Academic Advisor

UWMSN University of Wisconsin Madison; United States; Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin–Madison's College of Engineering is seeking an academic advisor to support undergraduates, guiding degree planning, course selection, and registration. The role uses a high-touch model to build compassionate relationships with advisees while coordinating with departments on curricular management and campus programs.

The advisor will engage in SOAR programming, assist with events, and contribute to inclusive excellence.

Qualifications

• Requires at least one year of experience post-bachelor’s degree in student services or education
• Experience teaching in higher or secondary education
• Engineering or engineering-related professional experience
• Counseling experience
• Ability to work collaboratively within a diverse community
• Adaptability in a dynamic environment
• Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
• Commitment to increasing access in science, technology, engineering, and math for diverse students

Responsibilities

• Be main contact for students, advising on options and requirements
• Maintain curriculum knowledge and assist with policy and curriculum exceptions
• Receive and respond to academic inquiries per policies
• Support curricular management, enrollment, outreach, and scholarship recruitment
• Participate in campus advising community and provide leadership input
• Organize advising events, workshops, and panels
• Promote inclusive excellence in advising practices
• Maintain confidentiality and FERPA-compliant records

Skills

Student services experience

Teaching experience

Engineering experience

Counseling experience

Collaborative work

Adaptability

Interpersonal skills

Written and verbal communication

Problem solving

Access in STEM advocacy

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category: Academic Staff Employment Type: Regular Job Profile: Academic Advisor Job Summary: The University of Wisconsin-Madison's College of Engineering (COE) seeks a dynamic professional to join our undergraduate academic advising office as an academic advisor. COE academic advisors assist students throughout their undergraduate academic careers, especially during periods of important transitions. The COE academic advising office utilizes a high-touch advising model to develop supportive and compassionate professional relationships with assigned advisees. In addition to their primary responsibility of advising students, academic advisors work collaboratively with departmental representatives to implement and manage student services, including curricular management, schedule of classes and enrollment management. Academic advisors also contribute to the planning and execution of various student programs and large-scale, in-person events and initiatives associated with the advising office and the other offices in the COE academic affairs unit, ensuring a comprehensive approach to student success. All COE academic advisors also participate in campus Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) programming during the summer and a few days every January, advising all incoming COE first-year and transfer students in a majority in-person format. This position requires some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. This position works in-person on campus and is eligible for one remote day per week after 6 months of onboarding and training are complete. This position is required to occasionally support programming during evenings and weekends.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Serves as a main point of contact for students and provides information about educational options and academic requirements; assists with identifying and assessing interests, skills, and values to match appropriate field of study/career options, and refers students to appropriate institutional resources
• Maintains expertise with advised curriculum and may assist in developing and recommending exceptions for policy and curriculum
• Receives, processes, and responds to academic inquiries according to established policies and procedures
• Supports CoE undergraduate academic affairs unit and academic departments on various programming and initiatives, including curricular management and related responsibilities; outreach; recruitment; and scholarship recruitment efforts.
• Participates in the campus-wide advising community providing input to leadership regarding the development of advising, recruitment, and co/curricular programs offered by the school/college
• Implements academic advising events such as workshops, panel discussions, and guest speakers
• Works to support the idea of engineering for all in advising practices and procedures; supports and enhances a climate of inclusive excellence for students and colleagues.
• Maintains confidentiality and accurate student records and processes and responds to academic inquiries according to established institutional and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) policies
• Proactively engages students as needed

Required Qualifications:

• Required at least one year of experience post-bachelor’s degree in one of the following: Student services experience in higher education or secondary education
• Teaching experience in higher education or secondary education
• Professional experience in engineering or engineering-related field
• Professional experience in counseling
• Also required: Proven ability to work collaboratively and effectively within and for a diverse community in a responsive, sensitive and caring manner
• Demonstrated adaptability, with the ability to manage uncertainty and remain flexible in a dynamic and evolving environment
• Strong interpersonal skills and professionalism in communicating with faculty, staff, students, visiting students and families, and the general public
• Excellent written, verbal and problem-solving skills
• Proven commitment to increasing access in science, technology and engineering and the ability to work with diverse student populations

Preferred Qualifications:

• Academic advising experience in higher education
• Experience working with or teaching students in engineering, math, or physical/biological/natural sciences at the higher education or secondary education levels
• Experience working on a team to create, implement or deliver projects or programming.
• Experience delivering information to a wide variety of audiences in a variety of formats (i.e. written communication, presentations, etc.)
• Understanding of the engineering profession and engineering curricula, and ability to relate that understanding to current and prospective students

Education:

Bachelor’s degree Required (preferred in engineering, social science, physical/natural sciences or related field). Master’s degree Preferred (preferred in engineering, counseling and/or adult and higher education, or physical/natural science).

Compensation:

The starting salary for the position is $58,000, but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications. Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. For more information, refer to the campus benefits webpage.

Department:

College of Engineering, Academic Affairs.

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website. To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you. Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.

Contact Information: Beth Brandl, Department Administrator, at [e-mail] or 608-262-5270. Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Work with purpose, make an impact, and grow your career. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is committed to equity, inclusion and employee well-being as we proudly work to improve the lives of people in Wisconsin and beyond. UW-Madison offers a wide range of professions that cover various interests and skill levels. We employ everything from accountants to arborists, chefs to custodians, editors to electricians, graphic designers to groundskeepers, HR associates to HVAC technicians, librarians to locksmiths, mechanics to medical assistants, painters to police officers, web designers to welders, and absolutely everything in between! No matter what you are looking for professionally, chances are you will not only find it but will thrive at it while working at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.