How to get started

Demonstrators are often the main point of regular in person contact with students in class.  As such the school takes your role seriously and it is essential that you understand your role and have the right skill set.

The training is designed to give you an overview of your role as a demonstrator and illustrate best practice for interacting with students in a learning situation.

Before the start of each new teaching block, there is a two-part compulsory Demonstrator Training Course :

Theory Training Course

This course focuses on the theory of demonstrating and best practice.

• This is mandatory for those who would like to be considered to demonstrate on School of Biological Sciences courses (wet or dry labs).
• If you complete this part of the training only you will only be able to demonstrate in non laboratory based classes e.g. workshops and ‘dry’ practical sessions such as field work or visits.

Lab Training Course

This course offers extended training for wet lab demonstrators and involves some hands on practice in real lab situations using examples from existing or recent undergraduate practical tasks.

• In order to demonstrate in laboratory practicals, you must also complete the wet lab training.
• You must have some experience in wet lab work already e.g. from undergraduate / masters degree
• No demonstrating will be permitted until you have attended. Attendance is by invite only - complete the Registration Form below for the chance to receive an invite.
• Please attend training at the earliest opportunity. You only need to attend this training once (not every semester or year).

 You must demonstrate your eligibility to work in the UK by presenting appropriate documents to College of Science and Engineering (CSE) HR Admin Hub: CSE.HRAdmin@ed.ac.uk 

They will contact you for the Right to Work checks and contract after you have attended the BTO demonstrators mandatory training.

When you sign up as a demonstrator you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire to let us know your availability and areas of knowledge and experience.

We will send out a new questionnaire each semester for you to complete.  

• We do this because not everyone who signs up to be a demonstrator decides that they want to work in any given semester.
• If you do not complete the questionnaire you will not be offered any demonstrating work for that semester.  

Availability

The questionnaire allows you to tell us when you are available (weeks, days, mornings or afternoons) so that we can allocate you to suitable classes.  

• Your availability is likely to change from one semester to another, so the questionnaire allows you to inform us of any changes to your work pattern.  
• You will also be able to let us know how many hours of work per week you are looking for and whether you want your work spread across a week or concentrated on particular days.

Matching your skills/ knowledge/interest areas

To provide the best possible experience for our undergraduate students and to limit the amount of preparation work you will need to do we will allocate you to the appropriate classes in terms of subject matter and skills/techniques.

• For example, if your background and current PhD is in the field of Ecology then you would be well suited to help in a workshop exploring the concepts of food chains and trophic cascades, but less well suited to demonstrate in a third-year protein structure modelling workshop.
• However, this does not mean that you will be 'stuck' on the same course for all of your demonstrating work.  You may learn new techniques or gain new knowledge whilst demonstrating on particular courses and of course you will be learning new ideas and techniques as part of your own studies, so you can update your skills and experience profile as time goes on.

Course Summaries for years 1 to 3 (EASE login)

Special requests - working hours or courses

If you have any special requests such as:

• All of your working hours concentrated on particular days
• Interest in demonstrating on a particular course - note this is dependent on your skills and experience.

We may be able to accommodate this, please get in touch via the key contacts below.

To receive payment for demonstrating, you will be required to list your activities on a Time Card in People & Money.  

• Timecards should be submitted near the end of each month - no later than the 1st of the following month.
• Enter each activity (meeting/preparation time/demonstrating time) separately. Times must match 'Sign in' sheets. Any mismatch will cause payment for all activities in any one month to be delayed.  
• Time Cards have to be authorised before payment can be arranged.

More People and Money guidance is available on completing your Time Card, and there are some helpful hints in the document below.

Guaranteed Hours Time Card Approval (SharePoint)

Pay scales can be found on the university website.  With a Guaranteed Hours contract, annual leave is paid as an extra percentage allowance on top of your hourly rate.

Pay scales