Student Services Associate

POSITION SUMMARY 
The USC Viterbi School of Engineering seeks to hire three Student Services Associates to join academic advising teams within its eight academic departments. These positions provide direct academic advising support to undergraduate, master’s, and/or doctoral engineering students and serve as initial points of contact for students navigating academic policies, degree requirements, and program expectations. 

These positions may be assigned one of the following specialization areas, with responsibilities adjusted accordingly: 

• Undergraduate Advising: onboarding, degree tracking, course planning, petitions, and graduation support. 

• Master’s Advising: graduate enrollment, degree progress, petitions, and collaboration with faculty program directors. 

• PhD Advising: doctoral milestone tracking, qualifying exam coordination, and dissertation progress support. 

• Combined Advising: cross-level advising within departments that may integrate multiple populations. 

Assignments may vary over time based on enrollment patterns and operational needs. All advising activities must adhere to the Viterbi Student Services Handbook: Standards & Expectations for Academic Advising and the companion Service Standards & Benchmarks. 

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Provide day-to-day academic advising and administrative support for assigned student population(s). 

• Respond to student inquiries and provide accurate information on academic requirements, policies, and procedures. 

• Process degree progress forms, petitions, and other academic records in compliance with School and University policies. 

• Maintain accurate student files and assist with data entry, data keeping, scheduling, and graduation processing. 

• Support departmental communication, events, and outreach activities related to student success. 

• Collaborate with faculty, program directors, and departmental leadership to support advising operations. 

• Participate in training, professional development, and continuous-improvement initiatives led by VASE Student & Academic Services. 

VITERBI STUDENT SERVICE STANDARDS  

All Student Service Advisors are expected to deliver services in alignment with the Viterbi Student Services Handbook: Standards & Expectations for Academic Advising and its companion Appendix: Service Standards & Benchmarks. These standards reflect Viterbi’s commitment to equitable, accurate, and student-centered service through collaboration between the VASE central team and academic departments. 

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS & TEAM STRUCTURE 
Reports to: Departmental Student Services Manager, Director of Student Services, or Designated Administrator. Collaborates closely with: Faculty, departmental staff, and the VASE Student & Academic Services team.  

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s degree required. 

• One year of experience in academic advising or student services preferred. 

• Familiarity with USC academic policies, student records systems, and advising procedures preferred. 

• Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills. 

• Demonstrated commitment to providing student-centered service in a collaborative academic environment. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 
All Student Services, Programs, and Engagement staff at the Viterbi School are required to work onsite a minimum of four days per week, with one remote day permitted. Work schedules must align with regular USC business hours to ensure consistent service delivery and effective team collaboration. This schedule applies uniformly across all units, and adherence to it is an expectation of employment in support of the School’s student service standards. 

The base salary range for this position is $29.68 - $33.16/hour. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope of responsibilities, work experience, education and training, skills, internal equity, and market conditions. 

DISCLAIMER 
This description outlines the general nature and level of work performed; it is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or skills required. The School reserves the right to reassign advisors to areas of greatest need based on enrollment fluctuations or operational priorities, while maintaining consistency with University policy and advising standards.