Academic Advisor

Cooperative Education; Fairfax (VA); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

George Mason University in Fairfax, VA invites applications for an academic advisor in the Information Sciences and Technology (IST) department. The advisor guides course selection, degree planning, and university policies to support student success, while collaborating with faculty, staff, and offices to ensure a high-quality advising experience.

Some evening hours are required for recruitment events. The role emphasizes retention, student engagement, and timely advisement across undergraduate

Qualifications

• High school diploma required; able to meet deadlines and manage multiple tasks.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred; university experience desired.
• Experience with advising or administrative roles is a plus.
• Strong communication and customer service mindset.

Responsibilities

• Advises students on policies, course selection, and degree planning for IST programs.
• Supports graduation audits, overrides, and transfer inquiries.
• Communicates with students via email and social media; supports faculty and staff.
• Participates in committees and contributes to data reporting and program improvements.

Skills

Time management

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Customer service

Education

High school diploma

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Integrative Banner

DegreeWorks

Stellic

Salesforce

MicroStrategy

Job description

Department: Col of Engineering and Computing

Classification: Education Support Spec 3

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Pay Band: 04

Salary: Salary range starting upper $50k; commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The primary purpose of the Department of Information Sciences and Technology is to prepare individuals of competence and character for a successful career in academia, industry, or government in the areas related to information technology through their coursework, research, and professional development activities.

About the Position:

The primary purpose of this position is to provide comprehensive academic advising to students in the Information Sciences and Technology (IST) Department. The advisor supports student success by guiding course selection, degree planning, and university policies, while fostering engagement and retention. This role also involves collaborating with faculty, staff, and university offices to ensure a high-quality advising experience aligned with the department’s academic goals and student support mission.

*Some evening hours will be required for certain recruitment events.

The work schedule is subject to be conducive to office needs and position holder availability.

Responsibilities:

Student Advising

• Advises students in all academic matters, including academic policies, and course selection for the undergraduate and graduate IST department programs;
• As students progress through their academic program, provides support with any transfer concerns, pre- and co-requisite enforcement, necessary overrides, and graduation audits;
• Provides responses to admission, transfer and graduation inquiries;
• Provides outreach to all students, particularly those considered at-risk;
• Maintains communication with students via email and social media;
• Supports IST faculty by maintaining current information available for student advising;
• Manages multiple mailboxes and corresponding mailing lists;
• Participates in department, school, and university committees related to undergraduate academic advising, including Mason Academic Advisor Network (MAAN); and
• Supports tracking and reporting for all activities including: overrides, at-risk students, terminated students, and graduation requirements.

Student Affairs

• Assists the associate chairs in overseeing the program function and delivery;
• Participates in university wide programs and events such as admissions, orientations, advising, graduation, and other social and networking events; and
• Generates correspondence in communicating with students, faculty, and other administrators in writing and via email or other communication means in response to students and other constituents' inquiries in fostering student success as needed.

Program Evaluation, Credentialing & Accreditation

• Assists the associate chairs in planning, developing, improving, implementing and evaluating policies and procedures governing admissions, orientation, and registration processes, including enrollment management and graduation activities;
• Assists the associate chairs in collaboration, coordination, research and providing student data and statistics to perform data analysis towards improving the quality of the program and the student services function and departmental performances; and
• Provides support for program review, including ABET, Nuventive, and Academic Program Review.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Administers and processes surveys for students; Oversees and manages the IST PhD Qualifying Exams;
• Supports the faculty with organizing IST Research symposium, research events, and special events;
• Develops and maintains social media presence of IST; and
• Other departmental needs that arise shall be met as appropriate.

Required Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent;
• Experience in setting and meeting deadlines;
• Knowledge of general office practices and equipment;
  Excellent organizational, verbal, and written communication skills, as well as be able to handle multiple tasks and prioritize accordingly;
• Customer service attitude that projects a competent and positive image of the department; and
• Self-sufficient ability to use word processing, spreadsheets, database, PowerPoint/Prezi presentations, internet, and other current PC tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is highly preferred;
• Demonstrated experience (typically 5 years) working at a university or in an administrative position;
• Previous academic advising experience;
• Extensive experience with Integrative Banner, DegreeWorks, Stellic, SalesForce, and MicroStrategy (ERP, BI, Report Writing); and
• Familiarity with GMU policies and procedures.

Posting Open Date: September 18, 2026

For Full Consideration, Apply by: October 2, 2026

Open Until Filled: Yes

A Force for Innovation in the Heart of Northern Virginia’s Technology Corridor

About the College:

The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) at George Mason University is a fast-growing force for innovation in research and education. Ranked nationally in the top 100 in both undergraduate and graduate education, the CECenrolled more than11,000studentsin fall2025.The college has 34 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degreeprogramsincluding several first-in-the-nation offerings. Of its 314full-timefaculty,107are tenured,59 aretenure-track,96 areterm faculty, and52 areresearch faculty. As part of a nationally ranked research university, CEC research teamsexpended$83.7million in sponsored research awards in the past year and had projects with over$66.8million in awards. The college stands out for its leading research in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics engineering, cybersecurity engineering, biomedical imaging and devices, healthcare, autonomous systems, 5G/Next G communications, systems architectures, computational biomedicine, advanced materials and manufacturing, sustainable infrastructure, and more. The college encourages and supports multidisciplinary research and providesample opportunityfor faculty to work with other disciplines.

About the University and the Region:

George Mason University is the largest and most diverse public research university in Virginia, with an enrollment of more than40,000 studentsstudying in over200 degreeprograms. Mason is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. It was classified as an R1 research institution in 2016 by the Carnegie Classifications of Institutes of Higher Education. The university has campuses in Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William County. Its proximity to Washington, D.C. provides unmatched geographical access to federal agencies and national laboratories. Northern Virginia is also home to one of the largest concentrations of high-tech firms in the nation,providingexcellent opportunities for interaction with industry. The region is consistently rated as being among the best places to live in the country and has an outstanding local public school system.

About the Future:

In conjunction with Amazon’s decision toestablisha second headquarters in Northern Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced a multi-year plan to invest in the growth of degree programs in computing. As a result,George Mason has committed toaccelerateits plans to grow its capacity in computing andemerging technologies. Among the university’s exciting initiatives are the launch of the Institute for Digital Innovation—a university think tank and incubator to serve the digital economy—and the expansion of Mason Square home to its Arlington facilities. In 2025, Fusea new 355,000 square foot building,openedto students, faculty, and research teams. This net-zero facility houses the Institute for Digital Innovation, state-of the-art classrooms,roboticsand power engineeringlabs, and collaborative spaces.It will also include retail space, and leasing opportunities for local businesses. These initiatives reflect hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment byGeorge Mason that will rapidly elevate the university’s already leading national position in computing and related areas.