Assistant Director, Graduate Students (4983C) Berkeley Career Engagement, #89448

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty, and staff, who are among the most talented and accomplished anywhere, including Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and MacArthur Fellows. Since our founding in 1868, we have been an engine for innovation - driving intellectual, economic, and social progress that benefits California, the U.S., and beyond. Together, we change the world.

At Berkeley, the best careers are built on a foundation of continuous learning and growth. We actively support professional development by providing all full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours of paid time per year and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups.

We invite applicants who are inspired by our Principles of Community and who are eager to be part of our exciting Strategic Plan, which charts Berkeley's next era of excellence.

Learn more about some of our accomplishments at Points of Pride.

Departmental Overview

Berkeley Career Engagement (BCE) plays a critical role in preparing and supporting students launching their careers. We help undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent alumni make informed decisions about their futures by providing comprehensive resources, programs, career counseling, externships and internships, and employment and professional school / graduate school options. Our Vision is to cultivate a university-wide culture of career readiness, where every student engages in meaningful experiences, has a supportive professional community, and is empowered to achieve lifelong career success. We are dedicated to advancing equity and access to career resources for every student and recent alum of UC Berkeley.

We engage with students on their journey to reflect, discover, and design a personally meaningful career (Career Clarity). We connect students with alumni, employers, and their larger professional community to forge meaningful relationships that will guide them into their early career (Career Connections). We empower students to develop the professional confidence and experience necessary to secure the career opportunities they seek (Career Competitiveness).

Position Summary

The Assistant Director, Graduate Students joins Berkeley Career Engagement as a member of a dynamic career education team providing innovative and comprehensive career services to undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni. This position provides specialized counseling and programming for graduate students, post-docs, and alumni. The Assistant Director, Graduate Students develops, coordinates, implements, and evaluates career services, resources, and programs for graduate students, post-docs, and alumni to foster strong, collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, and employers.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 10/28/2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.

Responsibilities

Career Counseling - 40%

• Provides career counseling in particularly complex areas that require specialized expertise, such as postdocs and Ph.D. students who are investigating careers inside or outside academia, including other students obtaining terminal masters and professional degrees such as J.D.s, M.D.s, etc.
• Helps current students and recent alumni identify their interests, values, skills, and personalities, and understand how these factors relate to academic/career satisfaction and choices; Uses standard quantitative and qualitative assessments to help clients assess career goals.

Program Development - 25%

• Researches, designs, and develops workshops and programs to meet students' and alumni's career needs.
• Develops and oversees delivery of broad and complex career-focused programs and events that incorporate the needs of campus partners and constituents.
• Conducts needs assessments, and collaborates with faculty and staff in program design and development.

Administrative Functions - 20%

• Execute administrative functions such as: Utilizes career-focused software systems, and applies current technologies to enhance service delivery, including online resources.
• Researches, evaluates, and updates specialized, online career resources.
• Utilizes knowledge of constituency needs to create and improve specialized content for Berkeley Career Engagement website.
• Develop marketing materials including CareerMail and promotions for programs and workshops.
• Participate in office and/or campus committees.
• Attend and actively contribute to staff and career education meetings.
• Researches and organizes economic and employment trend information and graduate program admission data, and synthesizes information to create relevant and meaningful content.
• Presents tailored and complex information about career services, including presentations to the public at events such as homecoming weekend or orientation.
• Pursues professional development opportunities which will enhance their understanding of trends as they relate to their constituency and the field in general, and building their skills as a counselor.

Relationship Management - 15%

• Establishes new relationships with on campus academic departments and units including the Graduate Division, Visiting Scholar & Post Doc Affairs, and with corporations and other organizations related to career opportunities for specific constituencies.
• Promote partnerships and enhance the campus's relationship with outside organizations.
• Collaborates with Employer Relations to establish connections through Career Fair support, site visits and fielding calls and emails from interested hiring organizations.
• Conduct outreach to relevant campus organizations and divisions, building relationships and providing support through activities that may include ad hoc programs, quarterly meetings, and regular orientation meetings with academic partners.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience providing career counseling to address a broad range of career/employment issues, such as career decision making and job search techniques using various career counseling approaches.
• Experience designing and delivering career-related workshops and programs.
• Advanced knowledge of UC programs, career services, employer, alumni, and faculty needs and expectations, recruiting and staffing methods, employment trends and/or the ability to learn.
• Advanced knowledge of employer recruiting strategies, job market trends, occupational, career and employment information sources as well as the application process for graduate school.
• An advanced understanding and ability to work with and serve individuals from diverse backgrounds utilizing cross-cultural counseling skills
• Demonstrated experience in establishing effective working relationships with a variety of partners, including staff of all levels, faculty, employers and alumni; understanding of the political acumen needed to be effective.
• Excellent writing, presentation, and organizational skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in establishing effective working relationships with a variety of partners, including staff of all levels, faculty, employers and alumni; understanding of the political acumen needed to be effective.

Education / Training

• Masters Degree in Counseling, Career Development, Student Affairs, Higher Education, or related field, or equivalent education/experience.
• Doctoral degree (e.g. PhD, Ed.D, PsyD, etc.) or equivalent years of study (Preferred)

Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted annual range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $94,000.00 - $106,000.00 annualized at 100% FTE. (This is a 50% FTE appointment)

• This is an exempt, monthly-paid position.
• This is a part-time (20 hours/week), career position eligible for UC benefits.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Other Information

• This position is eligible for up to 2 days/week remote work within the United States. Exact arrangements are determined in partnership with your supervisor to meet role responsibilities and department needs and are subject to change.
• This is not a visa opportunity. This position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.
• This position is covered by the collective bargaining agreement between UAW (United Auto Workers) and the University of California Regents for RP or SV.

Conviction History Background

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

Mandated Reporter

This position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter required to report the observed or suspected abuse or neglect of children, dependent adults, or elders to designated law enforcement or social service agencies. We reserve the right to make employment contingent upon completion of signed statements acknowledging the responsibilities of a Mandated Reporter.

Misconduct

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy

UC Anti-Discrimination Policy

Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.