Program Specialist

University of California, Riverside; Riverside (CA); On-site; USD 31,202 - 51,797; Full time

Job summary

The University of California, Riverside is looking for a Program Specialist for the TRIO Scholars and McNair Scholars Programs. This position provides advising to students, assists with participant recruitment, and offers program support including data entry and monitoring.

The role is critical in helping first-generation, low-income students succeed academically and prepares eligible students for doctoral studies. The expected pay is up to $24.00 per hour, with full-time hours from 8 AM to 5 PM.

Qualifications

• Experience in academic advising or student support services.
• Familiarity with grant-funded programs.
• Strong communication skills for student interaction.

Responsibilities

• Provide advising for TRIO Scholars program participants.
• Assist with recruitment and monitoring for McNair Scholars program.
• Conduct data entry and prepare performance reports.

Skills

Advising students

Data entry

Program support

Recruitment

Monitoring participation

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Job description

Priority Application Deadline: 07/08/2026

Overview

Job ID 37582751

Category Student and Educational Services

Organization Student Affairs

Department Office of TRIO Programs Dept

Location Main Campus - UCR

Salary $47,293 - $55,092

Date Posted June 23, 2026

Application Deadline Open Until Filled

Schedule 8AM - 5PM

Full/Part Time Full-time(100%)

Level of Supervision Close Supervision

Personnel Program Code Professional & Support Staff

Other Information Qualifies for Employee Referral Bonus: No / UC Internal Job: No

Position Information

The TRIO Scholars Program (Student Support Services) and Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program at UC Riverside are TRIO Programs federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education. TRIO Scholar's goal is to improve the retention and graduation rates of first-generation and income qualified students, and students with disabilities, while McNair Scholars prepares eligible participants for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities.

TRIO Scholars program is funded to serve 140 undergraduate students and provides holistic services to help students succeed at UCR and beyond. The McNair Scholars program is funded to serve 25 undergraduate students who are first-generation and low-income.

The Program Specialist will split their time evenly between both programs. They will provide advising to a caseload of participants in the TRIO Scholars program, assisting with course planning, navigating campus resources, graduate school exploration, and career preparation. The Program Specialist will also provide program support including data entry and participation monitoring.

For the McNair Scholars program, the Program Specialist will assist with recruitment of program participants, collection of data for annual performance reports, and coordination of programming and student activities.

This position is grant funded and is subject to availability of continued grant funding. TRIO Scholars is in their first year of a five-year cycle, while McNair is in their fourth year of a five-year cycle.

The full salary range for the Program Specialist is $22.65 - $37.60 per hour. However, the expected pay scale for this position is up to $24.00 per hour. We base salary offers on a variety of considerations, such as education, licensure and certifications, experience, and other business and organizational needs.

Applicants must have current work authorization when accepting a UCR staff position. Currently, we are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa for staff.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.