Academic Advisor - CYSE

George Mason University; Chantilly (VA); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

George Mason University is seeking an Academic Advisor in the Department of Cyber Security Engineering. The role supports undergrad, graduate, and prospective students by interpreting policies, developing academic plans, monitoring progress, and connecting them with campus resources to promote success.

The position involves delivering programs to improve engagement, retention, and timely graduation, and working as a trusted partner to help students achieve academic and professional goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience providing customer service, advising, studentsupport, or client services in a professional, internship, or leadership setting.
• Experience interpreting and explaining complex policies, rules, or guidelines to a diverse audience.
• Experience managing data entry, tracking records, or maintaining email inboxes using professional software or databasetools.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Strong organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills.
• Relationship skills: teamwork, collaboration, networking, development.
• Demonstrated ability to balance competing priorities while providing exceptional service to a diverse student population.

Responsibilities

• Provides academic advising during the day and limited evening in individual consultations, group events or presentations, and tabling, for current and aspiring Cyber Security Engineering students on major/minor choice and curriculum.
• Plans and implements academic success, orientation, and student engagement programs to promote retention and student success.
• Develops workshops focused on academic planning, orientation, and student success.
• Coordinates complex activities to support student academic planning and confidentiality.
• Provides accurate interpretation of university and departmental policies to students, families, and faculty; assists with graduation audits and degree completion discussions.
• Maintains accurate student records in PatriotConnect and reviews transcripts using Banner INB.
• Coordinates departmental events, orientation activities, and special projects; participates in professional development.

Skills

Customer service

Advising

Communication

Presentation skills

Organizational skills

Teamwork

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Banner INB

PatriotConnect

CRM systems

Microsoft Office Suite

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 visasponsorship

Pay Band: 04

Salary: Salary ranges from high $50,000 to low $60,000 andwill commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department: The Department of Cyber Security Engineering at George MasonUniversity, located in Fairfax, Virginia, near Washington, D.C.,offers an ABET-accredited undergraduate program and graduateprograms that prepare students to address evolving Cyber Securitychallenges. Through a systems engineering approach, our programsprovide students with technical knowledge and practical skills todesign, implement, and secure complex cyber systems. The departmentis committed to excellence in education, research, and innovationwhile preparing graduates to meet the growing global demand forCyber Security professionals.

About the Position: The Academic Advisor provides comprehensive academic advising andstudent support for undergraduate, graduate, and prospectivestudents in the Department of Cyber Security Engineering. Theadvisor helps students interpret and apply university anddepartmental policies, develop academic plans, monitor progresstoward degree completion, and connect with campus resources thatsupport academic and professional success. The position alsodevelops and delivers programs that promote student engagement,retention, and timely graduation. The Academic Advisor serves as a trusted resource and partner inhelping students achieve their academic, personal, and professionalgoals.

Student Interaction

• Provides academic advising during the day and limited eveningin individual consultations, group events or presentations, andtabling, for current and aspiring Cyber Security Engineeringstudents on such topics as major or minor choice, curriculumselection, study skills, scholarship and club opportunities, andother academic-related areas;
• Plans and implements academic success, orientation, and studentengagement programs that promote retention and studentsuccess;
• Develops workshops and programs focused on academic planning,orientation, and student success;
• Develops, disseminates and maintains resources to assiststudents with academic planning and development ofacademic/career/professional knowledge and skills;
• Coordinates complex activities to support student academicplanning;
• Understands and implements proper use of rules and proceduresconcerning confidentiality;
• Provides accurate interpretation of university and departmentalpolicies and procedures to students, families, and faculty;and
• Assists with graduation audits, communicates degreedeficiencies to students, and discusses options for degreecompletion.

Database Management

• Maintains accurate and timely student records in PatriotConnect, including advising notes, tags, email communications, andappointment availability;
• Utilizes Patriot Connect database to create and/or participatein campaigns for targeted outreach to select students;
• Utilizes Banner INB student information system to reviewstudent transcripts, records, course registration history, andprocessing course overrides; and
• Manages program-specific inboxes, listservs, and learningmanagement system organizations.

Special Events and Projects

• Coordinates departmental events, orientation activities, andspecial projects as assigned;
• Actively participates in professional development experienceswhen available to stay current with best practices and enhanceeffectiveness in the role; and
• Executes special projects and duties assigned to support thedepartment.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent combination ofeducation and experience;
• Experience providing customer service, advising, studentsupport, or client services in a professional, internship, orleadership setting;
• Experience interpreting and explaining complex policies, rules,or guidelines to a diverse audience;
• Experience managing data entry, tracking records, ormaintaining email inboxes using professional software or databasetools;
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, includingactive listening and the ability to effectively engage withstudents from a wide diversity of backgrounds;
• Excellent presentation skills;
• Strong organizational, time management, and problem-solvingskills;
• Relationship skills: teamwork, collaboration, networking,development;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, data managementsystems, internet-based applications, and emerging technologiessuch as AI tools;
• Demonstrated ability to balance competing priorities whileproviding exceptional service to a diverse student population;
• Proven ability to work effectively as part of a team bothwithin and outside the department; and
• Demonstrated ability to organize workshops, events, orsmall-scale programs while balancing multiple administrative tasksindependently.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in related field;
• Generally, 1+ years of direct experience in higher education,specifically within academic advising, student affairs, registrarservices, or admissions;
• Experience managing a large caseload of students or clients ina fast-paced, detail-oriented environment;
• Experience developing administrative workflows to improvestudent support services;
• Knowledge and technical proficiency utilizing higher educationplatforms such as student information systems (SIS)/student recorddatabases (e.g., Banner) and CRMs; and
• Ability to manage a large, diverse caseload of studentsindependently and collaboratively in a fast paced, detail-orientedenvironment.

About the College

The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) at George MasonUniversity is a fast-growing force for innovation in research andeducation. Ranked nationally in the top 100 in both undergraduateand graduate education, the CEC enrolled a record high of 11,296students in fall 2024. The college has 34 undergraduate, master’sand doctoral degree programs including several first-in-the-nationofferings. Of its 309 full-time faculty, 100 are tenured, 58 aretenure-track, 96 are term faculty, and 55 are research faculty. Aspart of a nationally ranked research university, CEC research teamsexpended $83.7 million in sponsored research awards in the pastyear and had projects with over $68 million in awards. The collegestands out for its leading research in areas such as artificialintelligence, data analytics engineering, cybersecurityengineering, biomedical imaging and devices, healthcare, autonomoussystems, 5G/Next G communications, systems architectures,computational biomedicine, advanced materials and manufacturing,sustainable infrastructure, and more. The college encourages andsupports multidisciplinary research and provides ample opportunityfor faculty to work with other disciplines.

About the University and the Region

George Mason University is the largest and most diverse publicresearch university in Virginia, with an enrollment of more than40,000 students studying in over 200 degree programs. Mason is aninnovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinctionin a range of academic fields. It was classified as an R1 researchinstitution in 2016 by the Carnegie Classifications of Institutesof 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 andnational laboratories. Northern Virginia is also home to one of thelargest concentrations of high-tech firms in the nation, providingexcellent opportunities for interaction with industry. The regionis consistently rated as being among the best places to live in thecountry and has an outstanding local public school system.

About the Future

In conjunction with Amazon’s decision to establish a secondheadquarters in Northern Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginiaannounced a multi-year plan to invest in the growth of degreeprograms in computing. As a result, Mason has committed toaccelerate its plans to grow its capacity in computing andhigh-tech fields. Among the university’s exciting initiatives arethe launch of the Institute for Digital Innovation—a universitythink tank and incubator to serve the digital economy—and theexpansion of Mason Square home to its Arlington facilities. In2025, Fuse a new 355,000 square foot building, will open tostudents, faculty, and research teams. This net-zero facility willhouse the Institute for Digital Innovation, state-of the-artclassrooms, labs, and collaborative spaces. It will also includeretail space, and leasing opportunities for local businesses. Theseinitiatives reflect hundreds of millions of dollars in newinvestment by Mason that will rapidly elevate the university’salready leading national position in computing and relatedareas.

Equity Statement

George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative actionemployer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in itscommunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration foretgetment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexualorientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability orveteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.

Campus Safety Information

Mason’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available athttp://police.gmu.edu/annual-security-report/