Undergraduate Student Employment For Student Workers
At Colorado School of Mines, student employment offers flexible, meaningful work that supports the university’s mission while complementing academics. Guided by an education-first philosophy, student workers contribute to departmental success while gaining hands-on experience and building professional skills such as communication, accountability, and problem-solving.
These opportunities help students connect their work to their academic journey, make an impact on campus, and prepare for future careers.
If you have any concerns about student employment at Mines please give us feedback.
Learn more about student employment opportunities below.
Find a Job
Explore on-campus student jobs, get tips or applying, and learn how to apply for jobs in Workday.
Career Readiness
Learn about career readiness and the skills employers are looking for after graduation.
Work-Study
Learn about work-study and applying for aid to work on campus.
Onboarding
To learn more about the Onboarding process, including MAPS, Workday, I-9, Student Worker accounts, & compliance training, navigate here.
Time, Pay, & Employee Benefits
For questions about work hours, timesheets, payroll, & time off, navigate here.
Policy & Code of Conduct
View the Student Worker Policy & the Student Code of Conduct.
FAQs
Looking for help? Check out answers to our most frequently asked questions.
Career Center
Connect with the Mines’ Career Center for additional employment resources.
Find A Job
Whether you are looking for on-campus employment or exploring local employment, we are here to connect you with options that fit your goals during your time here as a student at Mines.
Which Account Should I Use to Apply for Student Jobs?
Students can only access Workday using one account at a time. Please use the account that matches your current employment status:
- If you are NOT currently employed as a student worker, log in to Workday using your standard @mines.edu account to apply for student positions.
- If you are currently employed as a student worker and have a
_swaccount, log in using your_swaccount to apply for student positions.
Work-Study Award Screenshot
On the job application, you will be asked to indicate whether you have been awarded work-study funding. You will also need to upload a screenshot of your current status in Workday. Your screenshot should match the example shown below.
To see your work study offer and type, go to Trailhead>Financial Aid card>Financial Aid Details
Building Career Readiness Through On-Campus Employment
On-campus employment helps students build the career-ready skills employers value most, including communication, teamwork, leadership, professionalism, and problem-solving, while gaining meaningful hands-on experience.
From Campus Employment to Career Success
Working on campus is more than just a job. It is an opportunity to develop the professional competencies employers consistently seek in new graduates.
According to a recent National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job Outlook report, 40% of employers value candidates with on-campus work experience because of the transferable skills they develop, including communication, teamwork, leadership, professionalism, and critical thinking.
While your Mines education will equip you with the technical expertise needed to make an impact in your field, long-term career success depends on more than technical knowledge alone. Employers also look for career readiness competencies such as communicating effectively, collaborating with diverse teams, managing time and priorities, navigating conflict, receiving and applying feedback, demonstrating professionalism, and adapting to new challenges.
In addition to on-campus student employment, all students can further strengthen these competencies through the Vallejo Irvine Program (VIP) for Professional Development. VIP, in partnership with the Career Center, offers workshops, events, and experiences that complement your student employment experience and help you intentionally develop the skills and professional mindset needed for success after graduation.
Career Self-Management
The continuous development of yourself and your career through self-awareness, goal setting, and professional growth.
- Managing your work schedule alongside classes, homework, exams, and extracurricular activities.
- Meeting regularly with your supervisor to discuss goals and areas for growth.
- Taking initiative to learn a new system, process, or skill without being asked.
- Seeking feedback and using it to improve your performance throughout the semester.
- Taking on additional responsibilities to prepare for future leadership roles.
Communication
Clearly and effectively exchanging information through written, verbal, visual, and interpersonal interactions.
- Greeting students, faculty, staff, and visitors in a professional and welcoming manner.
- Responding to emails and phone calls using professional communication practices.
- Explaining office procedures, campus resources, or equipment checkout processes to customers.
- Creating presentations, social media content, promotional materials, or training resources.
- Communicating clearly with coworkers and supervisors about schedules, priorities, and projects.
Collaboration
Working effectively with others toward a shared goal while leveraging individual strengths and perspectives.
- Working with other student employees to ensure office, lab, or service coverage.
- Coordinating with teammates to complete projects, prepare events, or solve problems.
- Sharing ideas during staff meetings and contributing to team goals.
- Working with staff, faculty, students, and guests from different backgrounds with perspectives.
Professionalism
Demonstrating accountability, dependability, integrity, and appropriate workplace behavior.
- Showing up on time, prepared, and ready to contribute each shift.
- Following through on commitments and meeting deadlines.
- Demonstrating accountability when mistakes occur and taking ownership of solutions.
- Maintaining confidentiality when handling sensitive information.
- Following workplace policies, procedures, and safety expectations.
Successful Thinking
Identifying problems and developing solutions through analysis, reasoning, creativity, and sound judgment.
- Anticipating needs and solving problems proactively rather than reacting to them.
- Troubleshooting issues before escalating them to a supervisor.
- Asking thoughtful questions to better understand challenges and identify effective solutions.
- Analyzing information and making informed decisions when unexpected challenges arise.
- Finding creative solutions when resources, time, or staffing are limited.
Work-Study Information
Many on-campus jobs require that you have work-study to be eligible for the position. To check if you have a work-study award, log into trailhead and navigate to Financial Aid. If you do not have a work-study award, you may be able to request an award or be placed on a waitlist for one. To find more information on work study and applying for aid to work on campus, visit the Finanical Aid website, linked below.
Work-Study Q&A
Q: What is work -study?
A: Work-study is a financial aid program that provides eligible students with part-time employment to help cover educational expenses while gaining valuable work experience.
At Mines, work -study may be funded through:
- Federal Work-Study (funded by the U.S. Department of Education)
- Colorado State Work-Study (funded by the Colorado Department of Higher Education)
- Institutional Work-Study
Q: What makes work-study different from regular student employment?
A: Work-study positions differ from standard (non-work-study) student employment in several key ways:
- Eligibility is determined through the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
- Funding is limited and must be managed carefully
- Once a student reaches their award limit, they must stop working immediately unless transitioned to another funding source
Q: How do students qualify for work-study?
A: To be considered for work-study funding, students must:
- Complete the FAFSA
- Meet financial and academic eligibility requirements
- Be awarded funds by the Financial Aid Office, based on eligibility and available resources
Students are notified of their work-study award amount for the academic year through their financial aid package.
Onboarding
When onboarding is done well, it helps you feel comfortable and ready from day one. Knowing what to expect and feeling welcomed makes it much easier to settle in and get started.
Onboarding Tasks & Form I-9
Before You Start
Prior to your start date, if you are a new hire or a rehire who needs an I-9, you will receive a welcome email from MAPS outlining your onboarding tasks and important deadlines. Carefully review and follow the instructions, as the information is tailored to your individual employment situation.
Onboarding tasks and the Form I-9 will be available in your Workday inbox up to five days before your start date, depending on when your hire is processed in the system. Please review and complete these items as soon as possible.
All newly hired student workers, who have not yet completed the onboarding process, should use their regular student accounts (firstname_lastname@mines.edu) to complete all Onboarding tasks, including Form I-9.
All active student workers must sign into Workday using _sw@mines.edu to complete Onboarding tasks, including Form I-9. Refer to the section on Student Worker Accounts for additional information.
Need help? Refer to the Onboarding Job Aid for additional assistance.
Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification): Federal law requires all employees to complete a Form I-9 to verify their eligibility to work in the United States.
Step 1: Complete Section 1 (Employee Information)
Deadline: Can be completed once Onboarding tasks populate in Workday (up to 5 days prior to the start date) but MUST be completed no later than your first day of employment.
- Complete Section 1 in Workday.
- Section 1 becomes available after you complete the five required onboarding tasks.
Step 2: Complete Section 2 (Employer Verification)
Deadline: Can be completed once Section 1 is done, but MUST be completed within three days of your start date.
MAPS will complete Section 2 after verifying your original identification documents. Refer to the List of Acceptable Documents before visting MAPS.
How to Complete Section 2
You may complete document verification in one of the following ways:
- In person: Visit the MAPS Office, Room 224, Guggenheim Hall
- Virtually: Schedule a remote verification appointment- Requesting & Preparing for your Virtual I-9 Verification
Important Document Requirements
To complete your I-9 verification:
- Bring original, unexpired documents
- Photocopies cannot be accepted
- You must be physically present during the verification process, either in person or through the approved virtual process
Important Reminders
- All onboarding tasks and Form I-9 requirements must be completed within the required compliance timeframe.
- Failure to complete these requirements may result in termination of your student employment assignment. Once all I-9 requirements have been fulfilled, your department may be able to initiate a rehire request.
Student Worker Accounts
Student worker (_sw@mines.edu) accounts are created automatically based on contract start date in Workday. Student workers will receive an activation email from <MinesOkta-noreply@mines.edu> with a one-time password, 5 days prior to the contract start date.
To claim your account:
- Check your current student email (firstname_lastname@mines.edu) for a message from <MinesOkta-noreply@mines.edu> with the subject line: “Mines Account Created Successfully!”
- This email includes your new student worker account email address (firstname_lastname_sw@mines.edu) and a one-time password to activate your account
- In a private browser window, go to mines.edu and sign in with the credentials provided. You may be prompted to set up Okta Verify for 2-factor authentication on your secondary account.
Troubleshooting/Resources:
- Secondary Email Check: Make sure you have a valid, updated secondary (personal) email on file in Workday to receive activation links.
- Spam Filter: If activation links are missing on your start date, check your spam/junk folders before contacting IT.
- For more detailed instructions on claiming and setting up your account, refer here.
- The Student Worker Account Email and FAQ can be found here.
Note: If you are having difficulty with the account claim process or need a password reset, please contact the IT Service Desk at 303-278-4357 and they will be able to help guide you in this process. Please indicate to the service desk that you are a new student worker trying to activate your SW-student account for the first time. Please note the IT Service Desk is open Monday through Friday 7:30 am – 9:00 pm and Saturday / Sunday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Compliance Training
All new student workers are required to complete compliance training within thirty days of their start date. Each student will be assigned, in Workday, a bundle of compliance courses, including Mandatory Reporter Training, FERPA, and Harassment Prevention Training. All student worker compliance trainings must be completed using the _sw accounts for auditing purposes.
Returning student workers are not required to repeat these courses. If a returning student is assigned the training again, please contact learn_and_develop@mines.edu for assistance.
Additional training may be assigned on an annual basis within Workday.
Time, Pay, & Employee Benefits
Students are responsible for accurately tracking and reporting all hours worked. They will be paid for all approved hours and may be eligible for applicable benefits. For questions about timekeeping or payroll, visit the MAPS Office in 224 Guggenheim Hall or contact the team by email or phone at maps@mines.edu or 303.273.3166. For questions about benefits, email benefits@mines.edu.
Permitted Work Hours
Student Employment Work Hour Guidelines
Full-Time Enrollment:
Students enrolled full-time may work no more than 20 hours per week, combined across all positions (hourly and stipend).
Part-Time Enrollment:
Students enrolled part-time may work no more than 20 hours per week, combined across all positions (hourly and stipend).
International Students:
International student workers on a visa status have a strict 20 work hours per week limit. Exceeding that limit may negatively impact visa status. Students should contact International Students and Scholar Services (ISSS) for questions and support.
Summer On-Campus Employment
Enrolled Students (6+ Credit Hours):
Undergraduate student workers enrolled in at least 6 credit hours during the summer are limited to 20 hours per week.
Not Enrolled or Under 6 Credits:
Students who are not enrolled, or enrolled in fewer than 6 credit hours during the summer, may work full-time (up to 40 hours per week) as Mines employees.
Summer Work-Study Funding
Summer work-study funding is not automatic and requires a separate application process.
- The summer work-study waitlist opens April 1
- Supervisors must request placement for students on the waitlist
- Students must have a confirmed job offer before funding can be awarded
- Summer work-study earnings are available through June 30
- Funding is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis
Student Worker Summer Pay Deductions (TIAA & Medicare)
Student workers who are not enrolled in enough summer credit hours may see additional deductions on their paychecks.
- What will be deducted?
- 7.5% of gross pay for the Student Employee Retirement Plan (SERP) through TIAA
- 1.45% Medicare tax
- How to avoid these deductions maintain at least:
- 3.0 summer credit hours (Undergraduate students)
- 1.5 summer credit hours (Graduate students)
- When do deductions start?
- Deductions typically begin with the June 15 paycheck if minimum enrollment requirements are not met.
- They continue through the end of the summer employment period or August 31, whichever comes first.
Important: Register for summer courses by the registration deadline to qualify for the enrollment-based exemption.
Additional information on summer pay deductions can found here.
Timekeeping
Student workers are required to clock in and clock out and submit their timesheets in Workday to their supervisor by the 1st and 15th of each month.
- Student Responsibilities:
- Time should be entered at the beginning and end of each shift
- Ensure all hours worked are accurately recorded and submitted on time
- Enter time daily; lump-sum entries are not permitted
- Verify that submitted hours reflect actual time worked
Work-Study Reminders
To maintain compliance with work-study requirements, please note the following:
- No Overtime, Paid Leave or Late Timesheets: Work-study funds cannot be used to pay for overtime, sick leave, vacation, holiday pay, or hours submitted on a late timesheet. Students must still be paid for all hours worked; however, any overtime, paid leave, or late-submitted time will be charged to the department’s funding source/worktag. Departments are responsible for covering these costs and may not withhold payment from students for hours worked.
- 20-Hour Weekly Limit: Students may not work more than 20 hours per week while classes are in session.
- Award Limits: Students must stop working immediately once their work-study award is exhausted if departmental funding is not available.
- Eligibility Requirements: Students must remain enrolled and meet academic progress standards to continue participation.
- Departmental Responsibility: Departments are responsible for paying any student earnings that cannot be charged to work-study funds, including hours worked after a student’s work-study award has been exhausted.
- Funding Notifications: Supervisors will receive notification once a student’s work-study funding is depleted (note: notification occurs after funds are exhausted).
- Additional Funding Requests: Students and supervisors may request additional funding before funds are exhausted by contacting the Financial Aid Office.
Resources
Payroll
Student workers are paid on an hourly basis paid on a semi-monthly payroll schedule.
Refer to the semi-monthly payroll schedule, including timesheet submission and approval deadlines, for additional details.
Illness, Time Off, & Leaves
Sick Time
Student workers accrue paid sick leave at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked. Student workers may:
- Accrue and use up to 48 hours of paid sick leave per fiscal year
- Carry over up to 48 hours of unused sick leave into the next fiscal year
However, student workers may not use more than 48 hours of paid sick leave in a single fiscal year.
FAMLI (Family and Medical Leave Insurance)
Student workers may be eligible for FAMLI when extended or continuous time off is needed. This program provides:
- Partial wage replacement
- Job protection during qualifying leave
Reach out to benefits@mines.edu for FAMLI processing.
Retirement
Summer Semester Exception Guidelines
Undergraduate Students: TIAA and Medicare deductions will be withheld if you are enrolled in fewer than 3.0 credit hours during the Summer semester.
To avoid these deductions from early summer paychecks, you must be registered for summer courses and meet the minimum enrollment of 3.0 credit hours by the final registration deadline.
Mandatory Retirement: TIAA
Under this plan, 7.5% of your gross pay will be withheld and deposited into a TIAA Money Market account on your behalf.
At the end of your contract period, you may request to withdraw your account balance. Please note that withdrawals may be subject to applicable taxes and early withdrawal penalties. Alternatively, you may leave your funds with TIAA and continue contributing during future contract periods.
For additional information, please visit the TIAA website or contact their customer service line at 1-800-842-2252.
Medicare Participation
In addition to the SERP program, student workers are required to participate in Medicare. A 1.45% Medicare tax will be withheld from your gross pay, and Mines will match this contribution. These funds are submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) after each payroll cycle.
Under IRS regulations, student employees may qualify for an exemption from retirement-related payroll deductions if they maintain at least half-time student status during the semester.
Policy & Code of Conduct
Student workers are expected to uphold professionalism, responsibility, and respect in accordance with our policy and code of conduct.
FAQ's
Looking for help? Check out answers to our most frequently asked questions.
Where can I work on campus as a Student?
There are many student employment opportunities across campus. Students can find open positions posted on Workday. To access Workday, log into Trailhead and navigate to Workday > job postings.
Note: Some jobs require that the student has been awarded Work-study. This requirement will be indicated on the job posting.
How do I check my Work-Study award?
To check your work-study award, log into Trailhead and navigate to Financial Aid > Award.
What If I don't have Work-study?
Many jobs on campus require the applicant to have a work-study award in order to be eligible. This is primarily due to the funding provided to pay students with federal funds. However, there are still many jobs that do not require work-study. If you have not been awarded work-study but are interested in working an on-campus job that requires work-study, you can request to be awarded work-study. To make a request to be put on the waitlist, contact the financial aid office at finaid@mines.edu. More information can be found here.
How do I start working?
Once a student has applied and been offered a job, there are a few steps that must be completed before that student can work. New student workers must complete certain forms and provide acceptible I-9 documentation prior to their first day. A list of eligible documents can be found here.
Where can I find help using Workday?
Additional resources for using Workday can be found through the Mines Help Center here.
How do I enter my time? What if I have multiple jobs?
To enter your worked time, log into my.mines.edu and open Workday. Select “check in” at the start of your shift and “check out” when you are done working. To edit a mistake in your entered time, search “enter my time”
If you hold more than one position, you will have to indicate which position you are entering time for. When entering time in workday, you will see a “Position” option. Make sure that the correct position is selected when entering hours.
The Clery Act and Campus Security Report Information
The Colorado School of Mines Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report contains valuable information for all campus community members. The report is designed to inform you of campus crime and fire statistics and provide security policy statements as required by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (the Clery Act), a federal law requiring institutions of higher education to annually disclose this information.
You can learn more and read the report by heading over to the Mines Campus Safety website.
Title IX Information
The Office for Institutional Equity (OIE) strives to create a campus environment where all members of our community can effectively access education and employment through prevention, policy administration, and resources and resolution options. The OIE utilizes fair and unbiased processes for addressing reports of discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, based on a protected class, and related retaliation for both students and employees.
To make a report or for more information, please visit the link below or the office in person during open hours.
Office: Institutional Equity & Title IX House, 1706 Illinois Street
Career Center
Need support with your on-campus job search? Whether you’re creating your first resume or preparing for an interview, the Mines Career Center is here to help. Through workshops, drop-in hours, and one-on-one advising appointments, career advisors can assist with resume and cover letter development, interview preparation, job search strategies, and more.
Feedback
Have feedback? Let us know by submitting a complaint, concern, or compliment here.