Student Help Desk Assistant

Position OverviewJump in with the Biodiversity Institute Specify Software team (www.specifysoftware.org) to take on various software support activities as part of an engaged, supportive, and friendly workgroup of professional support staff, software engineers, students, and museum scientists.

This position focuses on testing Specify software, reproducing reported issues, validating bug fixes, and helping ensure that new features meet functional expectations. You will gain hands‑on experience with modern software testing practices, data‑driven applications, and real‑world scientific workflows. No prior experience with Specify Software or research software is necessary, as we provide comprehensive training and mentoring as part of our mission to provide the world’s museums with software for documenting Earth’s plant and animal species and geologic makeup.

This is NOT a software development or IT position; no programming experience is required and no code development will be involved.

We believe that if you are smart, curious, friendly, and detail-oriented, you will find this role both meaningful and enjoyable.

Job Description35% – Test Specify Software Across Platforms

• Execute test cases for new features and bug fixes.
• Perform functional, usability, and exploratory testing.
• Reproduce issues reported by users or developers.
  
  

25% – Investigate and Document Software Issues

• Examine issues reported by researchers and clarify steps to reproduce them.
• Gather relevant details to support developer troubleshooting.
  
  

20% – Track and Communicate Issues

• Create and update issue reports using GitHub and other channels.
• Communicate findings clearly to the development and support teams.
  
  

10% – Develop Familiarity with Specify and Collections Data Workflows

• Learn how natural history museums manage scientific data.
• Build understanding of data structures, workflows, and software behavior.
  
  

10% – Documentation and Special Projects

• Contribute to internal testing documentation.
• Assist with special projects, administrative reports, and related tasks as assigned.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Undergraduate student in good standing at the University of Kansas. (No graduate students, please).
• Eligible for Federal Work Study.
• Previous experience which required strong communication skills, as evident in application materials.
• Prior work experience with detail-oriented work, as evident in application materials.
• Previous work experience requiring the usage of Windows, macOS, or Linux operating systems as evident in application materials.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience with or knowledge of spreadsheet or database software as evident by application materials.
• Demonstrated experience with or knowledge of with museum practices, especially databasing practices as evident by application materials.
• Previous experience requiring interacting openly and communicating clearly with teammates, and prioritizing, scheduling, and completing project tasks.
• Previous experience requiring strong problem-solving skills and learning quickly.
  
  

Position RequirementsDuring the semester term of the appointment, the student hourly must be enrolled in no fewer than 6 credit hours. For summer periods the student hourly must: (1) have been enrolled in no less than 6 hours in the past spring semester or (2) be pre-enrolled in the upcoming fall semester in no less than 6 hours or (3) be enrolled in summer session or (4) be admitted to study in the upcoming fall semester. Student Hourlies may be undergraduate or graduate students. (Exceptions granted for GRA/GTA/GA appointments DO NOT apply to Student Hourly appointments).Employment Conditions(1) Student employees are not eligible for remote work arrangements unless an exception is approved by the unit leadership and HR.

• This is an hourly/non-exempt position. A student employee cannot hold an hourly/non-exempt position and a salaried/exempt graduate or undergraduate position (GRA/GTA/GA/RUA/RGA) concurrently.
• Must be available to work a minimum of 14 hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters, and have the ability to commit to a weekly schedule (around coursework obligations) which can be flexible and be changed as needed, during the hours of 8 AM-5 PM, Monday through Friday. Must be available starting Summer 2026. Planned vacations and breaks from campus are fine.Additional Candidate InstructionsTo submit a complete application, please submit a resume and cover letter along with the online application.
  
  

To ensure consideration apply before the application review starts on Monday, 3/30/2026. A review of applications will continue and is ongoing until a pool of qualified candidates is identified.Contact Information to ApplicantsTheresa Miller

tlammer@ku.eduAdvertised Salary Range$15.00 per hourAnticipated Start DateWednesday April 1, 2026Apply to Job