Graduate Teaching Assistant

The Nasher Museum is hiring a Graduate Teaching Assistant to provide support for the Academic Initiatives department for the 2026-2027 academic year. The Teaching Assistant’s primary responsibility is organizing and leading tours for university classes visiting temporary exhibitions and the permanent collection at the Nasher Museum. Leading tours outside regular museum hours may be required. Applicants should be graduate students, currently enrolled at Duke, with experience teaching undergraduates. The anticipated start date is August 24, 2026. Continuation into spring semester is dependent on performance.

Time Commitment: 7 to 10 hours per week
Rate of Pay: $20 per hour

To apply, please email a CV, cover letter with your interest in the position, experience teaching and/or working in museums and the names of two references (no letters of recommendation are required) to Julia McHugh, Ph.D., Trent A. Carmichael Director of Academic Initiatives & Curator of Arts of the Americas at julia.mchugh@duke.edu.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Responsibilities

• Attend Nasher training sessions on tour development, in-gallery teaching and object-based teaching and learning.
• Communicate expectations and develop lesson plans with faculty prior to visit.
• Follow up with faculty for evaluation/feedback post-visit.
• Attend lectures and tours related to exhibitions.
• Develop tour content and deliver it to class visits.
• Research and identify Duke semester course offerings in which students/faculty would benefit from visiting upcoming exhibitions and/or engagement with objects in permanent collection.
• Provide outreach to student groups and other university entities.
• Attend weekly Academic Initiatives department meetings to assign, plan, and debrief class visits with the team.
• Other administrative duties as necessary.

Skills/experience needed

• Be a currently enrolled Duke graduate student able to commit the necessary time to working in the Nasher’s Academic Initiatives department for an entire academic year (approximately 7-10 hours per week, scheduled around the TA’s course and/or research schedule). Before applying, please consult with your advisor.
• Experience teaching undergraduate students in some capacity is required.
• Museum experience or experience working with art objects is not required but preferred.
• Organized, reliable, responsible, and flexible.
• Comfortable with public speaking (presentation to groups ranging from 5 to 20 people); must convey interest and energy while leading groups.
• Excellent communication skills and a demonstrated ability to work collegially in a professional environment.