The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) is inviting applications for a graduate assistantship for a master’s student, offering a $4,500 stipend each semester along with a $4,806 maintenance/tuition fee waiver. The position begins in January 2027, and applications close on October 2, 2026.
The selected student will divide their time between graduate study and work in botanical research and herbarium management at the UTC Herbarium, handling plant specimens, digitization and collection management.
What the assistantship covers
The stipend of $4,500 per semester amounts to about $18,600 a year. Funding can run for up to three years, or six academic semesters, subject to the student’s performance. Summer contract work on field or herbarium projects may also be available, but the posting states that it is not part of the advertised assistantship.
The package does not cover every expense. According to the posting, the fee waiver may still leave a maintenance fee balance of around $1,100, and students must pay for items such as books and parking.
The work involved
The student will help manage and expand the UTC Herbarium (UCHT), which holds more than 50,000 specimens, with a target of reaching 65,000. Duties include specimen preparation, integration, processing of backlogs and digitization, including helping to finish digitizing the full collection.
The research can be developed into a master’s thesis in areas such as floristics, invasive and rare plant species, conservation, herbarium studies and specimen digitization. The role also carries significant responsibility for the 73rd annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, covering event organization, operations and report writing.
Eligibility
Applicants need an undergraduate degree in a related field and a GPA above 3.0. A botany background is required, meaning at least one undergraduate botany course, other relevant training or strong evidence of botanical experience. Good communication skills and a strong work ethic are also expected.
Prior professional experience is not necessary. However, candidates familiar with the Symbiota/SERNEC portals, basic R or Python, or with experience working alongside researchers, conservation workers or the public will be strongly preferred.
How to apply
Applicants must submit a single PDF containing a one-page cover letter, a CV and contact details for four references. The file should be emailed to Joey Shaw at UTC, using the address given in the job announcement, with “UCHT Herbarium Assistantship” as the subject line. The successful candidate will then need to apply separately to the UTC Graduate Program.
Further details are available on the University of Tennessee Graduate Assistantship (Master’s) page.