Associate Dean of Graduate Studies

California Institute of Technology; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 147,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Caltech, in Pasadena, seeks an Associate Dean of Graduate Studies to lead student academic support and personal development for graduate students. The role reports to the Dean of Graduate Students and works closely with Wellness Services, Inclusion and Diversity, Equity and Title IX, Registrar, Housing, and Family Engagement to enhance the graduate experience.

The Associate Dean drives program development, student advising, crisis management, budget oversight, and policy development, while

Qualifications

• Master's degree required and Doctorate preferred.
• Minimum 5 years in student affairs with progressive responsibility.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and advisory capabilities.
• Excellent communication and collaboration across offices.
• Experience managing budgets and policy development.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and management of graduate student support programs.
• Provide high-level academic and personal advising to graduate students.
• Coordinate admissions processes and crises in collaboration with campus offices.
• Oversee student conduct, grievances, and investigations.
• Manage office budget, grants, and discretionary funds.
• Represent the Dean and graduate office on committees.

Skills

Leadership

Counseling and advising

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Team supervision

Education

Master's degree

Doctorate degree (preferred)

Job description

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

The Associate Dean of Graduate Studies reports to the Dean of Graduate Students and plays a core leadership role in shaping the academic and personal development of graduate students. This position is responsible for student well-being both in and out of the classroom, addressing a broad spectrum of issues, including academic and personal advising and support services, faculty outreach and communication, student conduct, and crisis management.

This position requires significant collaboration across multiple campus offices, including Student Wellness Services, the Center for Inclusion and Diversity, Equity and Title IX, the Registrar, Housing, the Office of Student and Family Engagement, and the Option managers and representatives. The Associate Dean leads and manages student academic programs and partnerships to enhance the graduate experience and ensure academic success and personal well-being. This role also requires the development of new initiatives and student support systems that respond to emerging needs.

Finally, the Associate Dean serves as the senior-most staff member in the Graduate Office, providing high-level vision, leadership, and strategic planning for student academic support and personal development initiatives.

This is an Essential Reporting position. In the event of a campus emergency, an employee designated as Essential Reporting has essential job skills that are needed for response and recovery and is expected to report to Campus as soon as possible.

Essential Job Duties

• Program Development:Build, implement, and manage student support programs. Develop and present academic components of new student orientation, and new academic interventions. Continually assess and enhance these programs to adapt to evolving student needs.
• Collaboration and Networking:Forge strong partnerships across campus with student support services, faculty, and administrative offices to promote student success. Actively maintain a wide network of relationships to ensure comprehensive support for students, leveraging resources from various campus departments and external partners.
• Student Advising:With a deep understanding of academic policies and procedures, provide high-level academic and personal advising to graduate students. This includes coordinating with faculty, academic advisors in the Divisions, residential life staff, and other offices to support students facing academic or personal challenges. Advise students on academic petitions, leaves of absence, reinstatements, and other academic needs.
• Admissions:In conjunction with the Assistant Dean, maintains a foundational understanding and awareness of the decentralized graduate admissions process. Maintains open communication with Division and Option representatives to ensure the process runs smoothly and stakeholders' needs are met.
• Crisis Management:Respond to student crises in collaboration with Student Wellness Services, Campus Security, Equity and Title IX, and other relevant departments. Play a pivotal role in Caltech's CARE team, which provides case management for students experiencing challenges. Participate in the Student Affairs on-call rotation system.
• Student Conduct:Oversee student conduct, investigate conduct cases, and make recommendations of disciplinary action to the Dean.
• Account and Budget Management:Administer the student emergency fund and other discretionary funds overseen by the Dean of Graduate Studies. In consultation with the Dean and Financial Analyst, manage the office's general budget and operations spending.
• Committee Involvement:Serve on campus committees at the direction of the Dean. Act as the Dean's representative as required. Serve as a liaison to the Graduate Student Council (GSC) and advise graduate student leaders.
• Leadership role:Play a leadership role for the graduate office staff and represent the office.
• Policy Development:Develop and implement policies and procedures that enhance the student experience. Assess and improve academic policies and Dean's office procedures to address changing student needs.
• Union Relations and Compliance:Work in collaboration with the Labor Relations team to provide guidance and recommendations to academic leadership on a wide range of matters including the application and interpretation of academic policies, Institute policy and procedures, union contract provisions, labor agreements, and related regulatory requirements. Ensure that the articles of the collective bargaining agreement are applied uniformly across the academic Divisions; conduct trainings and periodic reviews of compliance.
• Grievances and Investigations:Fill a key role in the grievance and appeals process outlined in the collective bargaining agreement. Conduct complex and sensitive investigations with little supervision, including determining appropriate investigation strategies, leading witness interviews and any required document review, and determining findings and recommendations for appropriate resolution.
• Special Projects:Execute high-impact projects at the request of the Dean, often involving collaboration with various stakeholders and departments.

Basic Qualifications

• Master's degree.
• 5 years of increasingly responsible experience in student affairs.
• Excellent leadership and managerial skills and the capacity to supervise a team of professionals.
• Excellent counseling and advising skills, the ability to utilize independent judgment in a fair, consistent manner.
• Exceptional analytical and organizational skills, excellent communication skills, a strong service orientation, and an ability to exercise independent judgment while working in a team-oriented environment.
• Ability to build strong collaborations with other offices.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctorate degree.
• Experience in crisis management.
• Administrative experience, work in higher education, supervisory experience, academic management experience or equivalent.
• A demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusivity.
• Previous Caltech experience.

Required Documents

• Resume.
• Cover Letter.

Hiring Range

$146,600 - $180,100 per year The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training. As one of the largest employers in Pasadena, CA, Caltech is committed to providing comprehensive benefits to eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Our benefits package includes competitive compensation, health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans, generous paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick time, parental leave, bereavement, etc.), tuition reimbursement, and more. Non-benefit eligible employees will have access to some benefits such as onsite counseling and sick time. Learn more about our benefits and staff perks.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Caltech is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. To read more Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) go to eeoc_self_print_poster.pdf.

Disability Accommodations

Caltech complies with the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We consider reasonable accommodation measures that may be necessary for eligible applicants and employees to perform the essential functions of a position.

If you would like to request an accommodation to complete this application, interview, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please contact Caltech Recruiting at [e-mail].

Additionally, if you do not meet the basic qualifications of a role but believe you can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation, please reach out to Caltech Recruiting at [e-mail].