Principal Assistant - School of Economic Sciences

Online applications must be received before 11:59pm on:

April 2, 2026

If a date is not listed above, review the Applicant Instructions below for more details.

Available Title(s):

1113-NN_ADMINPRO - Principal Assistant, 1113-YN_ADMINPRO - Principal Assistant

Business Title:

Principal Assistant - School of Economic Sciences

Employee Type:

Admin. Professional

Position Details:

The Opportunity:

As the Principal Assistant for the School of Economic Sciences, you will oversee and provide a wide range of diverse administrative support to the Director of School of Economic Sciences (SES). This includes serving as the liaison for both internal and external constituents concerning matters pertaining to a variety of SES issues, on complex, sensitive and confidential issues with a high degree of tact, diplomacy, and confidentiality. You will manage the day-to-day office support activities, maintain personnel and Annual review records, and interpret, advise and implement program policies and procedures in support of teaching, extension, and research.

Additionally, you will serve as the primary point of contact for the SES Graduate Committee and the graduate students in the graduate admissions process, selecting programs of study, scheduling preliminary and final exams, writing memorandums for exceptions, and monitoring graduate level coursework requirements and faculty advisors. This includes managing each graduate student’s progress towards degree, assisting the student in completing necessary paperwork for completion of degree and creating and maintaining electronic graduate student files, listservs, and databases. Additionally, you will coordinate and monitor PhD qualifying examinations clearing students for graduation, monitor and update the SES Graduate Student Manuel, develop and publish graduate student brochures, facilitate graduate student reference letters, support job searches, manage the thesis/dissertations and annual reviews for the graduate students and serve as a liaison between SES graduate students and the Washington State University (WSU) Graduate School.

Additional Information:

This is a full-time (100% FTE), permanent position. Overtime eligibility will be determined based on final salary placement. 

Monthly Salary: $4,508.70 - $6,763.06 | Commensurate with experience and qualifications

In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate’s current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position.

Benefits: WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; deferred compensation, optional supplemental retirement accounts; training and development; and employee tuition waiver. For additional information, please review the detailed Summary of Benefits offered by WSU for AP staff and Total Compensation.

Required Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in business administration or other relevant field and four (4) years of progressively responsible management work experience. Any combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis.

• Computer software skills, including the ability to use office software, such as databases, spreadsheets, word processing. 

• Demonstrated working knowledge of policies and procedures in a complex academic institution or similar complex organization. 

• Ability to work flexible hours, including evening and occasional weekends. 

• Experience in handling personnel administration. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Professional working experience in a higher education environment. 

Position Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for work visa sponsorship

About the School of Economic Sciences - To learn more about the great work we are doing, please visit the link above.

Area/College: College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences

Department: School of Economic Sciences

Location: Pullman, WA

Application Instructions: Applicants must upload the following required documents to their online application. Application materials should clearly communicate how the applicant meets all required qualifications and additional requirements.

1) Resume
2) Cover Letter

External candidates, upload all documents in the “Application Document” section of your application.

Current WSU Employees (internal candidates), before starting your Workday application, please use these instructions to update your education and experience in your worker profile in Workday. Internal candidates, upload all documents in the “Resume/Cover Letter” section of your application.

Documents may be submitted as one file or separate files. Applicants are encouraged to upload as a PDF, if possible.

Reference contact information will be requested later in the recruitment process through Workday.

Background Check: This position has been designated by the department to require a background check because it requires access to children or vulnerable adults as defined by RCW 74.34, engages in law enforcement, requires security clearance, interacts with WSU students in a counseling or advising capacity, has access to personal identifying and/or financial information, unsupervised access to university buildings/property, or other business-related need. A background check will not be completed until an initial determination of qualification for employment has been made.

Time Type:

Full time

Position Term:

12 Month

Washington State University encourages all qualified candidates to apply, including members of the military and veterans, and persons with disabilities.

WSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

WSU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resource Services: 509-335-4521 (v), Washington State TDD Relay Service: Voice Callers: 1-800-833-6384; TDD Callers: 1-800-833-6388, 509-335-1259(f), or hrs@wsu.edu.

Notice of Non-Discrimination

In matters of admission, employment, housing or services, or in the educational programs or activities it operates, WSU does not discriminate or permit discrimination by any member of its community against any individual on the basis of sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, physical disability, mental disability, sensory disability, use of a trained service animal, age, religion, creed, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, honorably discharged veteran, member of the military, or immigration or citizenship status except as authorized by federal or state law, regulation, or government contract.

Inquiries about the application of federal and state laws and regulations (including inquiries regarding the application of Title IX, ADA/Section 504, and implementing regulations), as well as reports and complaints of discrimination and harassment, can be made verbally or in writing to WSU’s Compliance and Civil Rights, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, or both.

More information, resources, and contact information are available here: https://ccr.wsu.edu/notice-of-nondiscrimination/