Graduate Student Advisor and Program Coordinator

UCSD Layoff from Career Appointment:
Apply by 2/20/26 for consideration with preference for rehire. All layoff applicants should contact their Employment Advisor.

Reassignment Applicants:
Eligible Reassignment clients should contact their Disability Counselor for assistance.

Biological Sciences is a large and complex school within Academic Affairs and is overseen by the Dean of Biological Sciences with the assistance of an Assistant and Associate Deans. The School's organization is comprised of four departments:
Cell and Developmental Biology;
Ecology, Behavior and Evolution;
Molecular Biology; and Neurobiology. Each department is headed by a Department Chair who works to represent their department and as well as participates collaboratively as a member of the School's Operations Committee. There are 5 Sr Leaders in Finance, IT, Education, Operations, and Strategic Programs, who lead a variety of shared service units that provide services and support for faculty.

The School has approximately 115 faculty FTE,~50 professional researchers, ~150 postdoctoral scholars, ~55 adjuncts, ~20 Unit 18s, ~150 staff in career/casual titles, and 425 student workers and volunteers. Approximately 5,500 undergraduate students enrolled in 8 majors, with annual enrollments of 32,000, a growing BSMS program with ~100 admits each Fall, and ~230 PhD students. The school has approximately $65M of total annual expenditures, $45M annual core budget, $32M in sponsored project funds per year, and ~$20M in available donor funds.

The School occupies space in 10 buildings, totaling 302,000 square feet, including class laboratories and instructional space, research labs, and multiple recharge facilities. In addition, the school leads cutting edge collaborative agreements with industry that routinely advances career pathways for biological science students and graduates across the state, country and world.

Our mission is to advance knowledge of basic biological sciences and apply our research discoveries in ways that improve human health, protect our environment and enrich our economy. We fulfill our mission every day by educating and preparing the next generation of scientists, physicians, medical researchers and educators for 21st century careers, and by increasing public understanding of biology and encouraging scientific discovery among K12 teachers and school children.

To learn more about this vibrant center of scientific discovery refer to the school's webpage logy.ucsd.edu.

The Graduate Student Services Advisor applies professional student services concepts to provide comprehensive support for the School of Biological Sciences' graduate programs, with primary focus on MS programs. The position emphasizes academic advising, recruitment and admissions, monitoring academic progress, and supporting the overall student experience. Under the direction of the Assistant Director, Graduate Programs, the Advisor serves primarily as a coordinator for the School's MS programs and contributes to the effective operation of graduate student services across the unit.

The Advisor coordinates recruitment and admissions activities, including outreach efforts and application review processes, and provides academic advising and program guidance to prospective and enrolled students. Responsibilities include advising on enrollment and degree completion planning; monitoring academic progress toward degree completion; organizing and supporting key program activities such as orientations, information sessions, thesis defenses, and milestone or community-building events; and assisting with financial aid and funding coordination by supporting the processing and tracking of fellowships and awards, providing basic financial aid information, and referring students to appropriate campus resources.

The Advisor collaborates closely with the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) and other campus partners to ensure compliance with University policies and timelines.

This position provides career and professional school advising for students in the Pathways to Health Professions program. The advisor supports students in exploring health professions, preparing competitive applications to medical and other professional schools, and navigating prerequisite coursework, experiential learning, and timelines. The role includes close partnership and coordination with the campus Career Center to align advising, programming, and resources, as well as collaboration with faculty and other campus partners to…