Multimedia and Social Content Student Assistant

Unit: Division of Mathematical, Life and Physical Sciences, UCSB Science
Supervisor: Communications Director
Position type: Paid, part-time student position
Pay: $17.40 to $20 per hour
Hours: Approximately 6 to 10 hours per week
Appointment: Fall 2026 through spring 2027
Work-Study: Work-Study applicants are welcome and encouraged, but Work-Study eligibility is not required.

Position summary

UCSB Science seeks a visually curious and dependable student assistant to support multimedia and social content production for the Division of Mathematical, Life and Physical Sciences.

Working closely with the Communications Director, the student will help turn approved stories, footage, photographs and source materials into accessible, engaging digital content. Typical projects may include short-form videos, social graphics, photo selections, captioned multimedia and organized digital assets.

Students from all majors are encouraged to apply. Relevant experience may come from coursework, student organizations, campus employment, research projects or personal creative work.

Primary responsibilities may include

• Assist with scheduled photography and videography for UCSB Science stories, research activities and events.
• Edit short-form and vertical videos, including basic audio adjustment, captions and platform formatting.
• Create or adapt graphics, carousels, thumbnails and reusable templates using Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud or similar software.
• Prepare first-round social content, photo selections and accessible formatting for review.
• Select and crop photographs for Instagram, LinkedIn and other approved channels.
• Organize footage, photographs, credits, permissions, project files and final exports.
• Maintain production checklists and collect basic social or video metrics from established reports.

All work will be assigned and reviewed by the Communications Director. The student will not independently publish content or manage official accounts.

Qualifications

• Strong visual judgment and attention to detail.
• Reliability with deadlines, meetings and file organization.
• Ability to follow a creative brief, receive feedback and revise work.
• Sound judgment when handling unpublished material.
• Experience in one or more relevant areas, such as videography, video editing, graphic design, photography, social media or digital storytelling.

Applicants are not expected to know every platform or software program. Training will be provided.

Work arrangement

The position is expected to be performed primarily on campus during fall quarter to support training and collaboration. After that initial period, remote work may be available for appropriate assignments, based on performance and project needs. Filming, photography, equipment use and selected meetings will continue to require on-campus availability.

Learning and professional development

The student will gain practical experience in university communications, short-form video, visual storytelling, accessible multimedia, social media production and digital asset management. The role includes professional creative feedback and opportunities to retain approved examples of published work for a portfolio.

The division will provide the workspace, computer, approved software and available production equipment needed for assigned work.

Application materials

• Resume.
• A response of no more than 250 words describing a multimedia, design or social media project you contributed to, your role and what you learned. Please submit this response using the cover letter field in Handshake.
• One to three relevant work samples. Coursework, student-organization projects and personal work are welcome. If submitting multiple samples or links, combine them into one PDF and upload it using the Other document field in Handshake.