Academic Programs Assistant Full Time

4 positions/20-25 hours per week

Summer Session

Stanford Summer Session provides high-achieving and intellectually engaged students with a transformative educational experience at a world-class university. By combining challenging academics with a rich array of extra-curricular programming, Stanford Summer Session successfully shares the University’s culture of innovation, academic excellence, and global responsibility. Summer Session partners with 40 departments within the schools of Humanities and Sciences, Earth Sciences, and Engineering to offer over 100 courses and develops access and enrichment programs for special student populations, as well as program-wide activities and academic support.

Job Overview

Stanford Summer Session is seeking a team of four Academic Programs Assistants. The ideal candidate is a proactive, energetic, and detail-oriented Stanford graduate student with a passion for event management, student engagement, and professional development. They should be able to take initiative, work collaboratively, and show creativity in creating engaging programs for commuter students. This position requires ability to set up event spaces, interpersonal skills, and a commitment to fostering a sense of community among diverse student populations.

Academic Programs Assistants will have the opportunity to build their network and develop professional skills that can apply to a range of careers in higher education, program development, and project management. This position will be supervised by the Summer Session Program Coordinator and work closely with the Summer Session Academic Programs team.

The Academic Programs Assistants will be responsible for helping manage Summer faculty speaker events, service projects, site visits to campus labs and research centers, and hands-on activities with campus partners.

The Academic Programs Assistants will engage directly with Summer Session students, especially the commuter population, by creating opportunities for them to engage as a cohort and build a sense of belonging to the Stanford community. This position will also oversee event promotion and outreach, and assist with space preparation, set up and check-in.

Training

Essential Functions and Timeline

Remote/Asynchronous Training/Onboarding: Monday, June 8; Tuesday, June 9; Friday, June 12, 2026

• Mandatory in-person training at Stanford Redwood City: Wednesday, June 10, 2026
• Mandatory in-person training at Stanford Main Campus: Thursday, June 11, 2026

Welcome Weekend Preparation

In-person, main campus: Monday, June 15 – Friday, June 19, 2026

Welcome Weekend Event

In person, main campus: Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21, 2026

The Academic Programs Assistants will participate in the Summer Session welcome event for students on Saturday, June 20 and Sunday June 21, helping with check-in and orientation events for summer students. This is a mandatory two-day event.

Summer Session Program

Monday, June 22 – Sunday, August 16, 2026

Event Management

The Academic Programs Assistants will assist with event promotion and outreach, logistics, and student registration. The Academic Programs Assistant will assist with larger scale program-wide Headline Events, such as the Scavenger Hunt, Summer Speaker events and Day of Service. Duties include set up, check-in and breakdown of events. Academic Programs Assistants will also assist with a set of smaller workshops, tours, and activities (20-30 students at each event.) Academic Programs Assistants may also conduct tiny mic style interviews at events.

The majority of events an Academic Programs Assistant will support are scheduled from 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. (including set up and tear down) with some events held during the morning or early afternoon. The event schedule will be provided in late May, and official assignments will be made during training week.

Commuter Cohort Engagement

The Academic Programs Assistants will help coordinate events aimed specifically at commuter students. While there are some pre-planned events, this role will also be responsible for creating other opportunities for commuter students to engage, allowing for a bit of creativity! Academic Programs Assistants will also engage with the greater Summer Session community, surviving as a bridge connecting students to each other.

Outreach

The Academic Programs Assistants will participate in event promotion and student recruitment. Outreach through email, chat messaging apps and other methods of communication are used.

Post Summer Organization and Assessment

Mandatory on-campus: Friday, August 14, 2026

The Academic Programs Assistants will help clean up and organize program supplies and storage space post summer. This day will also include feedback and a debrief of summer quarter.

Driving Responsibilities

Academic Program Assistants may drive golf carts to support Stanford summer operations, including transporting supplies across the university’s expansive campus, assisting with campus wide events for Summer Session, and handling tasks for Welcome Weekend.

Note: The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Supervision and Professional Development

The Academic Programs Assistants will meet bi-weekly with their supervisor and the Academic Programs team to reflect on their experience and identify resources and strategies that support their career development. The Academic Programs Assistants will have the chance to learn about and work with the different functional teams within Summer Session (Academic Programs, Residential Experience, Student Services, Marketing and Communications, Finance), and to collaborate and network with many partner units on campus, including the Haas Center for Public Service, Undergraduate Research, the d.School, Stanford Arts, and Stanford Research Park.

Examples of professional development topics to explore in supervisor and team meetings include:

• Defining transferable skills
• Informational interviewing
• Researching non-faculty career paths
• Networking with colleagues on campus

Stanford Summer Employment Information

Potential Work Restrictions: There are formal limits on the number of hours a graduate student may work when also receiving funding through assistantships or fellowships. Graduate Students with an assistantship or fellowship have work restrictions that prevent them from working additional hours at Stanford. Graduate students are expected to coordinate the number of hours of employment with their academic obligations, including course load, number of registered units, and the academic expectations of their program. Additionally, they are expected to coordinate hourly employment with the other forms of financial support that they are receiving. If applying for this position, please inquire with your home department first to ensure you are allowed to apply for additional work on campus. Additionally, during the summer, international students who are required to enroll full-time to maintain their visa status may not work more than a combined total of 20 hours per week. Please see the Admin Guide 10.2.2: Graduate Student Hourly Employment for full details.

Outside Obligations: Staff may pursue outside work or other activities on- or off-campus up to 15 hours per week. Academic Programs Assistants are expected to avoid activities including other employment that may result in a conflict of commitment as outlined in Stanford Administrative Guide 1.5.2: Conflict of Commitment. Other jobs at Stanford, combined with Academic Programs Assistant work hours, cannot exceed 40 hours per week. Staff must disclose information about their outside work or other Stanford jobs and courses to the Summer Session Program Coordinator. Additionally, when necessary, the Summer Session HR team may reach out and consult with the Academic Programs Assistant’s other employers regarding hours. Staff should not have regular outside responsibilities that prevent them from participating in evening and weekend Academic Programs Assistant responsibilities.

Background Check: Staff must successfully complete a LiveScan fingerprint background check before the position start date of June 8, 2026 to allow sufficient time for processing and results to be received by Stanford. Employment is contingent on successfully passing a Live Scan background check. Failure to complete or pass background checks will result in ineligibility for employment as an Academic Programs Assistant.

Mandated Reporter: California law requires certain individuals at Stanford to report known or reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect to the authorities. These individuals are known under the law as “Mandated Reporters.” The Academic Programs Assistants position is in this category. California laws and Stanford policy require certain individuals at Stanford to report known or reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect to the authorities. In order to ensure that Stanford meets this obligation, mandated reporters are required to complete the online “Acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter” (OGC-0001). Mandated Reporter Communication Memo.

Ideal Candidate: Current Stanford graduate students. Coterms are eligible to apply if they are on the graduate side of their co-term and qualify to live in graduate housing. Candidates should be excited to work with diverse student communities, develop programming and events, and to use this opportunity to enhance their professional skills. Candidates should be self-starters, creative, motivated, attentive, and energetic. Candidates should be available to dedicate themselves to this position for the entirety of the assignment.

Certificates and License Required: Must possess and maintain a valid non-commercial Driver’s License.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to drive day and night.
• Frequently stand/walk, perform desk-based computer tasks, and use a telephone.
• Occasionally climb (ladders, scaffolds, or other), kneel/crawl, twist/bend/stoop/squat, grasp lightly/fine manipulation, and grasp forcefully, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh 21-40 pounds.

Work Standards: When conducting University business, must comply with the California Vehicle Code and Stanford University driving requirements outlined in Administrative Guide 8.4.2: Vehicle Use.

Compensation and Hours

Compensation for this position is $32/hour. This job is tasked at approximately 20-25 hours per week. The number of hours worked per week may exceed this amount as necessary. Please note that this is an estimate only and you are not guaranteed a particular number of hours per week.

This position will start on June 8, to allow time for training and onboarding, and run through August 16, 2026. The Academic Programs Assistants will attend one in person training at Stanford Redwood City and one in person training on Main Campus. During the quarter, Academic Programs Assistants will need to be present on Stanford Main Campus for day, evening, or weekend events, including the two-day Summer Session Welcome Weekend on Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21.

Housing Stipend

As part of the compensation for the Academic Programs Assistant position, a housing stipend, paid through the GFS system, may be provided for students living on campus during the summer. This benefit does not include tuition assistance, house dues, meal plans, or any other fees associated with the student’s bill. The housing benefit is taxable. Summer Session housing stipend is contingent upon approval from your department. If you plan to enroll and/or to receive departmental, institutional, and outside funding, you may or may not be eligible to receive our Summer Session Housing stipend.

This position is “at-will”. Academic Programs Assistants who are suspended and/or terminated prior to the assignment end date will be no longer eligible for the compensation of the position, including housing (if applicable), effective immediately.

Application Process

To apply, fill out our online application. You will upload a copy of your resume/CV. Cover letter is optional.

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Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources by submitting a contact form.

Please note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. All candidates must be eligible to work in the U.S.