Jobs

Call For Applications, Cinema Lecturer Pool

The School of Cinema at SF State is accepting applications for projected lecturer opportunities. To be considered for these positions, please fill out the linked application portal.

Applications are received on an ongoing basis and will be considered for emerging opportunities.

The positions that are often in demand, pending funding and final approval from the College Dean, include (but not necessarily limited to):

• Projects in Film Editing
• 16mm Cinematography
• Digital Cinematography
• Screenwriting
• Advanced Lighting Techniques
• Writing About Cinema
• Exploration in Cinema as an Online Medium

The SF State School of Cinema has set up the online form to apply for positions as Lecturer Faculty. The application asks for a fair amount of information about your background, skills, availability and preferences as well as a list of two (2) references.

You may need a bit of time to complete, so please do not wait until the last minute to fill out the application.

Please email with any questions by contacting the Director of the School, Aaron Kerner (amkerner@sfsu.edu).

The SF State School of Cinema Lecturer Advisory Hiring Committee is: Professors Steve Choe, Weimin Zhang, Johnny Symons, and the School of Cinema Operations Manager Nalini Libby.

Application closes May 12th at noon.

For more information about the expected work hours and salary, please see Frequently Asked Questions (below).

We are enclosing a list of undergraduate courses that will likely require GAs, GTAs, or ISAs. Please note that this list is tentative and is subject to change. You may use this list to indicate particular assistantships that might fit your interests. Please remember that while we will endeavor to match you with a preferred course, there are many moving parts, and getting a preferred assignment may not be possible for everyone. Moreover, the schedule often undergoes some revisions, so please be aware that some flexibility on your part will likely be necessary. For more details about the course content, please visit the SF State Cinema Course Catalog.  

Typical GA positions:

• CINE200 Introduction to Cinema Studies
• CINE211 Film History I
• CINE212 Film History II
• CINE304 Gender and Film
• CINE307 National/Regional Cinemas
• CINE309 Latina/o/x Cinema
• CINE325 Focus on Film Topics (Three sections)
• CINE335 Art of Cinematography
• CINE342 Documentary Film
• CINE344 Film Genre (common topics include: comedy, horror, science-fiction)
• CINE365 History of Animation
• CINE450 Fundamentals of Screenwriting

Typical GTA positions:

• CINE204 Introduction to Filmmaking Laboratory (taught in conjunction with CINE202 Introduction to Filmmaking)
• CINE341 Critical Studies Discussion Group (taught in conjunction with CINE340 Critical Studies) 

Typical ISA positions:

• CINE102 Introduction to Contemporary Cinema
• CINE325 Focus on Film Topics
• CINE326 Festivals

Please email with any questions to: Prof. Johnny Symons, M.F.A. Coordinator and/or Prof. Mihaela Mihailova, M.A. Coordinator.

NOTE: If you are an international student your appointment might be delayed due to the additional paperwork. Do NOT conduct any work until your paperwork is finalized.

Frequently Asked Questions

DISCLAIMER: All of the following information is based on the job offers in the previous semesters, and is subject to change. This is only a general guide.

Q: Are there limits to how many hours a graduate student can work?

Yes. No student, regardless of their work assignment, is allowed to work more than a grand total of 20 hours per week on campus (including other student work such as work-study, student assistant jobs, etc.) during the Fall and Spring semesters. The only exception to this is that students who are GTAs ONLY (with no other concurrent on-campus employment) may go over 20 hours as a GTA when approved to do so, but as soon as a concurrent classification of any type is included (e.g., GTA and ISA), the 20-hour limit would apply.

Q: What is the time commitment for each GA/GTA position?

GA positions: GA appointments can vary. However, the typical GA assignment is 10 hours per week. It is possible that a GA assignment may be more or less than that typical 10 hr/wk appointment.

GTA positions:

• CINE 204:
  • 8 hrs/week per section:
    • 3 hours for teaching, and 
    • Additional time for preparation and assessment.
  • A typical CINE 204 appointment is 1-2 sections.
  • A CINE 204 GTA assignment also includes supplemental compensation as an ISA (Instructional Student Assistant) for attending CINE 202 lectures. This concurrent ISA appointment means CINE 204 instructors are subject to the 20-hour weekly limit for on-campus employment. ISAs are paid hourly. The standard concurrent ISA appointment is 3 hours.
     
• CINE 341:
  • 2.66 hrs/wk per section:
    • 1 hour for teaching and 
    • Additional time for preparation and assessment.
  • A typical CINE 341 appointment is 2-3 sections.
  • A CINE 341 GTA assignment also includes supplemental compensation as an ISA (Instructional Student Assistant) for attending CINE 340 lectures. This concurrent ISA appointment means CINE 340 instructors are subject to the 20-hour weekly limit for on-campus employment. ISAs are paid hourly. The standard concurrent ISA appointment is 3 hours.
     
• CINE 624/625:
  • 4 hrs/wk.
    • 3 hours for teaching and 
    • Additional time for preparation and assessment.

Q: What does "timebase" mean?

The term "timebase" is the percentage of a full-time position (i.e., 40 hours/week) you are expected to work. For example, 0.5 timebase = 20 hrs/wk, 0.25 timebase = 10 hrs/wk, etc.

Q: How is the timebase for each GA/GTA position determined?

It is based on each course's WTU (Weighted Teaching Unit). It should take into account the overall amount of work expected for each course.

Q: What is the salary for each GA/GTA position?

The following is the total gross salary for these positions as of the Fall 2022 semester. This amount is subject to change. For more information, please see the CSU Salary Schedule. 

GA positions (salaried position, whole semester): $3,631.25 for each 10-hour assignment (.25 time base). This salary figure would increase or decrease accordingly with any changes to the time base.

GTA positions (salaried position, whole semester):  

• CINE204: $3,898.80 per section, plus additional ISA compensation for hours attending CINE 202 lectures. A typical CINE 204 appointment is 1-2 sections and up to 3 hours per week attending CINE 202 compensated as an ISA. The standard concurrent ISA appointment is 3 hours.
   
• CINE341: $1,299.60 per section. A typical 341 appointment is 2-3 sections, plus additional ISA compensation for hours attending CINE 340 lectures. The standard concurrent ISA appointment is 3 hours.
• CINE625: $1,949.40 per section.
• CINE625: $1,949.40 per section.

ISA positions: Compensation is hourly and paid as reported on the given pay period's time sheet. The current hourly rate as of Fall 2022 is $16.50 (min) to $21.42.

Q: How are the paychecks divided throughout the semester?

GTAs receive their pay on an Academic Year schedule, and will receive 6 (six) equal payments per semester. The first Fall payment issues at the end of September and the last comes at the end of February; the first Spring payment is issued at the end of March and the last comes at the end of July. For GTAs teaching both Fall and Spring of the same Academic Year, the sixth Fall payment does not issue at the end of February and instead is issued at the end of the following August (i.e., 5 Fall checks then 6 Spring checks then 1 Fall check).

GAs receive their pay on a 12-month schedule and will receive 5 (five) equal, consecutive monthly payments per semester, with the first Fall payment issuing at the end of September and the first Spring payment issuing at the end of February.

ISAs receive their pay on an hourly pay schedule, meaning, in the middle of the month following the month the hours are worked, e.g., hours worked during the September pay period and reported at the end of September will be paid on or about October 15th; hours worked during the October pay period and reported at the end of October will be paid on or about November 15th. The specific hourly pay date varies depending on where the weekends fall each month; please refer to the hourly pay calendar on HR's website.

Q: Is the salary amount the same for In-state/Out-of-state/International students?

Yes - the salary amount is the same.

International students' paychecks will be subject to the terms of any tax treaties the United States has with the students' country of citizenship. This can result in relatively low tax withholding or relatively high tax withholding depending on the country of citizenship, but this is not anything the School of Cinema has any control over. All International students' tax withholding rates are reviewed and approved by the campus' Tax Specialist, Young Kim, as part of the hiring process."

Q: Does a GA/GTA position include a tuition waiver or healthcare benefits?

No - A GA/GTA position does not include tuition waivers or healthcare benefits.

Q: What are my rights and benefits as a GA/GTA?

As a GA/GTA/ISA, you are in a bargaining unit position covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated between the California State University and your Union, UAW 4123. You are covered by all the rights and benefits included in the Collective Bargaining Agreement regardless of whether you chose to become a UAW member or not. You can read the full text of the CBA.

Am I required to be enrolled in courses to accept a GA/GTA/ISA appointment?

Yes. As a GTA or GA, the student must have a 3.0 or better GPA (unless they're working during their first semester of their grad program and don't yet have a GPA) and be enrolled in at least 3 units or be in their grace semester (or enrolled in LCA 499). As an ISA, the student must be enrolled in at least 4 units

Other Questions?

Please email with any questions to: Prof. Johnny Symons, M.F.A. Coordinator and/or Prof. Mihaela Mihailova, M.A. Coordinator.