Teaching Assistant- Dept Mech

Join the Department of Mechanical Engineering as a Fall 2026 Teaching Assistant for ME 8284: Intermediate Robotics with Medical Applications. You will support students in mastering advanced robotic concepts specifically tailored for medical environments, including hands-on lab modules and clinical observations.

Responsibilities may include (but are not limited to): development and instruction of courses (if Instructor of Record); grading of examinations, reports, and/or assigning final grades; preparation of examination or class materials; organization of course; assistance provided to faculty in the teaching or advising of students registered in specific course; supervision or instruction of laboratory classes, recitation sections or intern groups; academic administrative duties directly related to administration of a course.

Required qualifications;
* Must be currently registered in a degree-granting graduate program and maintain the minimum number of credits (6 credits per semester) in order to hold a student position at the University of Minnesota and have expertise in the material covered by the course e.g. demonstrated by successfully taking this course in the past with a grade of B or better.
* Experience working with surgeons or clinicians on medical applications and translating clinical needs to quantitative specifications in robotics: kinematic envelopes, manipulability measures, reachable and dynamic workspaces.
* Working knowledge of and experience in numeric inverse kinematics via image Jacobian and related adaptive Jacobian methods for highly underactuated systems operating under uncertain contact or motion constraints. e.g. control of catheter, guidewire robots or soft robots under 2D camera or fluoroscopy. Visual servoing.
* Feedback control over existing networks, teleoperation, latency quantification; Experience with actual implementation on modern internet infrastructure.
* Hardware implementation and experimental characterization of robotic control algorithms in embedded systems (e.g. integration with hardware timers and interrupts, motor encoders and H-bridges)
* Experience with the Haptic Telegraph (a hands-on lab module for telerobotics and haptics)
* Working knowledge of robotics packages: Python libraries (e.g. Corke) and NVIDIA Isaac for Healthcare (e.g. Newton enabled medical physics simulation, Cosserat rod theory to support hands-on class activities and development of NVIDIA GPU-based course modules.
* Availability to schedule, coordinate, and oversee student visits to operating rooms to observe live robotic surgeries (documentation of vaccination compliance, HIPAA).

The Department of Mechanical Engineering has an internationally recognized faculty, and is part of the College of Science and Engineering, the highly interdisciplinary college of engineering, physical sciences, and mathematics.

Pay Range: ME standard GA rate= $33.42/ hour or ME advanced GA rate= $36.83/ hour; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Please visit the Office of Student Health Benefits website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

Student workers are eligible to participate in the Student Health Benefit Plan, if they maintain 6 or more eligible course credits within a given semester. The same applies for Undergraduate Students, Graduate Assistants, Residents, Fellows and Interns.

Application Deadline: 9/7/26

Student positions are a form of financial support while pursuing an education at the University of Minnesota.

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will have the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail jobcentr@umn.edu.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

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The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023, 2025, 2026), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-life flexibility.