Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment:
Chico State is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs, and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At California State University, Chico, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all. The ideal candidate will embrace our values predicated on the primacy of student success and equitable learning and working environments.
Position Title: CAGD Faculty Research Assistant
College/Unit: College of Communication and Education
Department/School: Computer Animation and Game Development
Application Deadline: September 18, 2026
Seasonal Role Working Dates: August 24, 2026 - December 18, 2026
Pay Range: $17.86 - $23-84
Location Type: Hybrid
Role Description:
The Computer Animation and Game Development Program in the College of Communication and Education is collecting application materials for our Research Assistant position. There are two vacancies this semester.
Working with Jennifer Underwood:
- Project design documentation and road-mapping for a serious game/interactive mobile application that benefits women's breastfeeding/lactation. Search and document/summarize relevant studies and format bibliographies. Strong organizational, written communication, and critical thinking skills.
- Lactation and breastfeeding is a realm where women may find themselves unsupported, particularly in rural counties. To provide additional support and education for parents, we will work with breastfeeding/lactation professionals to design and create an assistive interactive environment to support parents in reaching goals when their new baby arrives. The mobile application may include interactive tutorials, positioning, and various breast feeding mechanics with 2D and 3D visuals.
- Preferred skills: skills game design, documentation, Unity, 2D/3D asset creation, and user interface.
Working with Jeff Underwood:
- As a Research Assistant, you have the opportunity to work with digital media or physical games (e.g., video games, serious games, board games, & prototypes) in an experimental context using research tools and psychophysiological measures to answer questions related to how game technology impacts human behavior.
Description of Duties:
- article reading
- documentation and fact checking
- citations
- proactive communication
- ~2-4 hours/week
- must meet with faculty supervisor at least once per week either in-person or over Zoom
Minimum Qualifications:
- A CAGD student
- Minimum 3.0 CSU Chico GPA
- Junior, Senior or Graduate standing
Exceptions to the minimum eligibility qualifications may be granted at the sole discretion of the University.
Applicants must provide:
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- Class schedule/availability
- Proof of Work Study
- Link to portfolio in resume
Additional information may be requested at a later time. All applicants must apply online, applications submitted via email or in-person to the department will not be considered.
Notification Procedure:
Applicants will be emailed about position status and interviews as the hiring process proceeds.
Job-related questions should be directed to:
Vinna (V.) Chan, Search Committee Chair
THMA 225, (530)898-4891
CAGD@csuchico.edu
Additional Information:
All work must be performed within the State of California.
Compliance training completion (approximately 4 hours of work time) is required of this position within the first 30 days of work.
Education Code 89521 Requirements: Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.
For disability-related accommodations, please call the ADA Coordinator at (530) 898-5959.
All positions are contingent on funding.
Chico State is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, or protected veteran status and only employ individuals authorized to work in the U.S.
All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, California State University, Chico provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. California State University, Chico complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or on any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.
Chico State’s Annual Security Report includes summaries of institutional policy relating to campus safety, drug and alcohol use, sexual assault, and other matters. The report is published in compliance with the Clery Act and includes three years of certain crime statistics that occurred in Clery Act defined geography. A paper copy of the report may be requested in person at the Chico State Police Department or by calling 530-898-5555. It is also available on the web at Annual Security & Fire Safety Report.
