Applicants must apply and submit materials through careers.umich.edu. A cover letter is required for consideration and should be attached as the first page of your CV. The cover letter should indicate the course(s) for which you would like to be considered.

UM Biological Station field lab courses combine a mixture of tools needed to become ecologically proficient. This includes applying the fundamental concepts from ecology, botany, microbiology, forest ecosystems, aquatic systems, birds, and ethnobotany. The field and lab exercises have a mixture of ecological practices, field experiments, hypothesis testing, statistical analyses, and written/oral communication. Appointments for these lab sections, like all UMBS classes, involve rigorous, hands-on, field-based activities.
We anticipate positions for the courses listed below. More details on each course can be found on the UMBS Courses webpage.

• ALA 264 (Michigan: People and Place in a Changing Climate)
• BIOLOGY 207 (Microbiology)
• BIOLOGY 282 (General Ecology Lecture)
• EEB 405 (Observation and Modeling of Climate Change Biology)
• EEB 373 (General Ecology Lab)
• ENVIRON 462 (Great Lakes Policy & Management)

All UMBS courses are held in residence at the UMBS campus in Pellston, Michigan. Courses are 3-credits and meet 3 full days/week (M/Tu/W or Th/F/Sat) for 4 weeks.
Spring Term is May 19 - June 20, 2026, and Summer term is June 30 - July 30, 2026. Candidates may apply for courses in one or both terms.
We expect selected instructors to participate in several planning meetings before the start of the semester. These will be led by UMBS staff, who are familiar with field sites, equipment, and local conditions. 

UMBS will cover your housing and dining at the Pellston, Michigan campus at an estimated cost of $1,620 for the four-week term.

UMBS is one of the nation's oldest, and largest field stations. It is located on the shores of Douglas Lake, manages more than 10,000 acres of adjacent forest, streams, wetlands, and a variety of ecological infrastructure (long-term experiments, flux towers, stream lab) that faculty and students can use to explore and answer ecological, evolutionary, and earth systems questions. During spring and summer terms, 10-250 students, researchers, and staff live at the Pellston, Michigan campus creating a robust scientific community.

The University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) is seeking applications for UM Graduate Student Instructors (GEO GSIs) to engage in team-based teaching for our 2026 Spring and Summer Half-Term Biology and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) and interdisciplinary courses (0.35 effort). These classes are a critical part of our undergraduate education and research program. We are especially interested in qualified candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of our community through teaching.  

Candidates must currently be in good standing and pursuing a thesis or dissertation at the University of Michigan at the graduate level, have previous GSI teaching experience, and field research experience in any of the many fields and disciplines connected to ecology and evolutionary biology such as forest or aquatic systems, ethnobotany, natural resources management, and earth science. 

LSA student enrolled in a graduate program. The ideal candidate will have experience teaching in a collaborative, team-based environment, and will have participated in syllabus development. 

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.

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks.  Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Contact Candice Everett at candis@umich.edu with questions. Applications are due by April 1, 2026. We anticipate extending offers no later than April 24, 2026.

Applications will be forwarded to appropriate teaching faculty for consideration. UMBS will provide notification of hiring decisions to all applicants within 14 days after the selection process has been completed. Actual hiring will be dependent on candidate qualifications and student enrollment.

Applications will be forwarded to appropriate teaching faculty for consideration.  UMBS will provide notification of hiring decisions to all applicants within 14 days after the selection process has been completed. Actual hiring will be dependent on candidate qualifications and student enrollment.

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.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.