Search for Student Jobs

Work Part-Time

Working part-time as a student can be a valuable experience at all class levels, generating income for your studies and developing skills for future opportunities. Even a job working as a waiter or a cashier develops skills that employers seek in various fields and industries.

Jobs on campus can be beneficial for convenience and flexibility with your schedule, while jobs off-campus can sometimes be more lucrative. Use this page to guide your search.

Learn how to practice #SafeSearch and avoid online job fraud so you Don't Get Scammed.

On-Campus Jobs

Are you looking to find a job on campus? There are many options available. While most recruitment for on-campus positions is conducted near the start of fall quarter, other positions are posted throughout the year.

Handshake

The first resource we recommend you review is Handshake, the premium job and internship platform for UCSB students. Most campus departments at UCSB post their job and internship positions to Handshake, including all approved Work-Study positions.

To learn about Handshake, visit our Handshake Help Center or click below to login.

Login to Handshake

Recruitment Events

Career Services hosts two events during the year that can help you meet prospective employers and learn about on-campus employment. These events are advertised on Handshake via our Events page:

On-Campus Job Fair: Held at the start of fall quarter during the Week of Welcome and provides you the opportunity to speak with departments who are actively looking to hire.
On-Campus Job & Internship Mixer: Held during winter quarter for students who are looking to learn more about on-campus employment opportunities.

PRO TIP

If you do not land an on-campus position during your first attempt, keep trying! Students sometimes quit their position or reject an offer for various reasons, leading on-campus departments to hire an "alternate" or reach out to others who originally applied. As with all of your career endeavors, apply a long-term mindset to your search, so that you keep doors open for future opportunities.

More Departments That Hire

In addition to utilizing Handshake and recruitment events, we recommend that you review department websites when seeking on-campus employment.

Many on-campus departments post on Handshake when they have a job available, but some do not always do so, and others only post during a short recruitment period.

Jobs Potentially Not Listed on Handshake

Here are a few departments that may not post their positions on Handshake:

Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS): CLAS provides employment for over 100 students to provide academic support to their fellow Gauchos.
Campus Store: The Campus Store (formerly known as the Bookstore) offers many job opportunities for students in various departments of the store.
Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration (CCBER): The Cheadle Center is housed under the Office of Research which focuses on restoration of campus lands and preservation management of natural history collections.
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP): Through mentorship, academic programs, one-to-one counseling/advising, campus student support service referrals and social/cultural programming, EOP strives to maximize a student's involvement and success in the campus academic community. EOP also helps motivate and inform students to utilize services to enhance their preparation for the job market and/or graduate/professional school admission.
Family Vacation Center (Alumni): UCSB Alumni hosts the Summer Family Camp from mid-June to late-August and they look for energetic and responsible students to work as camp counselors. Staff are provided room and board as well as an hourly wage.
Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Enterprises: Job opportunities can be found in areas of Residential & Community Living, Residential Operations, Residential Dining Services, Conference Services, and more. Additionally, they employ approximately 200 students each summer to assist with the summer conference program.
Multicultural Center (MCC): The MCC offers a broad spectrum of events including lectures, panel discussions, films and videos, musical, dance and dramatic performances. Students are hired to staff the front desk and help with special projects.
Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS): OISS serves UCSB’s international students and scholars and departments that work with the international population. OISS provides immigration support for the UCSB community, advising for international students, and cultural programming.
Research Experience and Education Facility (REEF): REEF is UCSB’s teaching aquarium and outreach touch tank facility. They provide K-12 programs, on-campus classes, and tours for the General Public. Gain hands-on experience working with local marine life and kids by teaching K-12 students about marine science.
Student Engagement & Leadership (SEAL): Student Engagement & Leadership (formerly the Office of Student Life) coordinates student activities and events on campus and administers campus organizations, fraternities and sororities, leadership development programs, and veteran and military services. In conjunction with the Dean of Students Office, they also offer referrals, general assistance, and problem-solving to students facing personal emergencies.
Sustainability: The Sustainability office helps the university rethink the way it manages energy, water, recycling, transportation, food, the built environment, and much more. Through various programs, they work to make UCSB friendlier to the environment and a healthier place to live, work, research and study. Internships and volunteer opportunities are offered.

Teaching Assistantships (for Graduate Students)

If you are searching for on-campus Teaching Assistantships as a graduate student, here are a few of the most useful resources to support your search:

Department list-serves
Faculty in your department
GradPost

Off-Campus Jobs

If you are looking for a job off-campus, there are many opportunities for part-time employment in Isla Vista, Goleta, and Santa Barbara. Organizations that hire part-time employees frequently include retail outlets, restaurants, hotels, and small offices, as well as other organizations.

Here are some key tips to help you look for off-campus jobs:

Many local businesses post part-time opportunities on Handshake, but additional platforms to check include Indeed, WayUp, and related resources on our Job Search Strategies page.
Many local hotels host career fairs throughout the year, which we typically advertise on our social media pages.
Visiting a retail outlet or business in-person can be a method to learn about the steps to apply, make a name for yourself, or submit your application.
Transportation to off-campus jobs is a key consideration; do you have a car, or does the bus route [i.e., Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD)], travel to your destination?

Work-Study Jobs

If you have Work-Study as part of your financial aid package, we recommend that you use it! Work-Study is a need-based form of Financial Aid that you earn through on- or off-campus employment and receive in the form of a paycheck. Your financial aid package will state whether or not you have Work-Study funds.

Finding Work-Study Positions

All officially approved Work-Study positions are posted on Handshake. To find opportunities that are currently available, slect "Work Study" as a filter on the Jobs tab. Be sure to also check other on-campus jobs through the "On-Campus" filter in the jobs tab. Some departments hire both work-study an non-work study students. Check each on-campus posting requirements for more details. Many work-study positions are posted in August or September, while others are posted year-round.