Graduate Student Services Specialist II

Job Description

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) at Iowa State University is seeking a dedicated and experienced professional for the position of Graduate Student Services Specialist II. This full-time, regular appointment is a key role within the Professional & Scientific Job Group, contributing significantly to the success and well-being of graduate students.

Position Overview

The Graduate Student Services Specialist II plays an essential role in supporting the academic experience and success of graduate students within the Chemical and Biological Engineering department. This position involves comprehensive coordination of departmental academic activities, from recruitment and admissions to graduation and beyond. The successful candidate will also manage student employment actions and lead the coordination of Biomedical Engineering (BME) Senior Design projects.

Serving as a primary resource for students, faculty, and staff, this specialist helps maintain the excellence of the department’s graduate programs and fosters a thriving academic environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Graduate Program Coordination: Coordinate a wide range of activities, processes, and services specifically for Chemical Engineering graduate students.
• Primary Point of Contact: Serve as the main point of contact for all graduate program inquiries, providing essential department-level guidance and support.
• Recruitment & Admissions: Support graduate student recruiting efforts and coordinate the entire application and admission process, ensuring a smooth transition for prospective students.
• Communication Management: Manage all communications with prospective and admitted students, including timely responses to the departmental email account.
• Event Planning: Organize prospective student visits and various recruitment events to attract top talent.
• Financial Coordination: Coordinate, enter, track, and report on graduate student stipends, tuition, and other funding details.
• Onboarding & Orientation: Plan and facilitate comprehensive new graduate student onboarding and orientation activities to welcome new cohorts.
• Records & Reporting: Maintain accurate student records and generate necessary reports for faculty and administration, ensuring data integrity.
• Degree Progress Monitoring: Monitor students’ degree progress, guiding them through program milestones and required procedures.
• Administrative Support: Assist students with Workday processes and coordinate graduate student separation procedures upon program completion.
• Departmental Academic Support: Support broader departmental academic activities, including managing surveys, course evaluations, teaching schedules, room assignments, and textbook ordering.
• Student Employment: Coordinate all student employment actions, including hiring, renewals, wage adjustments, timesheet compliance, and related reporting.
• BME Senior Design Lead: Lead the coordination of Biomedical Engineering (BME) Senior Design projects, encompassing team assignments, project approvals, communication, compliance tracking, and organizing the semester poster session.
• Meeting Participation: Actively participate in graduate program meetings at the CBE, College of Engineering, and Grad College levels.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 2 years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience that demonstrates independent coordination of multiple activities and projects.
• Experience with analyzing, managing data, and generating reports.

Level Guidelines (PS807 – Intermediate-level position)

• Possesses solid professional and/or technical skills, working under general supervision to achieve goals.
• Applies a broad, working knowledge of the principles of the field to moderately complex, difficult, and varied problems and issues.
• Exercises judgment within defined procedures and practices to determine appropriate action and resolve problems.
• Responds to a broad range of inquiries and requests.
• May provide training and/or direction to lower-level staff.
• May lead projects of moderate scope and complexity.
• Provides guidance to students.

Eligibility

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Application Instructions

To apply, click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:

1. Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2. Letter of Application/Cover Letter

For questions regarding the application process, please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 (Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485).

Why Choose Iowa State University?

Iowa State University offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health and well-being of its employees and their families:

• Retirement benefits, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans.
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time, along with various leave plans.
• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance.
• Onsite childcare facilities (Ames, Iowa).
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Wellbeing program.
• Iowa State offers WorkFlex options for some positions, providing flexibility on when, where, and how work is done. (Please discuss with the Hiring Manager for this specific role).

Original Posting Date: March 6, 2026
Posting Close Date: March 22, 2026
Job Requisition Number: R18756