Academic Internship Specialist; Science Industry Employment Specialist

Academic Internship Specialist (Science Industry Employment Specialist)

POSITION DETAILS

ABOUT JOHN JAY COLLEGE

John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a senior college of the City University of New York (CUNY) and an internationally recognized leader in educating for justice. Led by President Karol V. Mason, John Jay is a federally designated Hispanic-serving institution, it is ranked third in the nation in Black student success, and it is a top ten institution for promoting student social mobility.

John Jay is proud to serve a diverse and dynamic student body of 15,000 students that includes nearly fifty percent students who are first in their family to attend college as well as students who are immigrants, from low-income families, or from other historically underrepresented groups in higher education.

A Carnegie designated Research Institution, the College participates in the doctoral programs of the Graduate Center of CUNY, and offers bachelor's and master's degrees both in traditional criminal justice-related fields of study as well as in a robust portfolio of liberal arts and sciences programs that highlight themes of justice across the arts, sciences, humanities, and social sciences. The College seeks staff and faculty members who thrive in multicultural academic environments and are committed to access and excellence in higher education.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Science Industry Employment Specialist (Industry Specialist or IS) is a full-time CUNY Inclusive Economy initiative (CIE) staff (HE Associate) embedded in the Department of Sciences at John Jay who focus on sourcing, building and managing employer relationships for the benefit of science students. In collaboration with the STEM Integrated Advisor, they ensure opportunities for the cohort are in alignment with their needs and interests, and that students are prepared via industry-vetted information.

Purpose: The IS acts as a relationship builder and connector between the department's students and the world of work. The Industry Specialist's mission is to cultivate internships, jobs, and other career-connected learning opportunities (like site visits, industry projects, employer panels) relevant to the three majors in the Department of Sciences (Forensic Science, Toxicology, and Cellular & Molecular Biology) and student career interests, ensuring that industry partners are actively engaged with the department and its students.

Through targeted sector engagement, Industry Specialists expand the department's network of employers and curate high-quality opportunities aligned with the career interests and academic preparation of the student cohort. By doing so, they help ensure that more students secure meaningful employment in their field upon graduation at livable, market-rate wages – in line with CIE's mission of an inclusive economy for all CUNY students.

Core Responsibilities & Key Activities

The Science Industry Specialist is responsible for the externally facing aspects of the CIE model in the Department of Sciences and bringing these opportunities to the student cohort.

Core responsibilities include:

• Employer Relationship Sourcing:
  Proactively identify, outreach, and engage employers in the sector (e.g., companies, nonprofits, government agencies) that align with the academic field of the department. Use strategies like cold outreach, leveraging alumni/faculty networks, Linked In Navigator (licenses provided by CIE), and working through CIE’s Industry Support Hub to connect with industry partners and “pitch” the value of partnering with your department and students.
  
  Build a “pitch kit” with materials (like value propositions, slide decks, email templates) to articulate the benefits of recruiting from your department’s student…