Are you passionate about helping students transform their academic experiences into meaningful careers? Do you thrive on building relationships, creating innovative programs, and connecting talent with opportunity? We invite you to join our team as the Associate Director of STEM Careers Community.
In this highly collaborative and student-centered role, you will guide students and recent graduates as they explore, prepare for, and pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and related fields. Through personalized advising, dynamic programming, and strategic partnerships, you will play a critical role in shaping students’ professional journeys and expanding access to career opportunities. Regular local and regional travel for employer visits, networking events, conferences, and partnership development. Evening and weekend work as required to support programs and events.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide individualized and small-group career coaching to students and recent graduates.
- Guide students through career exploration, job and internship searches, networking strategies, and professional development.
- Advise and support students pursuing graduate and professional school opportunities.
- Help students identify and pursue research, internship, fellowship, and experiential learning opportunities.
- Build relationships with faculty to better understand academic programs and connect classroom learning with career preparation
- Guide students in identifying transferable skills, reflecting on experiences, and developing career action plans.
- Provide leadership for the Technology & Data and Science, Engineering & Sustainability Career Communities.
- Develop career resources, advising materials, and website content.
- Research workforce trends, labor market information, graduate education pathways, and hiring practices to inform programming.
- Prepare, recommend, and manage the annual operating budget.
- Engage alumni, donors, and friends of the College as strategic partners through mentoring, networking, employer engagement, guest speaking, and other student-focused initiatives
ABOUT GRINNELL COLLEGE
Grinnell College is a top-ranking private liberal arts institution that values diversity, equity, inclusion, intellectual freedom, and social responsibility. We seek candidates that align with these values and have the ability and desire to advance our values and belonging within our community and the communities we engage. Ideal candidates will be prepared to collaborate and contribute to the mission and values of the college across all constituencies.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution with substantial courses in a STEM discipline
- Three or more years of relevant experience for the Associate Director level.
- Five or more years of relevant experience for the Director level.
- Experience in a STEM-related profession or organization, and/or providing career advising to undergraduate or graduate students pursuing STEM careers.
- Demonstrated ability to help students identify and pursue meaningful career opportunities.
- Commitment to supporting a talented, diverse, and academically ambitious student population.
- Strong presentation, communication, planning, and organizational skills.
- Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders.
- Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree or higher in a relevant discipline
- Experience working in a liberal arts or higher education environment.
- Knowledge of experiential learning, undergraduate research, internships, and graduate school preparation.
- Familiarity with career management systems (Handshake or similar), CRM platforms, and data reporting tools.
- Demonstrated success developing employer partnerships and alumni engagement strategies.
- Experience utilizing labor market information and assessment data to inform strategic