The Department of Physics in The Grainger College of Engineering seeks applicants for a Physics Graduate Advisor position. This position is responsible for supporting the advising and administrative operations of the department's graduate programs. The University of Illinois is home to one of the largest and strongest graduate physics programs in the country. For more information about the department, please visit: https://physics.illinois.edu/academics/graduates. 

Academic Advising 

• Advise current Physics graduate students on the fulfillment of degree requirements and other academic needs. 
• Work with the Associate Head for Graduate Programs to perform annual evaluations of the degree progress of Physics graduate students. 
• Advise on internal and external opportunities, career, and degree planning. 
• Maintain familiarity with departmental and university graduate program procedures and ensure graduate program policies comply with the University. 
• Develop/compile/maintain statistics pertinent to the Department's graduate programs. 
• Curate, track, and communicate language proficiency requirements for admitted and continuing students. 
• Provide information as needed by the Associate Head of Graduate Programs regarding departmental policies and procedures pertaining to all aspects of graduate programs processes 
• Work with the Associate Head for Graduate Programs to support administration of Physics Grad Office programs and resources for Physics graduate students, such as the Physics Careers Seminar, the Physics Grad Student Blog, the Physics Grad Student Handbook, the Physics Grad Student Placement Database, and the Grad Travel Award Program.

 Participate in the graduate student programming and recruiting activities 

• Work with the Associate Head for Graduate Programs and Graduate Program Specialist to coordinate the orientation activities of incoming graduate students, such as departmental check-in activities and welcome sessions. 
• Attend graduate recruiting fairs with the Associate Head for Graduate Programs and College of Engineering staff. 
• Work with the Associate Head for Graduate Programs and Graduate Program Specialist to coordinate activities associated with Physics graduate student recruiting events, such as meeting with visiting students, collaborating with departmental stakeholders to organize and deliver programming for recruits. 

Coordination with the Graduate College 

• Serve as a Graduate College Petition Reviewer for the Physics Department. 
• Assume responsibility in the degree audit process with the Associate Head for Grad Programs and the Graduate Program Specialist. 
• Serve as a Thesis Reviewer and a departmental contact for establishing doctoral examination committees for Physics department.

 Physics Graduate Admissions process 

• Coordinate and participate in activities of application processing, such as independently evaluating transcripts and standardized test scores which meet departmental requirements, managing the flow of application information. 
• Maintain familiarity with departmental and university admissions policy requirements and procedures. 
• Organize department reviewers. 
• Work with the Associate Head for Graduate Programs to disseminate qualified candidates to departmental workgroups for review of applicants. 

International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) 

• Serve as a departmental contact for Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT) requests for international students in compliance with ISSS guidelines. 
• Assume additional graduate programs duties as needed to further the mission of the department. May require working evenings and weekends. 

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, or related field 
• Experience advising students in a higher education setting 
• At least two years of experience providing students academic support in a higher education setting 
• Experience working with students from diverse backgrounds 

Preferred Qualifications: Master's or PhD degree in engineering, science, or related field

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage diverse activities. 
• Must be highly organized and be able to work under multiple deadlines. 
• Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills. 
• Ability to use technical tools to communicate with students and manage a large volume of student records. 

Appointment Information 

This is a full-time academic professional position appointed on a 12-month service basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the closing date. Applicants may be interviewed before the closing date; however, no hiring decision will be made until after that date. Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. Employees hired into this position will be expected to work onsite on a full-time basis. Work authorization is not available for this position. 

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (CST) on October 18, 2023. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Please submit your cover letter, resume/CV, and the names and contact information for three references. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Stephanie Swearingen, sswearin@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

 The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify. 

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.