Human Resources

Gorter Family Career Advancement Center

This professional will serve as a member of the Science and Health Care (SHC) Pathway team within the Gorter Family Career Advancement Center (CAC) and will report to the Senior Associate Director and Pathway Leader for Science and Health Care. They will play an important role in career and internship advising as well as early engagement efforts for students in the sciences and students who are undecided about their path. They will work closely with the Internship and Pre-Health Specialist, who also supports students in this Pathway.

The majority of the Lake Forest College STEM population is female and also includes a significant number of students who are first-generation and/or from historically marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds. The CAC embraces the College’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and is committed to preparing students from historically marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds for career success in the sciences and in all of our Career Pathways, and this professional will play an integral role in helping the CAC to cultivate equitable access to CAC services and high-quality experiential and post-graduate opportunties.

Responsiblities:

 Career Advising and Internship Program:

• Advise students individually and in group settings on all topics related to career from exploring majors/career paths to securing post-graduate opportunties, with a focus on students interested in physical science, environmental, and broader STEM careers, as well as those that are undecided about their path.
• Assist with broader CAC early engagement efforts for first and second-year students, and
• facilitate career programs that provide field-specific, developmentally appropriate, and inclusive resources for all students.
• Identify and utilize career advising techniques and technology appropriate to student goals, skills, and personal background and stay up to date on best practices for advising diverse populations of students.
• Guide and mentor students completing internship experiences (non-credit and for academic credit), and identify referrals to opportunities that match students’ interests.  
• Contribute to CAC Academic Internship Program administration as appropriate, including
• ensuring successful course registration, completion of required forms, evaluation of course assignments/grading, etc.
• Collaborate with internship specialists to facilitate as needed to help students in the Academic Internship Program develop learning goals, understand professional expectations, and apply their academic training in the workplace.

Program Administration and Employer Relations:

• Serve as a liaison from the CAC and SHC Pathway for various partnership initiatives with academic departments, including biochemistry and molecular biology, biology, chemistry, environmental studies, neuroscience, psychology, and physics, as well as campus departments such as Admissions, among many others.
• Work with the SHC Pathway team to collect data on science student career interests and engagement, track completion of internships and securing of post-graduate opportunties, and ensure supply of internships and other experiential learning opportunities can meet demand.
• Contribute to planning and executing SHC and broader CAC career programs on- and off-campus, assisting in mobilization of students, faculty, employer, alumni, trustees, and other stakeholders.
• Work under the direction of the SHC Pathway Leader to develop a strategy for initiating new employer partnerships and increasing access to experiential opportunities for students from historically marginalized or underrepresented backgrounds.
• Assist with organizing recruiting activities, including job postings, campus interviews and specialized networking events.
• Monitor employment trends to identify and implement strategies for improving students’ preparation and expanding available employment opportunties.
• Manage, organize, and communicate information using technology systems including the career services management system (Handshake), course management systems (Moodle), project management software (Smartsheet), alumni database (Slate), and social media, and ensure appropriate tracking and sharing of information with CAC, SHC team, and other stakeholders as necessary.

 Qualifications

• Successful completion of a relevant Bachelor’s degree; Master’s degree preferred.
• Preferred experience/knowledge of college student development, higher education, or career services.
• Must have an interest in working with students/alumni, employers, and faculty/staff from diverse backgrounds.
• Strong problem-solving skills and written/verbal communication; must be attentive to details.
• Must be team-oriented with strong interpersonal skills and ability to think creatively; entrepreneurial spirit and fast-learner.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships; experience tracking relationship-building success with a customer relationship management system is a plus.
• Experience/knowledge of STEM, physical science, and/or environmental career paths, related industries and their recruiting practices is a plus.
• Available to work some evenings and weekends; valid driver’s license and willingness to travel (primarily in Chicagoland area).

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Background

A vibrant, dynamic, and highly selective liberal arts college located north of Chicago, Lake Forest College enrolls more than 1,650 students from nearly every state and more than 80 countries. The College is a culturally diverse community with approximately 50% of our student body identifying as domestic students of color or international students. In addition, we have a visible and active LGBTQ+ student community as well as a significant population of first-generation and Pell-eligible students.

Lake Forest College has embraced career preparation as a key institutional goal for its undergraduate students more clearly and conscientiously than most other colleges in the liberal arts tradition, making a college-wide commitment to our mission to “prepare our students for, and help them attain, productive and rewarding careers.”

With our location in the Chicago metropolitan area, we are uniquely positioned to be a leader in career preparation and, for the third year in a row, have been recognized by the Princeton Review as #14 on their list for Best Schools for Internships. Our internship opportunities are central to the 4-year career preparation plan for our students, and it is a curricular requirement for all students at the College to participate in an experiential learning opportunity. Lake Forest College has also been ranked #4 for Best Science Lab Facilities by Princeton Review as well as #2 in the nation for Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report.

Application Process

Please submit cover letter and resume/CV online through this link to the Gorter Family Career Advancement Center Submission Form. Materials should be addressed to:

Colleen Monks

Director

Career Advancement Center

Lake Forest College

555 North Sheridan Road

Lake Forest, IL 60045-2399

Lake Forest College embraces diversity and encourages applications from women, members of historically underrepresented groups, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. Review of applications will begin immediately and will be accepted until the positions are filled. Please send any correspondence related to this search to the Career Advancement Center Hiring Committee at cacsearch@lakeforest.edu.