UMD Children's Place childcare center is currently hiring students to work Spring, Summer and Fall of 2026 at both locations - Children's Place and/or Preschool at the Park. 

DUTIES:

• Support and carry out the goals, objectives and directives of the program administration and teachers. 
• Maintain a professional attitude with children, parents, staff, and visitors.
• Assist in caring for the environment as directed by teachers or director.
• Participate in the care of the children.
• Help ensure the safety and wellbeing of the children and protect each from physical and psychological harm.

WORK SCHEDULE: 

• Children’s Place is located in Kirby Plaza and looking for students to work in the infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms. Preschool at the Park is located at Chester Park, 31 West College Street. Program hours are 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The programs will be closed for all University holidays and emergency/weather closings. 

WORK STUDY PREFERRED (Fall semester) *Students must maintain half time enrollment to receive work study funds. Students enrolled for a minimum of 6 credits during fall and spring semester, may be employed under miscellaneous employment during the summer term without summer enrollment. To check if you’re eligible for work study please visit: http://www.d.umnedu/onestop/,or One Stop in Solon Campus Center 23. 

 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Must be a current UMD Student enrolled in a minimum of 6 credits for Spring/Fall Semesters 2026
• Childcare experience, working with young children (ages 0-5).
• Coursework related to Child Development.
• Desire to improve knowledge of child development.
• Patience, flexibility, self-directed nature, reliability.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Able to physically supervise young children and immediately respond to emergency situations; able to visually observe children in their environment, protecting them and preventing harm to them.
• Ability to communicate with young children and their parents.
• Agile enough to move quickly, bend frequently, get up and down from the floor and small chairs frequently, carry and lift children weighing between 15-50 pounds (depending on age group), willing to sit on the floor with children and to take children on walks.
• Must not present a risk of transmission of reportable communicable diseases as verified by a professional health care provider.

UMD Children’s Place

• Vision
  • To be a model program providing quality, nurturing care and educational experiences for young children and their families of diverse backgrounds and abilities by building on the strengths of our community.
• Mission
  • UMD Children’s Place is founded in the belief of the critical importance of the first years of life and the need to embrace the diversity of our world today.  The mission of UMD Children’s Place is two fold: 1. To provide quality, nurturing care of children while their families are at work or study. 2. To provide interdisciplinary educational opportunities for UMD students in order to enhance their classroom learning with practical experiences.
• Diversity
  • UMD Children's Place strives to honor, support and celebrate the diversity of its children, families and staff. Diversity is interpreted in the broadest sense and includes race, language, faith background, family structure, sexual orientation, physical ability and economic status.

Preschool at the Park 
UMD Preschool at the Park, located at our beautiful Chester Park site on the UMD campus, is committed to providing high quality and play based early childhood care to young children. Preschool at the Park is a preschool program serving children ages 3 to 5 years old. The program operates Monday through Friday from the first day of UMD fall semester classes through the end of May term.

• Vision
  • UMD Preschool at the Park is designed to be a model program that continually evolves to meet the shifting intellectual/emotional needs of parents and their children. Its goal is to provide quality, innovative preschool experiences that are play-based, student-centered, and keyed to the environmental and cultural needs of the Twin Ports area.
• Mission 
  • Provide quality, innovative educational experiences in a nurturing, human-centric environment for children and their families.
  • Provide innovative, educational experiences for UMD students, offering alternative pedagogical theories and practices to encourage critically reflective learners and practitioners.
  • Contribute to the UMD mission of outreach and public service by providing an inclusive program to serve the greater Duluth area in addition to the UMD community.
• Diversity
  • Preschool at the Park strives to honor, support, and celebrate the diversity of its children, families, and staff. Diversity is interpreted in the broadest sense and includes race, language, faith background, family structure, sexual orientation, physical ability, and economic status.  We welcome families to share their traditions and rituals with us throughout the year. It is these elements of community that make celebrations more real to young children and enhance the development of appreciation for diversity.

Pay Rate: $15.25 per hour. 

Please visit the Office of Student Health Benefits website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.
 

Student workers are eligible to participate in the Student Health Benefit Plan, if they maintain 6 or more eligible course credits within a given semester. The same applies for Undergraduate Students, Graduate Assistants, Residents, Fellows and Interns.

Student positions are a form of financial support while pursuing an education at the University of Minnesota.

Applications must be submitted online.  To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions.  You will have the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

Completed applications must include:
1. Cover letter
2. Resume *Please be sure to note your previous childcare experience here. 
You will be asked to provide your UMD course schedule and availability prior to interview.  

Please send inquiries to: Leslie McFadden ([email protected]) 

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail [email protected] or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission.  The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.  To learn more about diversity at the U:  http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD)

The University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD) consistently ranks among the top Midwestern, regional universities in U.S. News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges" issue.

Overlooking Lake Superior, UMD provides an alternative to both large research and small liberal arts environments and attracts students looking for a personalized learning experience on a medium-sized campus of a major university.  A firm liberal arts foundation anchors a variety of traditional degree programs, as well as professional and graduate students that draw on UMD's many research institutes and labs.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America’s Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).