Human Resources

Lake Forest College has embraced career preparation as a key institutional goal for its undergraduate students with our long-standing collegewide commitment to our mission to “prepare our students for, and help them attain, productive and rewarding careers.” The College is proud to have been ranked as the #1 Liberal Arts College in the Midwest by the Wall Street Journal (December 2023), taking a pragmatic approach that merges the nourishing foundations of a liberal arts experience with practical experiential learning opportunities and transformative career preparation for our students.   

With our location in the Chicago metropolitan area and one of the largest career centers for a college our size, we are uniquely positioned to be a leader in career preparation and, for the fifth year in a row, Lake Forest College has been recognized by the Princeton Review on their top 25 Best Schools for Internships list and as #19 for Best Career Services (August 2023). 

This professional will serve as a member of Lake Forest College’s Gorter Family Career Advancement Center (CAC) and will report to the Associate Director and Pathway Leader for Science and Health Care (SHC). As part of the Science and Health Career Pathway team, they will lead internship and career advising efforts for students pursuing environmental, physical science, and STEM careers (outside of healthcare). Additionally, this professional will serve as the lead career advisor for students who are undecided about their career path.  

Responsibilities:

Program Administration and Career Advising:

• Lead internship and career advising efforts for students pursuing environmental, physical science, and STEM careers (outside of healthcare).
• Serve as a liaison from the CAC and SHC Pathway for career advising and partnership initiatives with academic departments including biochemistry and molecular biology, biology, chemistry, environmental studies, neuroscience, psychology, and physics as well as data science, computer science, and math.
• Additionally, act as the lead career advisor for undecided students, helping them to identify a Career Pathway home at the College.
• Advise students individually and in group settings on all topics related to career from exploring majors/career paths to securing internships and post-graduate opportunities, including applying to graduate school.
• Contribute to planning and executing SHC and broader CAC career programs on- and off-campus, assisting in mobilization of students, faculty, employers, alumni, trustees, and other stakeholders in support of career preparation.
• Develop strategies to increase knowledge of and engagement with the CAC and identify potential barriers to access and participation in career programs.
• Utilize personalized career advising techniques appropriate for individual student goals and needs and stay up-to-date on best practices for inclusive advising and use of technology to enhance career support.
• Manage, organize, and communicate information using technology systems including the career services management system (Handshake), course management system (Moodle), project management software (Smartsheet), alumni database (Slate), social media, etc. and ensure appropriate tracking/sharing of information with CAC, SHC team, and other stakeholders.
• Complete other duties as assigned or as opportunities emerge.

Internship Program:

• Guide and mentor students completing internship experiences (non-credit and for academic credit) and identify referrals to internship opportunities that match students’ interests.  
• Contribute to CAC Academic Internship Program administration, including ensuring successful course registration, evaluation of course assignments/grading, etc.
• Serve as an Internship Specialist in the Academic Internship Program, overseeing an online career readiness-focused course, ensuring students develop valuable learning goals, build their career readiness and understanding of professional expectations, and apply their academic training in the workplace.
• Work closely with Senior Associate Director for Internships in coordination of Chicago internship programs (In The Loop and ACTIVATE) and partnership with the Center for Chicago Programs; serve as the lead for facilitating associated career preparation workshops.
• Assist students with developing plans to maximize their internship experience during and after the experience, and resolve any conflicts in collaboration with relevant staff/internship site personnel.

Alumni and Employer Relations:

• Work under the direction of Pathway Leader to develop a strategy for initiating new alumni and employer partnerships for relevant industry areas and increasing access to experiential opportunities for students from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds.
• Contribute to SHC Pathway data collection efforts on student career interests and engagement, track completion of internships and securing of post-graduate opportunities, and ensure supply of internships and other experiential learning opportunities can meet demand.
• 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 opportunities.

Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a relevant bachelor’s degree; master’s degree preferred.
• 2-3 years of experience in higher education, preferably career services, human resources, nonprofit, or related field; familiarity with liberal arts colleges is a plus.
• Experience/knowledge of STEM, environmental, and/or physical science industries and their recruiting practices is a plus.
• Experience and passion for working with students, 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 and strategically; 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.
• 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.

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:

Gorter Family Career Advancement Center

Hiring Committee

Lake Forest College

555 North Sheridan Road

Lake Forest, IL 60045-2399

Review of applications will begin immediately and will be accepted until the position is filled. Intended start date is prior to Fall 2024 semester. Please send any correspondence related to this search to the Career Advancement Center Hiring Committee at cacsearch@lakeforest.edu.

Background

A highly selective liberal arts college located on Chicago’s North Shore, Lake Forest College enrolls approximately 1,700 students from more than 40 states and from more than 80 countries. Lake Forest is one of the most diverse small colleges in the Midwest with approximately 40% of our student body comprised of domestic students of color and international students. Lake Forest College embraces diversity and encourages applications from women, members of historically underrepresented groups, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.