All work-study positions at UNC are handled through the Student Employment website. Go to this website and choose the correct portal in the upper left-hand corner depending on whether you are an on- or off-campus employer. Then, log in with your UNC Onyen and password.

Becoming a Work-Study Employer

In order to hire work-study students, you must be a full-time staff or faculty member and go through required training. Email Josh Leonard at work-study@unc.edu in May to be added to the roster of work-study supervisors for the upcoming school year, or if you have any questions. (As of February of 2017, Josh Leonard is the Assistant Director for Student Employment.)

If for some reason you cannot reach Mr. Leonard, contact Thomas Harper, the Work-Study Payroll Coordinator at thomas_harper@unc.edu or 919-962-4170.

Creating and Posting a Job

  1. A complete guide to posting a job can be found here.
  2. Job descriptions must be approved by the Student Employment office before being posted for the perusal of potential work-study students. So, well before the fall semester starts, determine the date that jobs can be available on the website. Usually there is a two-week delay in getting the job descriptions approved, so plan accordingly so that your jobs are posted as early as possible. Some of the best potential employees are hired quickly.
  3. On the student employment site, log in as an on- or off-campus employer. Under Employer Tools select Job Management Login which will take you to the Job Control Panel. Under this panel you will find access to the form to fill out to describe a job for posting. You may post multiple listings.  Each will be assigned a four-digit number.
  4. Fill out the form articulating your job requirements. Provide a clear, interesting, and inviting job description. A sample has been provided below.

General Laboratory support in the cell and molecular biology laboratory of Dr. William Smith. Duties include autoclaving, preparing simple stock solutions, and putting glassware in the dishwasher. Hours are flexible, 6-15 hours per week. Opportunities to add more challenging scientific tasks are available to students who are interested, but this is not a requirement.

We need very reliable students to work in a pleasant, exciting environment. Science majors are encouraged to apply, but all of the work can be done by any intelligent student, so all majors are welcome to apply. You will receive all necessary training, so prior laboratory experience is not required.

Reviewing Applications

  1. Once you start receiving applications, you may view them by logging into https://unc.studentemployment.ngwebsolutions.com/.
  2.  Communicate with candidates through the contact information provided in their applications. Directly ask each student the amount of their work-study award as it appears in ConnectCarolina.
  3. It is a good idea to interview at least two or three students for each position. Invite the candidates in for interviews and ask them for the email addresses of three people who could give them recommendations, e.g., professors or past employers. In addition to getting a sense of the student’s character, asking for a recommendation sets the tone for a professional working environment and prepares them for future jobs which may require recommendations.  A sample email to the student’s prior supervisor has been provided below.

Hi ________________,

I have been given your name by _______________, who tells me that you are familiar with her and her work.  We are thinking of offering her a position in our laboratory.  Can you recommend ________________?  Is she completely reliable?  Bright?  Careful?  Pleasant?  Does she have a strong work ethic?  Is she capable of meticulousness?  Your response would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Hiring a Candidate

  1. Once you formally make a job offer and it has been accepted, return to https://unc.studentemployment.ngwebsolutions.com/.  Navigate to the job that you are filling and select the desired candidate.
  2. Clicking Hire will allow you to verify that the applicant is a UNC student and his or her work-study amount. Take note of this, making sure it matches the amount the student thinks he or she has. This is important to ensure that their total earnings will not exceed the maximum allowable amount.
  3. As you complete the hiring process, have a hiring email sent via the website  to the student, yourself, and your human resources specialist.
  4. The work-study student is now hired, but must still fill out the required paperwork to be employed by the university. Follow this link for instructions on how to complete the necessary human resources paperwork. In the Biochemistry and Biophysics Department, the student must meet with the human resources specialists in person.