Prospective Professional Staff

Are you considering joining the Residence Life team at Penn State? There are many opportunities for energetic leaders to become a part of a vibrant, dedicated Residence Life community.
Staff Positions in Residence Life
Penn State Residence Life is comprised of a central administrative office and a variety of distinct residence hall areas at 10 different campuses across the Commonwealth.
- Residential Education Specialist 1 (Coordinator)
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The Coordinator is a full-time, professional staff member responsible to the Assistant Director for Residence Life. They assist with the supervision and administration of a residence hall community. The Assistant Director, in consultation with the Coordinator, interprets the Coordinator’s job description according to the particular needs of the residence hall area.
Apply Now
- Residential Education Specialist 1 (Coordinator 10 Mth)
Penn State University Park Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000040376 - Residential Education Specialist 1 (Coordinator 12 Mth)
Penn State University Park Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000040792 -
Residential Education Specialist 1 (Coordinator 11 Mth)
Penn State Behrend Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000037760 -
Residential Education Specialist 1 (Coordinator 11 Mth)
Penn State Behrend Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000046235 -
Residential Education Specialist 1 (Coordinator)
Penn State Schuylkill Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000046291 -
Residential Education Specialist (Living Learning Coordinator)
Penn State University Park Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000047221 -
Assistant Residence Life Coordinator
Penn State University Park Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000045859 -
Assistant Residence Life Coordinator
Penn State Altoona Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000042666 -
Assistant Residence Life Coordinator
Penn State Schuylkill Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000046892
Responsibilities
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Supervises Resident Assistants, conducts regular individual and group supervision meetings, evaluates Resident Assistant performance, and provides support and training for Resident Assistants.
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Assists with the planning, implementation, and evaluation of a residential education program for the area and with the development and implementation of campus-wide programs.
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Advises student groups in the area. Advises individual students with academic, career, and personal concerns.
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Makes referrals to University agencies when appropriate. Acts as an advocate for students by communicating their concerns and issues to the appropriate agency.
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Encourages student involvement and their programming efforts and promotes area government and their programming efforts.
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Interprets and enforces University and residence hall policies and procedures.
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Mediates conflicts between and among students.
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Assists with the daily operation and organization of the area and the area office.
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Handles requests for room changes and contract releases.
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Assists in promoting the safety and security of area residents.
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Assists in developing and maintaining effective working relationships with Housing and Food Services, Safety and Security, New Student Programs, etc.
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Provides on-call duty coverage over breaks on a rotating basis.
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Demonstrates a commitment to students and the quality of their life in the residence hall environment.
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Encourages Resident Assistants to become well-acquainted with students in the area. Assists the Resident Assistants in developing and promoting a positive living environment. Plans and implements programs in conjunction with Resident Assistants and students.
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Demonstrates a commitment to human relations/diversity/social justice issues. Demonstrates a commitment to staff and student retention and recruitment efforts, particularly as they impact members of underrepresented groups.
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Participates in committees and task force groups.
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Assists in the recruitment and training of professional staff and the development and implementation of goals for the area and the residence hall system.
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Performs other duties as assigned.
- Residential Education Specialist 1 (Coordinator 10 Mth)
- Residential Education Specialist 3 (Area Coordinator)
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Responsible to an Assistant Director of Residence Life for supervising a staff of up to five coordinators, as well as overseeing the daily activities of a residence hall area housing up to 4,400 students.
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- Residential Education Specialist 3 (Area Coordinator)
Penn State University Park
Log in and apply to job REQ 0000032074
Responsibilities
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Supervise and direct the activities of up to 5 Coordinators. This includes participating in their recruitment, selection, training, and evaluation. Responsible for planning and facilitating staff meetings, effectively communicating information from central staff, and following up on issues reported in the police log and environment/security reports and Housing issues.
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Help ensure compliance for the Clery Act, Title IX, and other applicable University, State and Federal policies and regulations.
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Oversee the Coordinator tasks that could include Diversity and Inclusion programming, Welcome Week, safety and security efforts, Higher Education 302 course instruction, Stall Stories, Community Service initiatives, Faculty Involvement initiatives, and RA training.
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Implement programs and activities for a variety of environments, including first-year experience, academic/theme focused (SLOs), apartments, graduate student, sorority, and family living.
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Respond to and follow up on student conflicts and crisis situations.
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Review completed Incident Report files for accuracy and clarity; serve as consultant for Coordinator questions with specific incident reports and educational conferences; serve as a community standards Administrative Hearing Officer; act as Student Conduct designee.
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Assist with one or two of the following central tasks: assessment, professional staff pre-fall training, diversity initiatives, social digital marketing, admissions and print media, podcasting and online education.
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Assist area staff in the development of learning outcomes and assessment of a residential curriculum.
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Provide input for the office staff evaluations.
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Participate in the planning and supervision for first and/or second summer sessions and coordinate summer Welcome Week and other programming on a rotating basis.
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Advise area student government and/or student organizations on an as-needed basis.
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Assume central staff on-call responsibility; attend central staff meetings.
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Provide professional development opportunities for Coordinator staff.
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Other duties as assigned.
- Residential Education Specialist 3 (Area Coordinator)
- Administrative Support Assistant 2 (Staff Assistant/Office Manager)
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Serve as primary receptionist. Schedule appointments on staff calendars. Print rosters and find student information using E-Living. Attend professional development sessions. Manage area office and supervise wage and work-study employees when office manager is out for the day. Serve as back up for the Housing Office when needed.
Apply Now
- Administrative Support Assistant 2 (10 Month)
Penn State University Park Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000044999 - Administrative Support Assistant 2
Penn State University Park Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000047220
- Administrative Support Assistant 2 (10 Month)
- Residential Education Specialist 4 (Assistant Director)
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Responsible to a Senior Associate Director of Residence Life for assisting with the administration of a residence hall community housing up to 4,300 resident students. Assist in the development and implementation of the Residence Life strategic plan.
Apply Now
- Assistant Director
Penn State Altoona Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000045635 - Assistant Director, Student Affairs
Penn State Schuylkill Campus
Log in and apply to job REQ_0000046060
- Assistant Director
Apply to vacancies
Residence Life also posts positions on some or all of the following sites:
- Penn State Jobs
- Student Affairs.com
- Higher Ed Jobs.com
- ACPA - College Student Educators International
Residence Life may also recruit at the following large conferences:
Job Descriptions
Penn State Residence Life offers many different positions throughout the department. Some may not be available right now but we want you to know about the opportunities for excelling within the department.
- Residential Education Specialist 1 (Coordinator)
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Residential Education Specialist 1
(Coordinator)- 10-12 month appointments
Responsible to an Area Coordinator/Assistant Director of Residence Life for assisting with the supervision, administration, and promotion of a diversified residential experience within a residence hall community.
- Residential Education Specialist 1 (Living Learning Communities Coordinator)
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Residential Education Specialist 1
(Living Learning Communities Coordinator)- 10 month appointments specifically working with Living Learning Communities
Responsible to an Senior Assistant Director of Residence Life for assisting with the supervision, administration, and promotion of a diversified residential experience within a residence hall community.
- Residential Education Specialist 2 (Senior Coordinator)
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Residential Education Specialist 2
(Senior Coordinator)Responsible to an Assistant Director/Associate Director of Residence Life for assisting with the supervision, administration, and promotion of a diversified residential experience within a residence hall community. Position also includes supervision of full-time professional staff.
- Residential Education Specialist 3 (Area Coordinator, University Park Campus)
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Residential Education Specialist 3
(Area Coordinator, University Park Campus)Responsible to an Assistant Director of Residence Life for supervising a staff of up to five coordinators, as well as overseeing the daily activities of a residence hall area housing up to 4,400 students.
- Residential Education Specialist 3 (Assistant Director, Commonwealth Campuses)
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Residential Education Specialist 3
(Assistant Director, Commonwealth Campuses)Responsible to an Associate Director/Director of Student Affairs for supervising a staff of up to two coordinators, as well as overseeing the daily activities of a residence hall area housing up to 2,000 students.
- Residential Education Specialist 4 (Assistant Director)
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Residential Education Specialist 4
(Assistant Director)Responsible to a Senior Associate Director of Residence Life for assisting with the administration of a residence hall community housing up to 4,300 resident students. Assist in the development and implementation of the Residence Life strategic plan.
- Administrative Support Assistant 2 (Staff Assistant/Office Manager)
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Administrative Support Assistant 2
(Staff Assistant/Office Manager)Serve as primary receptionist. Schedule appointments on staff calendars. Print rosters and find student information using E-Living. Attend professional development sessions. Manage area office and supervise wage and work-study employees when office manager is out for the day. Serve as back up for the Housing Office when needed.
- Student Services Associate 5 (Senior Associate Director)
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Student Services Associate 5 (Senior Associate Director)
The Senior Associate Director is a full-time, professional staff member responsible to the Senior Director, Residence Life. They are responsible for assisting with the supervision and administration of a comprehensive residence hall program housing 14,000 students. The Senior Associate Director supervises and oversees the tasks of the Assistant Directors at University Park and the Associate Director for Student Conduct. The Senior Director, in consultation with the Senior Associate Director, interprets the Senior Associate Director’s job description according to the needs of the Residence Life program.
Residence Life at Penn State
Penn State is one of the nation’s premier land-grant institutions. With 11 residential campuses across the Commonwealth, Penn State residential living has something for everyone. From the small-town feel of State College to the city life at Greater Allegheny or Abington, our campuses offer a wide range of opportunities, experiences, and comfort.
- Abington
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Abington
Penn State Abington is in a suburban campus, just minutes from center city Philadelphia. It is nestled in a quiet, residential, neighborhood and the campus has a charming and historical feel. Current enrollment is around 4,000 students and the residential population will be approximately 400 students.
- Altoona
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Altoona
Penn State Altoona is located in central Pennsylvania, just a 45-minute drive to State College a 2-hour drive to Pittsburgh; and a 4-hour drive to Philadelphia, PA. Penn State Altoona has an enrollment approaching 4,000 students and the residential population is approximately 900 students.
- Beaver
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Beaver
Penn State Beaver is located just 40 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh. It is a quiet campus located in the suburb of Monaca, PA. One of our smaller campuses, Penn State Beaver enrolls about 700 students and the residential population is approximately 200 students.
- Behrend
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Behrend
Located on a wooded 854- acre campus, Penn State Behrend is just minutes away from the heart of Erie, PA. Penn State Behrend is one of the largest Penn State campuses with an enrollment just over 5,000 students and a residential population of approximately 1,700 students.
- Berks
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Berks
Penn State Berks is set on 258 beautifully landscaped acres next to Gring’s Mills Recreation Area near Reading, PA, about 60 miles from Philadelphia. Penn State Berks enrolls around 2,800 students with the capacity to house around 800 students.
- Brandywine
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Brandywine
One of our brand new facilities, Penn State Brandywine opened in Fall 2017. The campus is Philadelphia’s “next door” neighbor - just 20 miles west of the center of the city. Penn State Brandywine has an enrollment of about 1,600 students and the residential program houses approximately 250 students.
- Greater Allegheny
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Greater Allegheny
Penn State Greater Allegheny is a cozy campus located in McKeesport, PA - the closest campus to Pittsburgh. Close-knit partnerships exist between faculty, staff, and students here. One of our smaller campuses, Penn State Greater Allegheny enrolls about 600 students with the capacity to house 200 residents.
- Harrisburg
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Harrisburg
Penn State Harrisburg is a 218-acre campus located in Middletown, PA, just eight miles east of Pennsylvania’s capital, Harrisburg, and about 2 hours from Philadelphia. Penn State Harrisburg enrolls around 4,600 students and has a capacity to house approximately 400 residents.
- Hazleton
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Hazleton
Penn State Hazleton is a 125-acre scenic campus overlooking the Conyngham Valley. This dynamic community is mostly first-year students but upper-division students are also part of the engaging environment. Penn State Hazleton enrolls around 900 students and has a capacity to house around 450 residents.
- Mont Alto
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Mont Alto
Penn State Mont Alto is a 103 acre campus located near Chambersburg, PA. The quaint campus borders the beautiful Michaux State Forest and is within driving distance of many historical tourist areas and metropolitan cities. Penn State Mont Alto enrolls about 1,000 student and has a capacity to house approximately 450 residents.
- University Park
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University Park
Penn State University Park is located in quaint State College and is home to over 45,000 students. Located in the heart of Central Pennsylvania, Penn State combines the academic focus, culture, diversity, and excitement of a Big 10 University with a small town setting.