Academic and Student Affairs Advisor (MSAI)

Columbia University in the City of New York; New York, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 74,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia University in the City of New York seeks an Academic and Student Affairs Advisor for the MS AI program within the Engineering Student Affairs Office. You will manage academic success, engagement, and the overall student experience from admission to graduation, recruiting and counseling prospective students, onboarding, and delivering orientation programs.

You will collaborate with various departments to provide school-wide support, including enrollment services, career placement,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent required.
• 2–4 years of related experience preferred.
• Strong technical competency with student services databases and online resources.
• Ability to respond to students’ needs in a technologically dynamic environment.
• Proficiency with Google Suite, MS Office, Excel, and related tools.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary advisor to MS AI students from orientation through graduation.
• Plan and facilitate group advising sessions, information sessions, and town halls.
• Monitor academic progress and coordinate interventions and support services.
• Design onboarding for new students including pre-arrival communications and orientation.
• Lead New Student Orientation planning, scheduling, materials preparation, and logistics.
• Maintain onboarding resources and student-facing guides.
• Connect students with academic, advising, career, and campus resources.
• Foster an inclusive, welcoming student-centered environment.

Skills

Student advising

Organization

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Google Suite

Excel Pivot Tables

VLOOKUP

PowerPoint

MS Office

Job description

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $74,000 - $80,000

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

Columbia Engineering seeks a service-oriented, proactive professional to serve as the Academic and Student Affairs Advisor for the Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI) program as part of the Engineering Student Affairs (ESA) Office.

The Advisor manages the academic success, engagement, and overall student experience of MSAI students throughout the entire student lifecycle. The Advisor recruits and counsels prospective students, coordinates the onboarding experience for newly admitted students, and delivers a welcoming and well-organized orientation program. The incumbent fosters a strong sense of community by partnering with student leaders to develop co-curricular programming, student engagement initiatives, and social events. The Advisor also provides comprehensive academic advising, helping students understand curriculum requirements, navigate university policies and procedures, and successfully progress toward degree completion. Through responsive guidance, personalized support, and effective collaboration with faculty and administrative partners, the Advisor ensures students receive accurate information, timely assistance, and an exceptional educational experience from admission through graduation.

In addition, the advisor will provide school-wide student affairs, administrative, and operational support serving Columbia Engineering’s academic departments, programs, and functional teams, including: Academic Administration and Enrollment Services, Graduate Career Placement, Graduate Student Affairs, Graduate Student Life, Graduate Wellness and Support Services, and Professional Development and Leadership.

Responsibilities

(50%)

Serve as the primary advisor to MSAI students from orientation through graduation.

• Plan and facilitate group advising sessions, information sessions, and MSAI student town halls.
• Monitor students’ academic progress, proactively identify students experiencing academic challenges, and coordinate appropriate interventions and support services.
• Conduct graduation audits and certify that students have successfully fulfilled all degree requirements.
• Design and manage a comprehensive onboarding experience for newly admitted students, including pre-arrival communications, enrollment guidance, and transition programming.
• Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of MSAI New Student Orientation, including program development, scheduling, presenter coordination, materials preparation, and event logistics.
• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve onboarding materials, advising resources, and student-facing program guides.
• Connect incoming students with academic, advising, career, and campus resources to support a successful transition into graduate study.
• Foster an inclusive, welcoming, and student-centered environment by actively soliciting student feedback and implementing initiatives that enhance the overall MSAI student experience.

(20%)

• Meet with prospective students to discuss the MSAI program, answer questions, and provide timely follow-up communications.
• Partner with Columbia Engineering Graduate Admissions and MSAI faculty leadership to support recruitment initiatives and convert admitted students into enrolled students.
• Serve as a knowledgeable and responsive point of contact for prospective and admitted students throughout the admissions and enrollment process.
• Coordinate and support admissions yield initiatives, including admitted-student communications, virtual and in-person events, webinars, and personalized outreach.
• Track prospective and admitted student engagement, maintain accurate recruitment records, and prepare reports and analyses to inform recruitment and yield strategies.

(10%)

• Maintain advising resources, program guides, and communication templates for the MSAI program
• Support program outreach by sending reminders about upcoming deadlines, policy changes, and required actions
• Analyze and work with student, course, and program data to support reporting and continuous improvement.
• Support the mounting and administration of courses for MSAI students, including coordinating with related academic departments, the Registrar, and SEAS Enrollment Services.

(15%)

• Coordinate and execute academic, professional, social, and co-curricular events that support students across all Columbia Engineering graduate programs, including Dual Degree programs, MBAxMS, the Global Engineering Track (GET), and Advanced Master’s Research (AMR).
• Collaborate with program leadership, faculty, and campus partners to deliver high-quality programming that fosters student engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a strong sense of community.
• Assist with the coordination and processing of enrollment-related transactions, including Registration Adjustment Forms (RAFs), Leave of Absence requests, and other academic and enrollment-related documentation.
• Support the implementation and delivery of the Professional Development and Leadership course, as well as graduate career placement initiatives that prepare students for professional success.

(5%)

Performs related duties and responsibilities as assigned/requested.

Minimum Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree and/or its equivalent is required; graduate-level work is preferred.

A minimum of 2-4 years of related experience is required.

Understand student and academic affairs opportunities and challenges affecting constituents, comprising a diverse population, both domestic and international.

Ability to represent the Program and School professionally at recruitment, yield, and orientation events.

Strong technical competency is required; demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of student services database software and online resources, and the willingness and enthusiasm to respond to students’ needs in an increasingly technologically dynamic society.

Proficiency with Google suite of products, MS Office (Excel with pivot tables, VLOOKUP), PowerPoint, publishing software, social media, etc. Ability to analyze and work with a large volume of student, course, and other types of data.

The ability to interpret and apply standards and to communicate complex policies and procedures to students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders.

Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently while accepting responsibility and accountability for assignments within a team environment.

Must be willing to work on occasional evenings and weekends, on a needed basis, especially during recruitment, yield, orientation, and when on-call and student crises arise.

Possess excellent interpersonal and administrative skills. Ability to work independently and under pressure, with a high level of attention to detail.

Candidate must exercise good judgment, diplomacy, and flexibility, with a student-wellness mindset.

Must be able to prioritize multiple tasks with minimal supervision.

Must be able to communicate effectively and tactfully with staff, faculty, students, employers, and alumni in small and large group settings.

A positive, mission-oriented, and forward-thinking attitude, along with a sense of humor, is a must.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.