Get Involved and Make Change.
There are loads of ways to shape your student experience and leave your mark on campus. Whether you want to lead big projects, represent your classmates, or help run the Union behind the scenes, these roles are your chance to step in and step up.
Some roles are paid, some are voluntary, all of them build skills, confidence, and real-world experience that looks great on your CV.
Let’s break them down 👇
🌱 Register Your Interest for These Future Roles
These roles are opening soon, and registering your interest now means you’ll be the first to hear when applications go live.
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE.
✊ Black Voices Advocate
Paid role | £1,400 stipend (split over two semesters)
Black Voices Advocates lead the Black Voices Project, a student-led initiative working to make Heriot-Watt a more welcoming, inclusive place for all, especially BaME students.
You’ll work as part of a team on projects you care about, whether that’s advocacy, events, community-building, or pushing for meaningful change across the University.
You’ll gain:
Leadership, project planning, teamwork, and advocacy skills, plus the chance to create impact that genuinely matters.
Key dates:
- Register interest: from Feb 3rd to March 31st
- Role runs: July 2026 – April 2027
🧠 Student Engagement Assistant (Edinburgh)
Paid Staff Role
Student Engagement Assistants are the people who help keep the Union ticking. From supporting societies and answering student enquiries to helping with projects and events, this role is perfect if you like variety and being at the heart of things.
You’ll gain:
Confidence in communication, admin and inbox management, teamwork, customer service, and supporting student groups. Basically, very employable skills.
Key dates:
- Register interest: from Feb 3rd to March 31st
- Role runs: Sept 2026 – April 2027
Good to know:
- Must be available during Welcome Week
- Flexible shifts around your studies
Who can apply:
UG, PGT and PGR students at the Edinburgh campus
🎉 Freshers Reps
Voluntary role | Big energy required
Freshers Reps are the friendly faces of Welcome Week. You’ll help new students settle in, answer questions, hype up events, and generally make sure no one feels lost on their first days at uni.
You’ll gain:
Confidence, communication skills, teamwork, leadership, and the ability to handle literally any question.
Key dates:
- Register interest: from Feb 3rd to March 31st
- Must be available: 5 – 13 September (Welcome Week)
Who can apply:
UG, PGT and PGR students
🎓 Academic Roles: Represent Your Course, Shape Your Education
Want to improve learning and teaching for students in your department? These roles put student voice at the centre.
📚 Department Officer
APPLY HERE.
Paid role | £300 stipend (split over two semesters)
Department Officers are the link between Class Reps, the Student Union, and the University. You’ll help turn student feedback into real action by working with staff and leading discussions on learning and teaching.
You’ll gain:
Leadership, communication, meeting-chairing, and organisational skills.
Key dates:
- Applications: 2 Feb – 9 March
- Role starts: Beginning of academic year
- Training: 2 September (required)
Availability:
Fortnightly meetings on Wednesdays, 3 - 4pm
🗣️ Class Rep
Voluntary role
Class Reps gather feedback from their coursemates and work with staff to improve the academic experience. You’ll attend meetings, raise concerns, and help shape how your course runs.
You’ll gain:
Problem-solving, communication, leadership, and advocacy skills, with full training and support from the Union.
Recruitment:
- Year 2 - 4 reps: Semester Two
- Year 1 reps: September
Who can apply:
UG, PGT and PGR students
🧩 Project Roles: Be Part of Big Decisions
Want a say in how the Union is run, without being a full-time officer? These roles let you influence direction and decisions.
⭐ Student Executive Team Member
APPLY HERE.
Voluntary leadership role
Student Executive members help decide the Union’s priorities, campaigns, and political positions. You’ll be part of discussions that shape what the Union focuses on and stands for.
You’ll gain:
Leadership, collaboration, policy reading, and decision-making skills.
Key dates:
- Applications open: 3 Feb
- Applications close: 17 March
- Role runs: Sept 2026 – May 2027
Commitment:
At least two meetings per semester (hybrid)
📝 Interview Panel Member for Executive Appointments
APPLY HERE.
Voluntary role
Want to help decide who leads your Union? As an Interview Panel Member, you’ll interview candidates for Student Executive roles and help appoint the people who set the Union’s direction.
You’ll gain:
Interview experience and insight into recruitment and decision-making.
Important note:
You can’t apply for this role if you’re also applying to be on Student Executive.
Key dates:
- Applications open: 3 Feb
- Close: 27 March
- Interviews: Early–mid April
History of the Union researcher
APPLY HERE.
PAID ROLE.
We’re looking for a curious, detail-loving storyteller to take on a one-off, fixed-term project as Student Union History Researcher for Heriot‑Watt University Student Union.
Why this is more exciting than it sounds
This project isn’t about nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake.
It’s about:
- preserving student voices that might otherwise disappear
- understanding how change actually happened
- giving future students a clearer sense of “people like me were here before”
- making sure the Union’s history is accessible, inclusive, and buildable, not locked away
You’ll leave behind something tangible - a piece of work that future students, officers, and staff will genuinely use.
Ready to Get Involved?
Whether you want to lead change, support students, or represent your peers, there’s a role here with your name on it.
Register your interest, apply when roles open, and be part of shaping what student life looks like next year 💛