Career Center

Graduate Program Coordinator (4575U) - 43110 About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are committed to creating a community that fosters equity of experience and opportunity, and ensures that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel safe, welcome and included. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

The University of California, Berkeley, is one of the world's leading institutions of higher education, distinguished by its combination of internationally recognized academic and research excellence; the transformative opportunity it provides to a large and diverse student body; its public mission and commitment to equity and social justice; and its roots in the California experience, animated by such values as innovation, questioning the status quo, and respect for the environment and nature. Since its founding in 1868, Berkeley has fueled a perpetual renaissance, generating unparalleled intellectual, economic and social value in California, the United States and the world.

We are looking for equity-minded applicants who represent the full diversity of California and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at Berkeley, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice that requires broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students and community partners. In deciding whether to apply for a position at Berkeley, you are strongly encouraged to consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, our Principles of Community, and our Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. To find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley, visit grow.berkeley.edu.

Departmental Overview

Biosciences Divisional Services (BDS) supports the Departments of Integrative Biology (IB) and Molecular & Cell Biology (MCB) in the Division of Biological Sciences. Together, these two departments form one of the largest academic research units at UC Berkeley. By several measures (including numbers of faculty and students, budget, and assigned square feet), these departments are larger than many UCB colleges and schools. BDS represents over 186 faculty FTE (including Adjuncts, Professors of the Graduate School, active emeriti and 15 HHMI professors); 225 post-doctoral fellows and other researchers; 341 graduate students; and 74 department administrative staff members.

This position provides a wide range of student services to the Graduate Affairs Office that supports the Integrative Biology and Molecular & Cell Biology Ph.D. programs. The incumbent will have the ability to lead their own projects while also collaborating and supporting other team members, faculty, and students. Currently, there are 103 IB graduate students and 238 MCB graduate students supported by two Graduate Program Managers, one Graduate Finance Specialist, and the incumbent, all of whom report to the Director of Student Services. The incumbent is responsible for coordinating large scale events and projects such as recruitment, commencement, and Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) hiring; smaller scale events such as orientation and regular student programming; and administrative and operational support in areas such as communications (student newsletters, websites, program handbooks), student advising, data collection and analysis, and the processing of travel, expense, and entertainment reimbursements for students.

This is a career, 100% time position.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 10/06/2022.

Responsibilities

Event Planning (Recruitment, Orientation, Commencement)

Recruitment & Admissions

• Plans, implements, and manages virtual and in-person recruitment visits of prospective graduate students to MCB. Leads planning meetings with MCB GAO staff, Admissions Chairs, and student Recruitment Representatives.
• Organizes two virtual recruitment weekends for approximately 100-130 individuals (applicants generally participate in 2 groups of 50-65 individuals in January/February) and one in-person recruitment visit for ~90 admitted students in March.
• Acts as lead coordinator for the department, working closely with Biological Sciences Program Directors at other west coast universities regarding setting of dates, coordinating travel and arrangements for travel between campuses as necessary.
• Acts as lead department representative to applicants visiting the campus in all matters relating to travel, lodging, and faculty appointments. Coordinates with university travel agents on all travel arrangements for visiting applicants.
• In collaboration with the student Recruitment Representatives, coordinates current graduate student participation in the recruitment process including, but not limited to housing visitors, assigning day hosts, contacting recruits, and organizing visit day activities including panel discussions, poster sessions, seminars, and social activities.
• Responsible for establishing contracts with local hotels for accommodation blocks. Plans and manages all group events, including seminars, panel discussions, catered meals, faculty dinners, etc. Negotiates any necessary service provider contracts. Provides on-site management for all recruitment events. Maintains computer databases of all pertinent correspondence, schedules, and costs.
• Compiles and rewrites as necessary all department information for visitors' packets.
• Supports the department's extensive efforts to recruit students from historically underrepresented populations to the graduate program.
• Assists in other areas of the admissions process as needed, including the handling of ~800 applications received annually.

Commencement

• Plans and coordinates MCB's Graduate Commencement. Conducts meetings throughout the spring semester to organize and plan the commencement ceremony held each May at a campus venue (currently the Zellerbach Playhouse). Delegates commencement tasks to other graduate student services staff as needed.
• Reserves commencement ceremony and reception venues and enters into catering and service contracts necessary for a successful event.
• Coordinates the participation of Ph.D. recipients and their faculty mentors, including those from Biophysics, Computational Biology, and Neuroscience programs.
• Sends out the call for commencement award and student speaker nominations to eligible students and faculty. Gathers award nominations for review to the appropriate deciding bodies.
• Supervises the acquisition and delivery of all faculty regalia, mailings, and production and printing of the commencement program.

Orientation

• Coordinates with other campus units (Environmental Health & Safety, Ombuds, Biosciences Library, Residency Office, University Health Services, etc.) to provide training and certifications for all new students as required by campus policy.
• Organizes the catered faculty reception for new MCB students, IB and MCB welcome breakfasts, MCB GSI orientation, and Faculty Evening Research Presentations (FERPs), and assists MCB students in the second-year class in organizing the first-year/second-year picnic.
• Compiles extensive informational materials about the departments, the campus, and life in Berkeley for each entering student.

Student Services Support

MCB Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Assignments and Hiring

• Manages the administration of the GSI application process and works with GSI Faculty Advisors to assign ~160 GSIs to MCB courses.
• Advises students and verifies completion of requirements mandated for employment, and advises faculty on university, department, and labor union policies pertaining to GSIs.
• Enters GSI appointments into the MCB Smartsheet, tracks completion of appointments, follows up with students to complete onboarding, and works with HR to ensure that students are paid on time. Resolves payroll issues as needed.
• Handles exceptional cases and recommends GSI assignments in special cases after routine assignments have been completed.
• Recommends GSI assignments factoring in relative classroom strengths and weaknesses, and course subject-matter knowledge of individual GSIs as matched to course content and instructor.
• Coordinates the GSI informational session for new MCB GSIs in March and the GSI Orientation for first-time MCB GSIs in August.
• Coordinates the distribution of GSI teaching evaluations in the 5th week of each semester.
• Maintains and updates GSI database and tracks completion of teaching requirements for MCB students. Compiles lists of past GSIs for new GSIs to contact and gathers GSI related materials to share with students.
• Oversees the annual nomination process for Outstanding GSI Awards.
• Supports the MCB Curriculum Planner with summer hiring by assisting with the recruitment and assignment of GSIs and Readers.

Student Programming

• Acts as unit liaison to IB and MCB department sponsored student organizations, including the MCB Graduate Student Organization (GSO), MCB Grad Student Network (MGN), IB Graduate Student Association (IBGSA), and supports their activities throughout the year. Processes entertainment, travel, and expense reimbursements, and advises students on relevant university policies. Maintains the MCB Student Activities Calendar.
• Oversees the Hansen Lecture (IB) and Koshland Seminar Series (MCB) and provides event support to the student organizing committees by providing catering for seminar receptions, reimbursing students for meals with the guest speaker, booking travel and arranging honoraria payments as needed, and other seminar-related needs.
• Along with other graduate student services staff, provides administrative and event planning support to the annual student-led iBiosciences Conference.

Student Advising

• Assists with the maintenance of graduate student records for all functions pertaining to the students' progress in the program up to, and including, the awarding of the Ph.D.
• Supports the MCB Graduate Program Manager with the gathering and tracking of annual review meetings.
• Advises students, faculty, and the public on departmental requirements, policies, and procedures and the interpretation of policies and regulations of the university, Graduate Division, Office of the Registrar and other campus offices.
• Maintains departmental degree lists for all students and reconciles differences with Graduate Division statistics. Maintains and produces reports and statistics on Ph.D. recipients as necessary.

Administrative Support

Operational Support

• Manages the MCB Travel Grant and IB GRAC Research & Travel Fund programs. Advises students on funding policies, compiles applications for the respective Head Graduate Advisors to review each month, informs students of application outcome and reimbursement policies, and processes student reimbursements.
• Schedules monthly MCB Graduate Affairs Committee (GAC) meetings, prepares meeting agendas, and takes meeting minutes.
• Sends out solicitations for fellowship nominations (HHMI Gilliam, Mentored Research, UC Dissertation Year, Berkeley Connect, Cancer Research Coordinating Committee, etc.) and gathers nomination materials for the relevant committees to review.
• Coordinates, publishes, and distributes information on IB and MCB course offerings and faculty seminars.
• Prepares and sends a weekly MCB newsletter that includes campus announcements, funding, internship, and other job opportunities.
• Assists in the maintenance of MCB and IB graduate program websites and handbooks.
• Assists in the supervision of work-study students.
• Orders office and event supplies as needed.

Program Data Collection & Analysis

• Develops and implements tracking procedures and devises and maintains databases for alumni and publications as required by NIH training grants.
• Assists the MCB Graduate Finance Specialist with gathering data required for reports to the university and federal funding agencies.
• Distributes annual and ad hoc surveys to students. Compiles responses and prepares them for analysis by department staff, faculty, or other leadership. Maintains survey records on department server.
• Provides reports and responds to requests for data from faculty, and other department and campus units using departmental databases and other campus student systems (i.e., Filemaker Pro, CalCentral, Campus Solutions, etc.).

Required Qualifications

• 2-3 years of experience working in student affairs, event planning and coordination, project management, or equivalent experience.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills with the ability to conceptualize and communicate effectively to diverse audiences; ability to edit/proofread administrative documents.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to effectively lead, motivate, and influence others and develop and maintain high standards of customer service.
• Ability to independently drive projects while also collaborating with a larger team.
• Excellent problem-solving and critical thinking skills that lead to effective decision-making and problem recognition/avoidance/resolution.
• Strong political acumen and the ability to use discretion and sound judgment in managing sensitive information and in responding to issues and concerns.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, diverse, constantly changing work environment, manage multiple deadlines, and prioritize workflow in a logical/linear manner to meet strict and important deadlines.
• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), and ability to apply and integrate core concepts of DEIB into everyday practice.
• Ability to be resourceful, creative, innovative, and flexible.
• Knowledge of, or ability to learn, University-specific computer application programs and pertinent databases.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Forms).
• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in higher education and/or equivalent training or experience.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of policies, procedures, and degree requirements related to graduate student programs.
• Knowledge of University policies, procedures, and systems; including experience with campus student information systems (Campus Solutions, Cal Central, Slate), the travel and entertainment reimbursement system (Direct Enter), and GSI hiring systems (Smartsheets, Service Now).

Salary & Benefits

This is a 100% full-time (40 hrs a week) exempt career position, which is paid monthly and eligible for full UC Benefits. Annual salary is commensurate with experience.

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University visit: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html

How to Apply

Please submit your cover letter and resume as a single attachment in the Resume section of your application.

Other Information

This position is eligible for 40% remote work.

Conviction History Background

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

Mandated Reporter

This position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter required to report the observed or suspected abuse or neglect of children, dependent adults, or elders to designated law enforcement or social service agencies. We reserve the right to make employment contingent upon completion of signed statements acknowledging the responsibilities of a Mandated Reporter.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information about your rights as an applicant see:

https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/migrated_files/employers/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf
For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see:
http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct



To apply, visit https://careerspub.universityofcalifornia.edu/psp/ucb/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_APP_SCHJOB.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=21&JobOpeningId=43110&PostingSeq=1





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