Thanks @tru! I would be paid in the sense that it would be a scholarship covering courses and providing a living expense stipend. My PI can alternatively cover me with an RAship which would do the same just not need me to be a TA. I am interested in staying in academia for the future. I found a helpful blog post: https://socialsciences.nature.com/posts/55118-the-path-to-professorship-by-the-numbers-and-why-mentorship-matters . It indicates R1 hiring (in the case cited) of assistant professors have an average of 1 TAship, which seems perhaps low enough in number that it is not essential. I also welcome anyone to share their answers on questions I asked to abababa or comment on any replies I posted. Note: I asked the question from this post on another forum also: https://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/142380-value-of-optional-ta-position/ .

Thanks @abababa! Nice to get feedback from you, having been on hiring committees. The marginal benefit vs. work required is a tricky choice. To your point about research metrics, it is complex to weigh something that might take time away from my main purpose – research – compared to being more well rounded with teaching experience. You have a good point about it being a learning experience. Although, I say with modesty I’m not too worried about my public speaking skills or capability to teach.

Since you have been on hiring committees, generally speaking, what are some considerations you would make in assessing to hire or not candidate A who has the same number of publications as candidate B but A has one more major journal than B and B has a TAship when A has no TAships? What if instead of a major journal, A just had 1 more publication than B?

Thanks @rewt! A variety of sources indicate like what you said that it is not essential but optional. I am kind of approaching it in a way of considering how comfortable am I assuming the risk of added work given it is an optional extra thing. I don’t want to play it safe, but want to tease out a sense of the value of the experience before committing to it. I plan to list out and weigh the evidence I have for and against a TAship at some point and just make a judgment call. It is great to get feedback such as from you and the others to help inform me.

In my USA Bioengineering doctorate I have an option to volunteer to be a TA if I want that experience. In others’ opinions, is it generally worth it to have TA on the resume when later applying for assistant professor positions, or it may not be worth it compared to extra research time that can be done? I understand work involved in the position can vary a lot but I am interested in the general job market value it has compared to more research results. I do not have much other teaching experience aside from giving lectures at lab groups, conferences, etc.