Department

BSD GPA - Biomedical Cluster

About the Department

The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs (OGPA) within the Biological Sciences Division (BSD) coordinates the administrative efforts of graduate and postdoctoral training in the BSD. OGPA works to facilitate consistency among the programs and departments; identifies and develops commonalities in the areas of financial administration, policy development and implementation and in the coordination of information sharing among the programs and departments. The goal of OGPA is to recruit high quality domestic and international trainees, to facilitate their progress during their tenure, and to provide guidance and resources for the management of the training programs in the division. OGPA centrally manages the annual financial aid budget so that all graduate students in the programs are supported equitably and coordinates consistency among the training programs as it relates to training grants submission and
oversight.

In addition, OGPA facilitates postdoctoral appointments and reappointments with the Office of Academic Affairs, establishes and enforces policy with the Provost's Office, acts as a resource for postdocs, faculty and staff on postdoctoral policy and benefits questions and manages the postdoc database.

The OGPA organizes career and skill development training and ethics seminars for BSD graduate students and postdocs, provides support to the Postdoctoral Association and oversees all BSD postdoctoral events, including the Postdoctoral Symposium, orientation sessions, etc.

Job Summary

The Graduate Education Administrator administers programs in student affairs activities, including orientation and onboarding programs for incoming students. Acting as the primary contact for student inquiries, they use a moderate/high level of understanding in student affairs to develop future enrollment strategies using admissions and financial aid data. Tracks milestones of PhD students while solving problems and providing support in areas such as academic and administrative policy and student life. Organizes and manages weekly, monthly, and special events for students and faculty.

Responsibilities

• Works with the Director for Graduate education to monitor the day-to-day operations of assigned graduate program(s) and addresses student concerns as they develop.

• Tracks student progress using university systems and processes.

• Maintains the website(s) for assigned graduate program(s).

• Works with faculty leadership on academic policies and curriculum requirements, program admission decisions, and events.

• Maintains records of faculty membership in assigned graduate program(s).

• Manages special events for the graduate program(s), such as the annual admissions weekends, new student orientation, the annual retreat, periodic student talks, weekly program seminar series, or large-scale symposia.

• Solves problems in areas such as academic and administrative policy, student admissions, curriculum research and development, and budget development.

• Recommends process improvements for programs that relate to critical student-life improvement, including emergency management, accommodations for students with disabilities, and/or the administration of health care services and programs for students.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

---
Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

---
Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:

• 2 years’ experience in higher education administration supporting faculty and students.

• Proficiency with programs in the Microsoft Office Suite.

• Comfort with Zoom or Microsoft Team virtual meetings.

​Preferred Competencies

• Ability to multi-task with frequent and constantly changing demands.

• Ability to effectively communicate with people of various backgrounds.

• Excellent organizational skills.

• Attention to detail.

• Ability to meet deadlines.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality.

• Ability to problem solve.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• Ability to enter and extract data.

Working Conditions

• Office Environment.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)

• Cover Letter (required)

• Writing Sample (an example of professional-level communications; this should be approximately 1-2 pages in length) (required)

Job Family

Student Affairs & Services

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Frequency

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.