Graduate Program Coordinator, Biosciences (5156C) #88591

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Departmental Overview

The Departments of Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB), Integrative Biology (IB), and Neuroscience (NEU) are among the largest academic departments at UC Berkeley. By several measures (including number of faculty and students, budget, and assigned square feet), these departments are larger than many UCB colleges and schools.

The three departments represent over 186 faculty FTE (including Adjuncts, Professors of the Graduate School, active emeriti, and 21 HHMI professors); 140 Researchers and Specialists; 185 post-doctoral researchers; 350 graduate students; 2,100 undergraduate students; 60 department staff members; and a total state and extramural payroll of approximately 1,450 (including Graduate Student Instructors, Graduate Student Researchers, and research staff).

Financial resources include approximately $90M in annual extramural funding (which accounts for over half of the total sponsored research awards in the College of Letters & Science) and over $91M other fund sources. Department personnel are currently housed in eight buildings located in three widely separated parts of the campus.

Position Summary

The Graduate Program Coordinator provides a wide range of student services to the Graduate Affairs Office in support of the Integrative Biology and Molecular & Cell Biology Ph.D. programs. This position leads projects while collaborating with and supporting team members, faculty, and students. The Graduate Program Coordinator manages large-scale events and projects, including recruitment, commencement, and Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) hiring, as well as smaller-scale events such as orientation and regular student programming. Additionally, this position provides administrative and operational support in areas such as communications, student advising, data collection and analysis, and student reimbursement processing.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is September 14, 2026. For full consideration, please apply by the first review date.

Responsibilities

Event Planning (Recruitment, Orientation, Commencement) - 45%

Recruitment & Admissions

• Plans, implements, and manages in-person recruitment visits of prospective graduate students to MCB. Leads planning meetings with MCB GAO staff, Admissions Chairs, and student Recruitment Representatives.
• Organizes two in-person recruitment weekends for approximately 100-130 individuals (applicants generally participate in 2 groups of 50-65 individuals in January/February).
• Acts as lead coordinator for the department, working closely with Biological Sciences Program Directors at other west coast universities regarding setting of dates, coordinating travel, and arrangements for travel between campuses as necessary.
• Acts as lead department representative to applicants visiting the campus in all matters relating to travel, lodging, and faculty appointments. Coordinates with university travel agents on all travel arrangements for visiting applicants.
• In collaboration with the student Recruitment Representatives, coordinates current graduate student participation in the recruitment process, including but not limited to housing visitors, contacting recruits, and organizing visit day activities such as panel discussions, poster sessions, seminars, and social activities.
• Responsible for establishing contracts with local hotels for accommodation blocks. Plans and manages all group events, including seminars, panel discussions, catered meals, and faculty dinners. Negotiates any necessary service provider contracts. Provides on-site management for all recruitment events. Maintains computer databases of all pertinent correspondence, schedules, and costs.
• Compiles and rewrites, as necessary, all departmental information for visitors' packets.
• Supports the department's extensive efforts to recruit students from historically underrepresented populations to the graduate program.

Commencement

• Assists in other areas of the admissions process as needed, including the handling of ~800 applications received annually.
• Plans and coordinates MCBs Graduate Commencement. Conducts meetings throughout the spring semester to organize and plan the commencement ceremony held each May at a campus venue (currently the Zellerbach Playhouse). Delegates commencement tasks to other graduate student services staff and student staff as needed.
• Reserves commencement ceremony and reception venues and enters into catering and service contracts necessary for a successful event.
• Coordinates the participation of Ph.D. recipients and their faculty mentors, including those from the Biophysics and Computational Biology programs.
• Sends out the call for commencement award and student speaker nominations to eligible students and faculty. Gathers award nominations for review by the appropriate deciding bodies.
• Supervises the acquisition and delivery of all faculty regalia, mailings, and production and printing of the commencement program.

Orientation

• Organizes the catered faculty reception for new MCB students, IB and MCB welcome breakfasts, MCB GSI orientation, and Quantitative Biology Bootcamp, and assists MCB students in the second-year class in organizing the first-year/second-year picnic.

Student Services Support - 35%

MCB Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Assignments and Hiring

• Manages the administration of the GSI application process and works with GSI Faculty Advisors to assign ~160 GSIs to MCB courses.
• Advises students and verifies completion of requirements mandated for employment, and advises faculty on university, department, and labor union policies pertaining to GSIs.
• Enters GSI appointments into the MCB Smartsheet, tracks completion of appointments, follows up with students to complete onboarding, and works with HR to ensure that students are paid on time. Resolves payroll issues as needed.
• Handles exceptional cases and recommends GSI assignments in special cases after routine assignments have been completed.
• Recommends GSI assignments factoring in relative classroom strengths and weaknesses, and course subject-matter knowledge of individual GSIs as matched to course content and instructor.
• Coordinates the GSI informational session for new MCB GSIs in March and the GSI Orientation for first-time MCB GSIs in August.
• Coordinates the distribution of GSI teaching evaluations in the 5th week of each semester.
• Maintains and updates the GSI database and tracks completion of teaching requirements for MCB students. Compiles lists of past GSIs for new GSIs to contact and gathers GSI-related materials to share with students.
• Oversees the annual nomination process for Outstanding GSI Awards.

Student Programming

• Acts as unit liaison to IB and MCB department-sponsored student organizations, including the MCB Graduate Student Organization (GSO), MCB Grad Student Network (MGN), IB Graduate Student Association (IBGSA), and supports their activities throughout the year. Processes entertainment, travel, and expense reimbursements, and advises students on relevant university policies.
• Oversees the Hansen Lecture (IB) and Koshland Seminar Series (MCB) and provides event support to the student organizing committees by providing catering for seminar receptions, reimbursing students for meals with the guest speaker, booking travel, and arranging honoraria payments as needed, and other seminar- related needs.
• Along with other graduate student services staff, provides administrative and event-planning support for the annual student-led iBiosciences Conference.
• Assists with the maintenance of graduate student records for all functions pertaining to the students' progress in the program up to the awarding of the Ph.D.
• Supports the MCB Graduate Program Manager in gathering and tracking annual review meetings.
• Advises students, faculty, and the public on departmental requirements, policies, and procedures, and the interpretation of policies and regulations of the university, Graduate Division, Office of the Registrar, and other campus offices.
• Maintains departmental degree lists for all students and reconciles differences with Graduate Division statistics. Maintains and produces reports and statistics on Ph.D. recipients as necessary.

Operational Support - 10%

• Manages the MCB Travel Grant, Immunology Travel Grant, and IB GRAC Research & Travel Fund programs. Advises students on funding policies, compiles applications for the respective Head Graduate Advisors to review each month, informs students of application outcome and reimbursement policies, and processes student reimbursements.
• Schedules monthly MCB Graduate Affairs Committee (GAC) meetings, prepares meeting agendas, and takes meeting minutes.
• Sends out solicitations for fellowship nominations (HHMI Gilliam, Mentored Research, UC Dissertation Year, Berkeley Connect, Cancer Research Coordinating Committee, etc.) and gathers nomination materials for the relevant committees to review.
• Prepares and sends a weekly MCB newsletter that includes campus announcements, funding, internships, and other job opportunities.
• Assists in the maintenance of the MCB and IB graduate program websites and handbooks.
• Assists in the supervision of work-study students.
• Orders office and event supplies as needed.

Program Data Collection & Analysis - 10%

• Develops and implements tracking procedures and devises and maintains databases for alumni and publications as required by NIH training grants.
• Assists the MCB Graduate Finance Specialist with gathering data required for reports to the university and federal funding agencies.
• Maintains survey records on the department server.
• Provides reports and responds to requests for data from faculty, and other department and campus units using departmental databases and other campus student systems (i.e., Filemaker Pro, CalCentral, Campus Solutions, etc.).

Required Qualifications

• 2-3 years of experience working in student affairs, event planning and coordination, project management, or equivalent combination of skills/experience.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills with the ability to conceptualize and communicate effectively to diverse audiences; ability to edit/proofread administrative documents.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational, and project management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to effectively lead, motivate, and influence others, and develop and maintain high standards of customer service.
• Ability to independently drive projects while also collaborating with a larger team.
• Excellent problem-solving and critical thinking skills that lead to effective decision-making and problem recognition/avoidance/resolution.
• Strong political acumen and the ability to use discretion and sound judgment in managing sensitive information and in responding to issues and concerns.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, diverse, constantly changing work environment, manage multiple deadlines, and prioritize workflow in a logical/linear manner to meet strict and important deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to foster a welcoming and respectful environment and effectively support individuals with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
• Ability to be resourceful, creative, innovative, and flexible.
• Knowledge of University-specific computer application programs and pertinent databases, or comparable institutional system knowledge.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Forms).
• Bachelor's degree in a related area and/or equivalent experience/training

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in higher education and/or equivalent training or experience.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of policies, procedures, and degree requirements related to graduate student programs.
• Knowledge of University policies, procedures, and systems, including experience with campus student information systems (Campus Solutions, Cal Central, Slate), the travel and entertainment reimbursement system (Direct Enter), and GSI hiring systems (Smartsheet, ServiceHub), or comparable institutional knowledge.

Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted annual range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $64,260 - $85,000.

• This is an exempt, monthly-paid position.
• This is a full-time (40 hours/week) Career position eligible for UC benefits.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Other Information

• This position is eligible for up to 2 days/week of remote work (within the United States). Exact arrangements are determined in partnership with your supervisor to meet role responsibilities and department needs and are subject to change.
• This is not a visa opportunity. This position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.
• This position is covered by the collective bargaining agreement between the UAW (United Auto Workers) and the University of California Regents for SV.

Conviction History Background

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

Mandated Reporter

This position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter required to report the observed or suspected abuse or neglect of children, dependent adults, or elders to designated law enforcement or social service agencies. We reserve the right to make employment contingent upon completion of signed statements acknowledging the responsibilities of a Mandated Reporter.

Misconduct

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy

UC Anti-Discrimination Policy

Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.