Graduate Student Advisor and Program Coordinator - 138507

Biological Sciences is a large and complex school within Academic Affairs and is overseen by the Dean of Biological Sciences with the assistance of an Assistant and Associate Deans. The School's organization is comprised of four departments: Cell and Developmental Biology; Ecology, Behavior and Evolution; Molecular Biology; and Neurobiology. Each department is headed by a Department Chair who works to represent their department and as well as participates collaboratively as a member of the School's Operations Committee. There are 5 Sr Leaders in Finance, IT, Education, Operations, and Strategic Programs, who lead a variety of shared service units that provide services and support for faculty. The School has approximately 115 faculty FTE,~50 professional researchers, ~150 postdoctoral scholars, ~55 adjuncts, ~20 Unit 18s, ~150 staff in career/casual titles, and 425 student workers and volunteers. Approximately 5,500 undergraduate students enrolled in 8 majors, with annual enrollments of 32,000, a growing BSMS program with ~100 admits each Fall, and ~230 PhD students. The school has approximately $65M of total annual expenditures, $45M annual core budget, $32M in sponsored project funds per year, and ~$20M in available donor funds. The School occupies space in 10 buildings, totaling 302,000 square feet, including class laboratories and instructional space, research labs, and multiple recharge facilities. In addition, the school leads cutting edge collaborative agreements with industry that routinely advances career pathways for biological science students and graduates across the state, country and world.

Our mission is to advance knowledge of basic biological sciences and apply our research discoveries in ways that improve human health, protect our environment and enrich our economy. We fulfill our mission every day by educating and preparing the next generation of scientists, physicians, medical researchers and educators for 21st century careers, and by increasing public understanding of biology and encouraging scientific discovery among K12 teachers and school children.

To learn more about this vibrant center of scientific discovery refer to the school's webpage at www.biology.ucsd.edu.

The Graduate Student Services Advisor applies professional student services concepts to provide comprehensive support for the School of Biological Sciences' graduate programs, with primary focus on MS programs. The position emphasizes academic advising, recruitment and admissions, monitoring academic progress, and supporting the overall student experience. Under the direction of the Assistant Director, Graduate Programs, the Advisor serves primarily as a coordinator for the School's MS programs and contributes to the effective operation of graduate student services across the unit.

The Advisor coordinates recruitment and admissions activities, including outreach efforts and application review processes, and provides academic advising and program guidance to prospective and enrolled students. Responsibilities include advising on enrollment and degree completion planning; monitoring academic progress toward degree completion; organizing and supporting key program activities such as orientations, information sessions, thesis defenses, and milestone or community-building events; and assisting with financial aid and funding coordination by supporting the processing and tracking of fellowships and awards, providing basic financial aid information, and referring students to appropriate campus resources. The Advisor collaborates closely with the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) and other campus partners to ensure compliance with University policies and timelines.

This position provides career and professional school advising for students in the Pathways to Health Professions program. The advisor supports students in exploring health professions, preparing competitive applications to medical and other professional schools, and navigating prerequisite coursework, experiential learning, and timelines. The role includes close partnership and coordination with the campus Career Center to align advising, programming, and resources, as well as collaboration with faculty and other campus partners to ensure high-quality, student-centered advising informed by current admissions trends and best practices.

The position maintains accurate student records and related data, prepares reports related to admissions and student progress, and ensures the accuracy and currency of program materials, forms, web content, and related resources in alignment with University requirements and timelines.

The Advisor provides cross-functional support and coverage within the School's Graduate Programs team and serves as a primary point of contact for students. The Advisor also provides guidance regarding University policies, procedures, and student conduct expectations, making referrals to campus partners as appropriate. Through collaboration with faculty, staff, and campus partners, the position maintains a strong service orientation and clear communication to support diverse student populations while upholding School and University policies and contributing to a collaborative shared-services environment. Perform other duties as assigned.

• This position has recently been accreted by UAW RP union and will be a part of that union moving forward.

• Experience with student academic advising and counseling techniques, including inclusive advising practices; interpretation of academic program structures and milestones (admissions, degree requirements, academic progress, and post-graduate pathways); and appropriate referral to campus resources related to funding, fellowships, and student support. Ability to analyze and interpret academic records, including domestic transcripts, petitions, and degree progress documentation, to assess eligibility and status.

• Competence in documenting workflows and advising interactions, ensuring transparency and enabling supervisory awareness of student progress and potential concerns.

• Knowledge of University processes and procedures, including recruitment and admissions processes, application review logistics, communication with evaluators, enrollment processes, academic milestones, School and University requirements, and standard administrative workflows.

• Understanding of University rules and regulations, including academic policies, data stewardship expectations, and compliance requirements applicable to student records, advising, and program administration.

• Skill in coordinating recruitment and admissions processes, including application review logistics, communication with evaluators, and maintaining accurate tracking systems.

• Ability to advise students on post-graduate academic and professional pathways, with familiarity in admissions criteria, testing timelines, and application preparation, and the ability to refer students to specialized campus resources as appropriate.

• Knowledge of student immigration and visa processes pertaining to international students and scholars. sufficient to provide frontline guidance and make appropriate referrals.

• Competence in providing frontline guidance on fellowship and funding processes, including basic familiarity with campus award administration and referral pathways.

• Competence in documenting workflows and advising interactions, ensuring transparency and enabling supervisory awareness of student progress and potential concerns.

• Knowledge of University-specific computer application programs and pertinent databases. including systems used for admissions, student records, degree progress, reporting, and web content management; and the ability to maintain, reconcile, audit, and retrieve accurate student and program data across multiple systems.

• Ability to multitask; verbal and written communication skills. including advanced composition skills; the ability to synthesize information from multiple sources; translate policies and procedures into clear guidance; document advising interactions and workflows; and communicate concisely and diplomatically with students, faculty, and staff.

• Interpersonal skills, including diplomacy, discretion, service orientation, collaboration in a shared services environment, and the ability to represent the School professionally in recruitment, outreach, orientations, and information-sharing contexts.

• Multicultural competencies; ability to work with diverse populations. including domestic, international, and first-generation graduate students, and to apply culturally responsive and inclusive student support practices.

• Ability in problem identification and reasoning. including analysis and interpretation of academic records; assessment of eligibility and compliance; application of judgment within established policies; identification of complex issues; and recognition of when escalation to faculty leadership or supervision is appropriate.

• Skills in service orientation, organization, active listening, and critical thinking. including managing cyclical workload peaks; processing high volumes of documentation with attention to detail and accuracy; coordinating admissions, recruitment, and event activities; and identifying opportunities for workflow or procedural improvement.

• Skill in synthesizing information from multiple sources-such as academic records, policies, and student communication-to support accurate advising and timely decision-making.

• Skill in event planning and execution, such as orientations, information sessions, workshops, thesis defenses, and student engagement activities in-person and virtually.

• Ability to maintain and reconcile student data across multiple systems, ensuring accuracy and compliance and accurately retrieving and compiling data from various sources to support reporting, monitoring, and program decision-making.

• Ability to understand abstract concepts and computer-based data, and to use a variety of applications and databases to organize records, maintain data integrity, and extract accurate information for routine statistical reports and tracking purposes.

• Skill in procedural interpretation and communication, translating policies into clear, concise, and accurate guidance for faculty, staff, and students.

• Ability to manage cyclical workload peaks, particularly during admissions, enrollment, or milestone periods, while maintaining quality and customer service.

• Skill in developing and maintaining program materials and web content, ensuring consistency, clarity, and accessibility.

• Ability to collaborate effectively in a shared services environment, demonstrating a positive, solutions-oriented attitude and supporting cross-coverage, workload distribution, and cooperative problem-solving.

• Advanced language and communication skills, including composition skills and the ability to adapt writing style and write concisely and persuasively.

• Ability to follow through on assigned responsibilities, meet established deadlines, and communicate proactively regarding workload constraints or emerging issues.

• Ability to incorporate feedback, reflect on outcomes, and adjust practices to improve advising, program operations, or service delivery.

• Background check required.

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Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.

a. "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace