Special Instructions to ApplicantsApplications for Teaching Assistant will be accepted on an ongoing basisand will be reviewed as needed.Applicants should upload 1 Curriculum Vitae. 2 Unofficial transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutionsattended official transcripts may be required if applicant is selected for aposition. 3 Cover letter describing relevant education research andor work experiencerelated to the marinecoastal science field. Courses an applicant wishes toTA must be specified in cover letter.Applicants must be currently authorized to work in theUnited States on a full-time basis without the need for visa sponsorship. TheUniversity will not sponsor applicants for work visas e.g. H-1B.Job SummaryThe University of Southern Mississippis Department of Coastal Sciences invitesapplications for teaching assistants to aid instructors in teaching fieldintensive marine science courses at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in OceanSprings Mississippi. The courses will be offered as a part of the GulfCoast Research Laboratorys Summer Field Program during the summerintersession first summer term and second summer term. Class meets everyweekday during the course term. However due to weather impacts on fieldactivities schedule flexibility is necessary. Possible overnight travelrequired. Modification of teaching platform from field and lab intensiveto virtual may be required. For information about the Summer Field Program visitwww.usm.eduocean-science-engineeringsummer-field-program.php.We anticipate filling thefollowing Teacher Assistant vacancies as neededBarrier Island Ecology-COA 448448L three credit hours 2 lecture 1 lab.Course Description This field course will familiarizestudents with concepts of coastal ecology with emphasis on the diversity ofplant and animal communities unique to the northern Gulf of Mexico barrierislands. Students will take field excursions to barrier islands during thiscourse. Topics covered include marsh submerged and barrier island vegetationaquatic and terrestrial invertebrates mammals birds and reptiles intertidaland shallow subtidal communities and geologic processes of island dynamics.Cetacean Behavior- COA 444three credit hours 3 lecture.Course description Students will learn tools and techniquesused in the systematic observation and documentation of delphinid behavior inthe wild. Course includes both classroom lecture and field studies focusedprimarily on dolphins of the Mississippi Sound.Elasmobranch Biology-COA 422522 422L522L six credit hours 3 lecture 3 lab.Course Description This specialized course will providestudents with an overview of elasmobranch sharks skates and rays biologyecology and taxonomy. Lectures will cover such topics as evolution anatomy andphysiology sensory systems behavior and ecology. Students will be introducedto the diversity of elasmobranchs and will learn how to identify species.Special emphasis will be given to the species common to the Gulf of Mexico.Laboratory work will consist of several inshore and offshore collecting tripsas well as dissections.Marine Conservation-COA 450550 450L550L five credit hours 3 lecture 2 lab.Course Description This course will introduce students toconservation biology and ecology with a focus on marine and coastal ecosystems.Topics may include biodiversity marine ecosystems processes and threatsconservation of habitat and species and human impacts solutions and policy.The course will consist of lectures field trips and laboratory exercisesdesigned to provide students with hands-on experience in marine conservationbiology.Marine Ichthyology-COA 421521 COA 421L521L six credit hours 3 lecture 3 lab.Course Description is an intensive marine biological fieldcourse which engages students to collect and identify marine fishes innumerous habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. Students experience a variety ofland-based and vessel-based collection techniques such as seining castnetting hook and line fishing trawling trolling dip netting and manyothers. Students must work effectively alone and in teams and participate infield expeditions to complete the course objectives. Successful students gain anappreciation for taxonomic identities of fishes and the synergism betweenabiotic and biotic factors that drive marine fish distribution and faunaldiversity in the northern Gulf of Mexico.Marine Invertebrate Zoology-COA 428528 428L528L six credit hours 3 lecture3 lab.Course description This course is a concentrated study ofthe marine and estuarine invertebrates from the Mississippi Sound andcontiguous continental shelf of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Emphasis is onstructure classification phylogenic relationships larval development andfunctional processes. Prerequisites Two semesters of biology or permission ofinstructor.Marine Mammals- COA443543 443L543L five credit hours 3 lecture 2 lab.Course Description This course isan overview of the biology of marine mammals cetaceans pinnipeds sirenianssea otters and the polar bear including their classification evolutionaryhistory anatomy physiology behavior conservation and management.Course will be online in 2026.Marine Sciences IOceanography - COA 300300L five credit hours 3 lecture 2 lab.Course Description This course provides a multidisciplinaryfoundation in oceanography specifically the terminology principlesprocesses relationships and phenomena pertaining to its sub-disciplinesphysical geological biological and chemical oceanography. The importance ofthe interaction of biotic and abiotic processes in the ocean will be addressedthrough exploration of timely issues in ocean science.Marine Sciences II MarineBiology- COA 301301L five credit hours 3 lecture 2 lab.Course Description An ecological approach is taken tounderstand the biology of marine systems with emphasis on local organismstheir habitats life cycles and survival strategies.Marine Toxicology-COA 490590 Special Topics - Marine Toxicology five credit hours.Course Description This coursewill introduce students to the concepts of aquatic toxicology. Lectures willcover history and basic concepts of toxicology with a focus on aquatic issuesmodern molecular techniques commonly used in modern toxicology applications anoverview of common xenobiotics and experimental design. Lab activities willfocus on basic toxicological skills including exposure setup and monitoringendpoint selection and basic molecular techniques.Course will be onlinein 2026.The Culture of the Coast-COA 490 Special Topics- The Culture of the Coast five credit hours.Course Description This course examines how coastalprocesses and habitats shape human communities along the coast throughliterature music and visual arts. Lectures introduce cultural perspectives onadaptation resilience and environmental change in coastal regions. Fieldworkin natural and built settings allows students to connect these concepts throughfirsthand exploration of local landscapes and cultural sites.Primary Duties and ResponsibilitiesGather and prepare necessary supplies and lab equipment for lab and field activities. Return equipment to be ready for use by another course after lab or field trip.Coordinate field experiences including field lunches from the GCRL cafeteria vehicle and vessel use and temporary use of community resources.Follow laboratory safety rules ensure students follow laboratory safety rules.Assist instructor with administering tests quizzes grading and delivering course content in lecture laboratory discussion and online formats etc.Maintain communication with Summer Field Program staff members.Follow the policies and procedures of the University of Southern Mississippi.Performs other duties as required.