Many on-campus jobs remain available for students staying at UCI during the summer quarter.
Sales associate and fourth-year biomedical engineering major George Rosas found his summer job at The Hill through the store’s Instagram account during his freshman year.
“They always post whenever they’re accepting applicants,” Rosas told New University. “So there I applied and it took, like, two weeks for them to get back to me.”
Rosas spends his summer shifts cleaning the store and recounting inventory in preparation for the upcoming academic year. His job requires employees to keep their schedules open and to handle multiple tasks at once.
The store has occasional busy periods throughout the day, especially when students buy school supplies for summer classes. Rosas, however, feels less overwhelmed during these shifts compared to the academic year, when the store is usually crowded.
“It’s kind of like a more calm environment compared to this regular school year,” Rosas said.
Other on-campus jobs, such as Starbucks, require employees to work in fast-paced environments due to sudden rushes from student field trips and orientations.
Barista trainer and fourth-year criminology, law and society and political science double major Ashley Marin-Jara also found her summer job at Starbucks near the Student Center during her freshman year. After working for three years, she hopes to become a shift lead.
“I feel like it’s an easier time to get adjusted for people who are starting a job,” Marin-Jara told New University. “I think a summer job is a really good time to start, since most students are off campus.”
Starbucks looks for students with strong customer service, communication skills and adaptability.
Students searching for on-campus jobs often use Handshake, where they can find positions related to their career interests. Each listing has a job description, mission statement and expectations for applicants.
Third-year applied and computational mathematics student Anjana Sinha is a student assistant at Paul Merage School of Business. Sinha is an international student who can only work on campus. For her, Handshake is one of few resources available for finding jobs.
“If it wasn’t for Handshake, I wouldn’t have been able to see the job,” Sinha told New University.
Sinha applied for more than 40 jobs over the summer through Handshake. She received interviews for three positions and was hired for two.
Most job applications on Handshake require a resume, with some also needing a cover letter. Students can complete their profile using information linked to their UCI account, and Handshake automatically submits the information in each application.
However, Sinha wishes that Handshake provided more transparent updates on the status of her applications.
“I know Handshake already has a pending and interview page, but it doesn’t refresh and it’s not always accurate,” Sinha said.
Rosas also noted that some students are skeptical of Handshake because they receive few offers after applying.
“I feel like Handshake is something that employers don’t typically see, at least for more active roles, but that could be said, because I know people who have gotten it, but a lot of people haven’t,” Rosas said.
In addition to Handshake, students can apply for jobs through UCI Dining. The website includes applications across multiple dining locations, including The Anteatery and Brandywine, allowing students to select positions they are interested in before waiting to hear back for interviews.
“It was pretty simple,” Marin-Jara said. “You’re able to put your availability, and I feel like they’re really flexible with the hours, considering that you’re a student.”
Marin-Jara recommends looking at various online platforms depending on the position. She also encourages students to start working during the summer to prepare for the upcoming academic year.
“I feel like it’s a good time to get adjusted to your skills and the requirements of the job, because once the school [year] starts, there’s a lot more students on campus, and it just gets a little bit more busy,” Marin-Jara said.
Melody Liao is a Features Intern for the summer 2026 quarter. She can be reached at liaome@uci.edu.
Edited by Aditya Biswas and Elizabeth Gregg.
