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Graduate Assistant Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Virginia Jobs

Graduate Academic Advisor

Alexandria, VA · Hybrid

$44.80K - $55K/yr

The Graduate Academic Advisor serves as the primary point of contact for current and prospective ... assist with yield and retention strategies. • Collaborating to Advance Program Operations ...

State of Virginia

Administrative Assistant

Fairfax, VA

$18.50 - $24.75/hr

Part of the Office of the Provost, under the Academic Affairs Division, the Graduate Division ... The Administrative Assistant is responsible for the Senior Associate Provost's calendar ...

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How much do graduate assistant jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 1, 2026, the average hourly pay for graduate assistant in Reston, VA is $20.34, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $15.77 and $22.26 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What Is the Job of a Graduate Assistant?

The job of a graduate assistant is to perform research, teach, or work at a university as part of their academic education. Graduate assistants are typically doctoral candidates, but some master’s students may also qualify to work in this position. Your duties in this career differ depending on your role and the level of class at which you assist. For example, many large lecture classes need graders, readers, and teaching assistants, all with separate responsibilities. On the other hand, if you work in labs or departmental offices, you may work as a full-time researcher.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Graduate Assistant, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Graduate Assistant, you generally need strong academic credentials in your field, research and analytical skills, and enrollment in a graduate program. Familiarity with educational technology platforms, data analysis tools, or laboratory equipment (depending on the discipline) is often required. Excellent communication, time management, and teamwork skills help you effectively support faculty and collaborate with students. These skills are vital for balancing multiple responsibilities while contributing to academic and research excellence.

What are some common challenges Graduate Assistants face when balancing academic work with assistantship responsibilities?

Graduate Assistants often juggle coursework, research, and their assistantship duties, which can include teaching, grading, or administrative tasks. Time management is a frequent challenge, as deadlines for academic work and assistantship responsibilities can sometimes overlap. Setting clear expectations with supervisors, prioritizing tasks, and using organizational tools can help maintain a healthy balance. Open communication with faculty and peers also plays a crucial role in managing workload and reducing stress.

What are Graduate Assistants?

Graduate Assistants (GAs) are graduate students who work part-time at a college or university, typically assisting faculty or departments with teaching, research, or administrative tasks. These positions often provide a stipend and/or tuition waiver in exchange for their work. Graduate Assistants gain valuable professional experience while pursuing their advanced degrees, and their responsibilities can vary widely depending on the department and the specific assistantship. Common duties include helping with classroom instruction, grading assignments, conducting research, or supporting university operations.

What is the difference between Graduate Assistant vs Research Assistant?

AspectGraduate AssistantResearch Assistant
Required CredentialsEnrolled graduate student, often with a relevant degreeUndergraduate or graduate student, sometimes with specific research experience
Work EnvironmentAcademic settings, assisting in teaching or administrative tasksResearch labs, projects, or fieldwork within academic or research institutions
Employer & Industry UsageUniversities, colleges, academic departmentsResearch institutions, universities, government agencies
Common Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding roles, responsibilities, and qualificationsClarifying research duties and experience needed

While both roles support academic and research activities, a Graduate Assistant typically assists with teaching or administrative tasks while pursuing a graduate degree. A Research Assistant focuses primarily on conducting research projects, often requiring specific research skills. The roles often overlap in academic settings, but their main focus and responsibilities differ.

More about Graduate Assistant jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Graduate jobs in Reston, VA? The most popular types of Graduate jobs in Reston, VA are:
What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Graduate Assistant jobs? Cities near Reston, VA with the most Graduate Assistant job openings:
Graduate Assistant jobs near you
Infographic showing various Graduate Assistant job openings in Reston, VA as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 87% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $42,313 per year, or $20.3 per hour.

Legal Assistant (OA) Recent Graduate - Environmental Enforcement Section

Offices, Boards and Divisions

Washington, DC • On-site, Remote

$46.61K - $60.59K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 4 days ago

Job description

Summary
This is an excepted service appointment under the DOJ Pathways Recent Graduates Program for the Environmental Enforcement Section which is responsible for bringing civil judicial actions under federal laws enacted to protect public health and the environment from pollution, such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Superfund law (CERLCA).
1 or more positions may be filled, subject to availability of funds and hiring authorization.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
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The Environmental Enforcement Section is comprised of talented lawyers and professionals who work together to enforce the Nation's pollution, environmental cleanup, and natural resource damage laws-all to protect public health and the environment. The Section's litigating groups consist of teams of attorneys and professional staff charged with pursuing civil enforcement in federal district courts across the country through complex cases covering a wide variety environmental matters. The work that EES does results in significant benefits to public health, welfare, and the environment. Whether you are considering law school or looking for a long-term career in public service, working as an EES legal assistant will give you the opportunity to work with and learn from talented lawyers and professional staff on interesting and important legal cases.
After successfully completing one year under the Program, recent graduates MAY be converted to a term or permanent appointment if the following program requirements are met: 1) successful completion of at least 1 year of continuous service; 2) completion of at least 40 hours of formal interactive training; and 3) demonstration of successful job performance. A recent graduate converted to a term appointment may be subsequently converted non-competitively into a permanent competitive service position before the term expires.
You will join a well-respected team that is responsible for performing a wide range of administrative and legal support tasks. The responsibilities of a Legal Assistant include:
  1. Use word processing software to create, edit, and format documents and correspondence.
  2. Conduct online research that included collecting and sorting information into logical formats.
  3. Review and assemble large volume of documents for review in preparation for specific projects.
  4. Organize and maintain files.
  5. Perform data entry in databases.
  6. Arrange travel reservations and prepare necessary paperwork.

Interview callers or visitors to determine entitlement to confidential information. Recent Graduates are on a trial period for the duration of the program. An Individual Development Plan (IDP) must be completed and approved by the supervisor within 45 days of appointment and a mentor must be assigned within 90 days of appointment.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
  • You must be a U.S. citizen or national.
  • You must complete a background investigation to include pre-employment drug testing.
  • Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
  • You will be required to serve a one year trial period.
  • You must maintain a bank account for direct deposit of salary.
  • If you do not submit school transcripts, you will be rated ineligible.
  • If this is your first appointment in the Federal service, your salary will be set at Step 1 of the grade.

Qualifications
To be eligible for this Recent Graduate program, one of the following requirements must be met:
  1. Recent graduates must have completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associate, bachelor, master, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution; or must have completed a qualifying career or technical education program with or without a formal degree in a Registered Apprentice Program, Job Corps, AmeriCorps, or Peace Corps.
  2. You must have completed your degree, certificate, or program on or before the end of the current semester. If you graduated or completed an education program prior to MAY 2024, you will not be eligible for this position.
  3. Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree, due to military service obligation, have as much as six years after degree completion to apply.

Note: If you are a current student seeking a degree or certificate from an educational institution, you may apply if you are in the final semester of the degree/certificate. You must include your expected date of graduation on your resume. You must receive your degree prior to appointment. If you are currently a student but cannot provide proof that you expect to graduate by the end of the current semester, you will not meet the program eligibility requirements for the Recent Graduate.
To qualify for the Legal Assistant (Recent Graduate) GS-5, applicants must have one of the following:
A. One year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-4 Federal grade level applying standardized rules, processes, and procedures concerning commonly utilized general reference sources and legal research tools to perform legal support work. This experience include preparing correspondence and administrative forms using proper format, grammar, punctuation, and spelling; or
B. Successful completion of 4 years of education above the high school level for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. The degree must be within a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled. This education was obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university; or
C. A combination of specialized experience described in letter A above and qualifying post high school education described in letter B above. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours beyond the second year) is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.
Typing Requirement: This position requires a qualified typist with a minimum typing speed of 40 words per minute. If you do not self certify on the occupational/assessment questionnaire that you have the required typing proficiency, you will be rated ineligible for this position.
This position requires office automation skills. Some examples of office automation skills include database management and various word processing software packages (MS Office Suite: Excel, PowerPoint, and Word) and database applications.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps; AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skill and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
YOUR RESUME MUST support your responses to the online questionnaire and provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement if you are using experience to meet all or part of the qualification requirements. Please ensure that your resume includes the month and year that you began and ended each position held or that position will not be credited toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating. Your latest resume submitted for this vacancy announcement will be used to determine qualifications and supersedes previous submissions.
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
Education
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
Additional information
Veterans Preference: If you are entitled to or claim veteran preference (VP), you should indicate the type of veteran preference (5 or 10 points) you are claiming on your resume. In order to determine your eligibility, you can find additional information at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide/
To verify your veteran preference entitlement, submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214; official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty; or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions. If you are claiming 10-point preference, you must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 in addition to the supporting documentation required and identified on the reserve side of the SF-15, Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference. If you are claiming 10-point DERIVED PREFERENCE as a relative you must submit Member Copy 4 of the veteran's DD-214 and an SF-15 in addition to the supporting documentation required and identified on the reverse side of the SF-15. If you fail to do so, you will receive consideration as a non-veteran.
Benefits: DOJ offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.
General Employment Information:
  1. DOJ EEO STATEMENT: Find our EEO statement online at: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1394116/dl?inline
  2. SELECTIVE SERVICE: Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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