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University of California - San Diego

Advisor & Student Engagement Coordinator

🇺🇸 Hybrid - San Diego, California 🕑 Full-Time 💰 $62K - $106K 💻 Academic Advising 🗓️ October 14th, 2026
Higher Ed Events Outreach

Edtech.com's Summary

University of California - San Diego is hiring an Advisor & Student Engagement Coordinator to advise undergraduate biology majors, minors, and pre-health students in the School of Biological Sciences. The coordinator resolves complex academic policy cases and petitions while also planning the school’s advising workshops, orientations, and large student events such as the Life Sciences Career Conference and Research Showcase. The position reports to the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Programs and Support Services.

Highlights
  • Advise freshman, transfer, and visiting undergraduates on course enrollment, prerequisites, major requirements, sequencing, and admission to capped biology majors.
  • Serve as lead advisor on the most complex academic policy cases, reviewing petitions and degree exception requests and processing forms such as the APF, SAP, and readmission proposals.
  • Identify students who are struggling, recommend intervention strategies, and refer them to campus supports such as CAPS, SARC, and the Ombuds office.
  • Plan and lead school-wide advising events, including capped major sessions, long-term planning workshops, study abroad sessions, and new transfer student information sessions.
  • Run the annual Life Sciences Career Conference and Research Showcase, managing vendor partnerships, logistics, budgets, and post-event assessment.
  • Represent the school at outreach events such as Triton Days, Fall Showcase, and Parent and Family programs, and build onboarding programs for incoming students.
  • Help hire and onboard new advisors and provide ongoing training to the advising team, while partnering with Career Center staff on professional development workshops.
  • Bring a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience plus proven experience developing and assessing student programs in a college or university academic advising setting.
  • Work a hybrid 100% time career schedule that includes frequent evening and weekend hours to support student organizations and events.
  • The hiring pay scale is $61,530 to $105,840 per year.

Advisor & Student Engagement Coordinator Full Description

Payroll Title: STDT SVC ADVISOR 3 SV
Department: DIVISION OF BIOLOGICAL SCI.
Hiring Pay Scale: $61,530 - $105,840 / Year
Worksite: Hybrid
Appointment Type: Career
Appointment Percent: 100%
Union: SV Contract
Total Openings: 1
Work Schedule: 8 hrs/day, Mon-Fri
Filing Deadline: Fri 10/16/2026

DESCRIPTION
Using skills as a seasoned, experienced student services professional, provides the full range of student services within an organization such as an academic department, school, or college. Independently advises students and resolves student services-related issues on the full range of academic issues inherent within the organization. Advises faculty and management on a variety of student issues. Works with the department's / school's / college's management to recommend changes to policies, practices, and procedures. Guidance on issues requiring in-depth knowledge of specialized programs is provided by offices specializing in those fields, e.g., the financial aid office, graduate division, or student learning center, OR by the chair / dean and faculty of the department / school / college. May administer funds for student programs.
Under supervision of the Assistant Director, Undergraduate Programs and Support Services, the Advisor & Student Engagement Coordinator serves as an expert, professional staff advisor in all areas of student advising and comprehensive advising program support for the School of Biological Sciences’ prospective and continuing student populations. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: independent coordination of student support, proactive advising, all day-to-day advising tasks/activities, responding to the most complex advising and academic policy inquiries/student cases/department and university exceptions. Develops, supports and contributes to the implementation of a comprehensive academic advising program. Responsible for leading, creating and implementing various workshops, orientations, information sessions and special events. Responsible for assisting with hiring/onboarding of new advisors, and continued training/support of advising team. Represents the School on relevant campus work groups/committees. Perform other duties as assigned.
Using broad job knowledge, analyzes complex advising problems and issues of diverse scope to determine solutions. Independently provide full range of advising services to all undergraduates (NFRS, ICT/TRAN, and visiting students) interested in/taking biology coursework on campus (majors/minors/prehealth); advise on course enrollment, prerequisites, course restrictions, major requirements, sequencing, planning, etc.; advise on admission requirements (capped status and transfer major prep) and programmatic offerings of the School (e.g. Honors Program, BS/MS, etc.).
Independently interprets and effectively communicates School and University policies to students, faculty, and staff, including department/university degree exception requests, requiring faculty advisor review/support; review and process all forms requiring School advising approval (e.g. APF, SAP, Readmission Proposal, etc.), making appropriate recommendations for degree progression; professional lead advisor on most complex advising and academic policy inquiries/cases/exceptions; responsible for evaluating university petition submissions, processing in accordance with School and University policy; actively collaborates with relevant constituents (e.g. College Academic Advising, Student Affairs, etc.); makes referrals to other campus units as appropriate (e.g. study abroad, career center, AAH, writing center, etc.)
Applies analysis and strategic thinking to work with students who are experiencing difficulties (at risk), making recommendations for intervention strategies, referring to appropriate campus supports (e.g. CAPS, SARC, Ombuds, OPHD, OSD, etc.); openly communicates at-risk student challenges to faculty, with the goal of formulating resolution strategies; analyzes and provides feedback for School policy/processes/academic advising support service improvement, related to student academic success.
Maintains open communication and collaboration with Career Center constituents (e.g. Healthbeat, Industry, Pre-grad advisors/staff); responsible for active outreach and collaborative academic-related advising efforts, focusing on the School’s student professional development needs
Leads the planning and implementation of School-wide academic advising events/orientations/info sessions, etc. (e.g. Capped Major, Long Term Planning, Study Abroad, New Transfer Student Info Sessions, etc.); school representation and lead for collaborative campus wide events (e.g. Parent and Family, Transfer Triton Hub, Career Center, Triton Days, etc.); analyzes various student population needs, providing management with feedback for possible future academic-related events/workshop development. Independently plan and execute School-wide workshops and information sessions, relevant to opportunities and various student populations.
Leads all aspects of planning for annual, high profile events such as Life Sciences Career Conference, Research Showcase, etc. Responsible for management and oversight of the development, implementation, execution, and evaluation of large-scale events that promote involvement of students. Facilitate event partnerships with both on and off-campus vendors that enhance the effectiveness or scope of the event. Manage logistical components of events from conception to execution. Develop budgets and oversee expenditures. Lead assessment and debrief efforts.
Plans and implements professional development and networking programs, leveraging internal and external partnerships, to enhance the educational experience for Biological Sciences students.
Responsible for the School’s campus-organized academic outreach events (e.g. Fall Showcase, Triton Days, CC outreach, etc.); develops/implements/leads future outreach efforts both on and off campus; analyzes and supports opportunities for collaboration; assists with articulation-related School responsibilities; actively participates in building collaborative community-school partnerships.
Responsible for the development and implementation of onboarding programs/offerings for incoming students; analyzes current offerings and identifies ways to improve connection efforts with various incoming student populations; serves as lead on implementation of student onboarding processes and events.
Works closely with School, campus and outside colleagues to offer enhanced career and professional workshops to students.

QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
  • Working knowledge of advising and counseling techniques.
  • Knowledge of University-specific computer application programs and knowledge of University and departmental principles and procedures involved in risk assessment and evaluating risks as to likelihood and consequences.
  • Solid verbal and written communication skills. Ability to communicate effectively both in written and oral form with students, staff, faculty, and other diverse groups (large and small) of people. Ability to speak effectively in public.
  • Interpersonal skills. Demonstrated ability to deal with people in crisis in a professional and concerned manner and the ability to effectively listen, advise, counsel and interact with diverse personalities using tact, diplomacy, and independent and mature judgments.
  • Multicultural competencies; ability to work with diverse populations. Ability to interact effectively and diplomatically with diverse student and community populations, both orally and in writing.
  • Ability in problem identification and reasoning; ability to develop original ideas to solve problems. Strong negotiation problem-solving, and decision-making skills with the ability to act quickly and independently and exercise sound judgment with the acumen and sensitivity to identify those decisions and activities which require higher level consultation and/or group collaboration. Ability to exercise a high degree of flexibility and innovation to seek alternative solutions to unique or complex problems and issues.
  • Skills in judgment and decision-making, problem solving, identifying measures of system performance and the actions to improve performance. Strong independent judgement and the ability to handle stressful situations in a professional manner, with the acumen to consult higher levels of leadership and decision-making when necessary.
  • Understanding of University rules and regulations. Experience interpreting policies, setting logical priorities, making decisions independently, working with minimal directions, and negotiating conflicts.
  • Strong demonstrated ability to organize and analyze a variety of information, data, and objectives to make strategic recommendations and to develop programs, informational brochures and flyers, the general catalog, and create and update web content.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with individuals at various levels of the School and campus to incorporate their ideas.
  • Demonstrated experience planning, organizing, implementing, and assessing creative, successful, well attended programs and events that meet the needs of a diverse student population. Experience establishing collaborative partnerships with students, staff, faculty, and campus departments. Ability to develop and manage budgets.
  • Demonstrated ability to identify campus resources and to foster strong, collaborative outreach and positive relationships with campus- and system-wide offices and administrative staff contacts.
  • Organizational abilities and project management skills. Ability to independently manage complex tasks, with competing demands for time and resources. Ability to independently prioritize and schedule work effectively within set guidelines to meet established deadlines. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize in a fluid environment with shifting priorities.
  • Demonstrated ability to interpret and provide advice and training to student organizations on University regulations and procedures pertaining to facility use, risk management, security, ticket handling, alcohol use, free speech, fundraising, posting, food service, money collection, Americans with Disabilities Act and other programming related policies.
  • Ability to develop original ideas to solve problems. Demonstrated ability to conceptualize and develop programmatic activities from general guidelines. Demonstrated ability to independently establish objectives, set priorities, plan, direct, meet deadlines, and evaluate all aspects of event production---all within a paradigm that addresses the special needs of the students.
  • Skill in coordinating all logistical aspects of large and small scale programs for students including knowledge of budget development principles and skills as they apply to programming. Demonstrated ability to develop and implement a strategic plan and coordinate and manage large scale projects with multiple stakeholders.
  • Proven experience in student program development planning, implementation and assessment to meet the needs of targeted student populations, in a non-profit college or university academic advising environment.
  • Willingness and demonstrated ability to embrace and consistently uphold the principles of community for a collaborative work environment.
  • Basic knowledge and ability to work with fiscal related matters including budgets, expenditures, and reimbursement processes.
  • Demonstrated ability to gather, monitor, analyze and interpret statistical data and to communicate findings through charts, narrative, and oral presentations.
  • Knowledge of complex U.S. visa and immigration procedures, compliance issues, and employment eligibility / authorization for international students and scholars.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
  • May be required to attend conferences and professional development opportunities.
  • Flexible schedule: frequent evening and weekend hours as required by student organizations and activities.
  • Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on Background Check results.
Pay Transparency Act
Annual Full Pay Range: Unclassified - No data available (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)
Hourly Equivalent: Unclassified - No data available
Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.