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Colorado State University

Academic Advisor

Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, us, 80523

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Position Type: Admin Professional/ Research Professional

Classification Title: Prof/Indiv Contrib II

Number of Vacancies

Work Hours/Week: 40

Proposed Annual Salary Range: $50,000 - $55,000; Commensurate on experience and training

Employee Benefits Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world‑class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work‑life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59 pm (MT) on 11/09/2025

Description of Work Unit Founded in 1870, Colorado State University is among the nation’s leading research universities and enrolls approximately 32,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Located an hour north of the Denver metro area, Fort Collins is a vibrant community of approximately 157,000 residents that offers the convenience of a small town with all the amenities of a large city. Fort Collins is situated on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with views of 14,000‑foot peaks, and offers access to numerous cultural, recreational, and outdoor opportunities.

The Department of Chemistry has an international reputation for excellence in research across a broad array of disciplines, including analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, materials and physical chemistry. Ph.D. graduates receive world‑class training, participate in cutting‑edge (and often interdisciplinary) research projects, and are employed at all levels of academia and industry around the globe. The faculty also enjoy an award‑winning reputation for teaching excellence. Undergraduate students benefit both from access to this classroom expertise and from a long tradition of substantive undergraduate participation in research. The Department’s research efforts are supported by a state‑of‑the‑art Analytical Resources Core that provides 24/7 student access to shared instrumentation.

Position Summary The Academic Advisor in the Department of Chemistry of the College of Natural Sciences is a full‑time 12‑month Administrative Professional position. This position requires in‑person work during regular business hours, Monday through Friday. The Department of Chemistry teaches 30,000 student credit hours (SCH) per year and advises students from every college. In addition to our majors cohort, there are about 300 chemistry minors.

The Academic Advisor plays a critical and supportive role in strengthening departmental efforts to provide quality advising and promote undergraduate student success. This position supports an innovative and holistic approach to providing students with the assistance, guidance, and resources necessary to be successful.

The primary functions of the Academic Advisor are to:

Foster the successful transition of the student to the university environment

Encourage major and career exploration to ensure the chemistry major suits their interests

Foster student engagement with faculty

Promote timely graduation

The Academic Advisor supplements the faculty‑student mentoring role. Because of the distinctive characteristics and needs of new students (both those who enter as first‑year students and those who enter as transfer students), the Academic Advisor typically interacts with students more frequently in the initial semesters of the students’ academic career. Interactions in later semesters focus on connecting students to faculty mentors, interest areas within the major, and achieving a timely graduation.

The Academic Advisor plays a critical role in promoting undergraduate student success. They work directly with students majoring and minoring in chemistry in order to develop, implement, and monitor action plans for success. The Academic Advisor’s duties include advising students, connecting students to faculty, maintaining student records, interacting with faculty members, and collaborating with campus offices. The Academic Advisor works with other members of the faculty including the Associate Chair and the curriculum committee. The Academic Advisor reports to the Department Chair.

The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States by the proposed start date. The Department of Chemistry will not provide visa sponsorship for this position.

The successful candidate may be eligible for a signing bonus of up to $2,500. Please note current CSU employees and former employees employed within the prior 12 months are not eligible.

Required Job Qualifications

Master’s degree (completed by June 1, 2026) OR Bachelor’s degree and two years post‑bachelor’s professional work experience.

The individual must have professional experience in higher education or high school setting working with students in providing one‑on‑one and group interactions to assist in their academic success and graduation.

Preferred Job Qualifications

Master’s degree in natural sciences, college student personnel, higher education, communications, social work, sociology, psychology, or a related field.

Experience in the chemical sciences, broadly defined.

Experience mentoring and advising college students.

Demonstrated understanding of student development and awareness of the transition issues for students entering and progressing through higher education.

Demonstrated knowledge of, and relevant ability to work effectively with a wide range of individuals and groups.

Experience coordinating and communicating with campus organizations and departments from both academic and student affairs.

Excellent professional communication skills, including interpersonal, presentation, writing, and technical/computer skills.

Familiarity with Microsoft Office programs, as well as other university data and communication systems.

Job Duty Category: Academic Advising

Advise chemistry students regarding curriculum, course offerings, and progress toward their degree; engage students with faculty at points where discipline‑specific knowledge and perspective is required.

Complete administrative advising tasks for psychology students to monitor progress toward degree attainment; maintain connection with students.

Hold full‑service advising sessions throughout the year and at student orientation.

Develop graduation plans; introduce education abroad experience; discuss field placement, research assistant, and teaching assistant opportunities; promote career counseling; and encourage use of campus services.

Be knowledgeable of and provide guidance regarding institutional policies.

Serve as an advocate for students when appropriate, both within department and to university community; foster improved communication between students and their instructors or other campus offices.

Provide students with easy access to timely and relevant information by posting items on social media, online platforms, and contributing to other informational resources.

Collaborate with front office staff to maintain a welcoming environment and to deliver consistent and accurate messages.

Coordinate student‑facing resource material for chemistry students; revise and develop as necessary; assist in maintaining and updating advising publications, manuals, and check sheets.

Respond to department and campus email in a timely fashion.

Develop familiarity with issues faced by student populations and develop an advising approach accordingly.

Treat each student as an individual, understanding that every student’s path to degree attainment may be different.

Aid department in student success initiatives.

Bring new and innovative ideas to the advising group, share resources, and maintain a willingness to engage in collaboration and conversation.

Develop knowledge base of different areas within the field of chemistry.

Assist with the completion of course overrides and overloads in ARIES system.

Maintain accurate up‑to‑date and detailed information within student files, advising notes (EAB /Navigate) and other advising information systems.

Job Duty Category: Direct Retention Work (70%)

Support first‑year chemistry major student experience (e.g., participation in majors’ classes like first‑year seminar CHEM 192).

Meet with all assigned first‑year and transfer chemistry students during the first semester; foster a successful transition, promote major exploration for students questioning their choice of major, and facilitate students’ interactions with faculty.

Review graduation plans with all first‑year students and long‑term academic plans with all transfer and upper‑division students.

Facilitate faculty‑student dialogue by making referrals for discipline‑specific faculty mentoring and advising.

Implement a plan to work with students on Academic Watch and Academic Dismissal Warning along with the advising team.

Conduct outreach each semester to students identified by the university as at risk due to certain performance indicators; track outreach utilizing advising software (e.g., EAB /Navigate).

Job Duty Category: Recruitment/Orientation (10%)

Assist with presentations and advising at orientation programs.

Meet with and advise prospective students and their guests; create a welcoming environment; inform them of opportunities available to chemistry majors at Colorado State University.

Job Duty Category: Assessment and Reporting (10%)

Track success indicators of cohorts of chemistry majors; measure progress of individual students.

Participate in a comprehensive assessment plan of advising services.

Utilize information provided by other assessments to best meet individual student needs.

Assist in gathering and reporting data regarding advising programming.

Job Duty Category: Collaborative Partnerships (5%)

Partner with Career Center, Advising Network, Faculty, Housing and Dining Services, University Honors Program, Education Abroad, Student Diversity Programs and Services, and other campus offices to facilitate and support student success.

Partner with Administrative Assistant staff in Chemistry Department office to revise forms, practices, and protocols related to serving students.

Serve as a contributing member of the advising team to develop and implement a vision that provides students with comprehensive and holistic advising services to promote student success.

Participate in appropriate training and professional development opportunities.

Personal and professional commitment to access in professional development, assessment, creative activity, service to the profession.

Regular participation in the Advising Network at CSU.

Job Duty Category: General Support (5%)

Partner with Career Center, Advising Network, Faculty, Housing and Dining Services, University Honors Program, Education Abroad, Student Diversity Programs and Services, and other campus offices to facilitate and support student success.

Partner with Administrative Assistant staff in Chemistry Department office to revise forms, practices, and protocols related to serving students.

Serve as a contributing member of the advising team to develop and implement a vision that provides students with comprehensive and holistic advising services to promote student success.

Participate in appropriate training and professional development opportunities.

Personal and professional commitment to access in professional development, assessment, creative activity, service to the profession.

Regular participation in the Advising Network at CSU.

Special Instructions to Applicants For full consideration, materials must be received no later than

November 9, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. MST . To apply, please submit:

A cover letter describing your education, experience, qualifications and skills specifically related to position description.

The contact information for three professional references. References will not be contacted without prior notification to candidates.

CSU is committed to full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you are needing assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the listed search contact. Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

Conditions of Employment Pre‑employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires).

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EEO Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

References Requested Minimum Requested 3

Maximum Requested 3

Supplemental Questions Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

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