by the last day of Spring Semester. Please be patient if you apply early.
Hiring or rejection notices will be sent at the end of each application window, and students are encouraged to reapply if not selected. Job availability varies from semester to semester, and the department often gets many applications for just one or two open spots. Don’t be discouraged if you aren’t selected – you can always try again!
In-studio positions are reviewed by the Art Technician and/or the relevant faculty member.
Applying
Use the Oracle student work job search page to apply for a job for the upcoming semester. All art department job postings begin with “Art and Art History.”
If you have thoroughly read this information and still have questions, feel free to reach out to your faculty member or the Art Technician (nienstae@stolaf.edu)
To learn about internships and careers, check out the ArtSearch website.
Below is a list of potential employment opportunities in the Department of Art & Art History that you might see listed on Oracle:
Campus Student Galleries Assistant
Supervisor: Michon Weeks
Job Description:
Assist the Department of Art and Art History in coordinating the student gallery exhibition spaces around campus. Tasks include:
- Send email reminders to student artists
- Tour galleries every two weeks
- Maintain the tool caddy
Learn more about the Campus Student Galleries spaces
Shopkeeper
Supervisor: Anders Nienstaedt
Job Description:
- Monitor sculpture department tool use, with main focus being safety. Maintain tool room and shops organization. Check in/out tools from tool room. Assist students in safe and proper use of tools and shops. Assist Technical Supervisor with projects throughout the department. Accept deliveries to the department.
- Skills Needed: basic metal and/or woodworking skills. Must have taken art 103 and be proficient with the tools in our shop. Must be able to work independently and with responsibility. Must be prompt and trustworthy.
Media Room Attendant
Supervisor: Peter Nelson & Anders Nienstaedt
Job Description:
- The position of Media Room Attendant is a student worker position designed to help keep the Media Room organized, efficient and operating without glitches. The main duties relate to equipment checkouts, assisting with the lighting studio, keeping the Media Room in order, and monitoring supplies.
- Skills Needed: This position requires promptness and attention to detail. Knowledge and experience with digital and 35mm cameras, audiovisual equipment, Photoshop, and lighting is preferred.
- Hours per week: 5-10
- Times of hours: flexible
Ceramics Assistant
Supervisor: Courtney Leonard
Job Description:
- Maintain the studio, help keep the studio running smoothly and communicate with the instructor who is ultimately responsible for the studio. Duties may include: loading and firing all bisques in a timely manner throughout the semester, loading and firing glaze loads, scraping and cleaning kiln shelves and posts, sweeping out the gas and salt kilns, mixing cone 10 glazes, mixing clay, keeping rack of clay, glaze and cone inventories, helping other students, keeping an general eye on the conditions of the studio for the instructor.
- Skills Needed: Ceramic Experience. Must have taken art 207 and must have a sound understanding of a variety of construction methods and firing processes. Must be able to work independently and with responsibility. Must be prompt and trustworthy.
- Hours per week: flexible
Office Assistant
Supervisor: Art Department AAA
Job Description:
- Assist with a variety of office tasks. Put away the mail, make copies, scanning, run errands, word processing, data entry, mailings, answering the phone, helping students and faculty.
- Assist in maintaining the student artwork collection by updating the database and occasionally moving and re-curating the collection around campus.
- Check the art department’s eye wash stations and safety showers on a weekly basis and keep records related to this. Restock first aid kits.
- Other duties as assigned.
- Skills Needed: Computer skills, ability to pay close attention to detail, willingness to do a variety of tasks, good people skills.
- Hours per week: 2-5
- Times of hours: hours available on weekdays between 8 am and 5 pm.
Social Media Assistant
Supervisor: Art Department AAA
Works closely with art department AAA to create engaging content for the art department social media presence, including keeping social media channels updated and seeking out new social media avenues and ways of connecting with audiences. May also be asked to assist with art department website.
Job Description:
- Manages company social media channels, including Facebook and Instagram, and other relevant platforms
- Creates dynamic written, graphic, and video content
- Creates content that promotes audience interaction, increases audience presence on our department sites
- Works closely with the department to develop social media campaigns
- Analyses and reports audience information and demographics, and success of existing social media projects
- Proposes new ideas and concepts for social media content
- Manages social media communications
- Uses timelines and scheduled content to create a consistent stream of new content for while analyzing, managing, and altering schedules where necessary to optimize visits
Social Media Assistant Skills and Qualifications:
Social media marketing experience preferred, familiarity with the art department, excellent technology skills, content writing, graphic design, self-motivation, strong communication skills, networking, proofreading, strong customer-service skills, enthusiasm, detail-oriented, collaboration, WordPress and photography experience a plus.
Photolab Assistant
Supervisor: Anders Nienstaedt
Job Description:
- Assist beginning students with darkroom processing and printing. Mix chemicals, maintain the security, organization, and cleanliness of the lab, and do odd jobs as requested. Assist with scanning and photoshop in digital lab.
- Skills Needed: You must have experience with film development, darkroom printing, flatbed and negative scanners, and Photoshop to apply for this position. Experience with the Epson 9880 inkjet printer a plus. You must have good darkroom printing skills.
- Hours per week: Students work one or two 3 hour shifts per week.
- Times of hours: Evening and day time hours available.
Models
Supervisors: Art Department AAA, Michon Weeks
Job Description:
- Modeling sessions vary, but generally they start with 15 minutes of “gesture” drawings (quick, spontaneous 15-60 second poses) and then move into more sustained poses (standing or seated for 15-30 minutes) or reclining (up to 2 hours).
- Skills Needed: Willingness to be expressive with body and unintimidated by artists’ observation and willing to experiment with poses. It is beneficial if the model has had his/her own experience drawing from a figure.
Flaten Art Museum Galleries Lighting and Technical Assistant
Supervisor: Stephen Schroeder
Job Description:
- Help to setup and maintain all technical needs for exhibits in the galleries
- Assist and light works within the galleries
- Skills Needed: Ability to clearly communicate and listen attentively; Teamwork and Independent work ethic; Acute attention to details; Willingness to work with hands; Ability to work on a ladder and in a lift at heights above 15 feet (5 meters); Cooperative problem solving
- Hours per week: varies