Alternate Residential Advisor, Student Worker

Welcome to the official site for employment opportunities at MICA. At MICA, we empower our employees to use their talent in a variety of ways. We are pleased that you are interested in career opportunities offered at MICA.

The Alternate Residential Advisor (ARA) is a vetted, trained student leader called upon to fill vacancies in the Residential Advisor staff. Alternate RAs are required to attend Office of Residence Life student staff trainings and communicate with staff members as hiring needs dictate. Otherwise, Alternate RAs do not operate as RAs during the academic year.

When a vacancy opens, the Office of Residence Life will reach out to the Alternate RA best suited to fill the opening. There is no order to those placed on the alternate list, as hiring decisions are made on best fit for the position vacancy. Different communities require different skills or abilities.

Alternate Residential Advisors are required to attend Fall and Winter RA training in person and in its entirety. They will be able to move back onto campus early, paid a monetary stipend for attending training, and have their meals covered. A Residence Life staff member can follow up with Alternate RAs throughout the academic year concerning hiring needs and vacancies if and when they arise.

Training Dates:

• Fall RA Training: Sunday, August 10th, 2025 to Tuesday, August 19th, 2025

• Winter RA Training: Wednesday, January 13th, 2026 to January 15th, 2026

• These dates are subject to change

Alternate RAs are recommended to reside on campus to ease the transition into the RA role should they be called upon. If an official offer is made to an Alternate RA, they will have up to seven business days to accept or decline the Residential Advisor position. The Office of Residence Life will then place the Alternate RA in a housing assignment that best fits community needs and available housing vacancies.

By accepting the Alternate RA position, you are not guaranteed a position as a Residential Advisor for the 2025-2026 academic year. However, Alternates are able to gain a better understanding of the job, and Residence Life professional staff are able to better get to know you and your abilities. Alternate RAs can apply for the RA position during the annual spring semester iLead hiring drive.

Compensation

• Monetary stipend ($15/hour) for Fall and/or Winter Trainings

• Early move-in

• Meals provided during training

Application Timeline & Instructions

Applications will be accepted through 12 PM, Monday, June 30th, 2025. Interviews will be conducted between Monday, June 30th and Monday, July 7th (no interviews will be held on Friday, July 4th). Candidate offers will be sent by Friday, July 11th, 2025.

Candidates must upload a PDF copy of their resume with their application and review the attached Residential Advisor job description in full.

Please see the iLEAD: Residential Advisor job description below:

General purpose: The Residential Advisor (RA) assists the Office of Residence Life by providing direct support and community development to residential students.

Summary of Essential Functions

• Serve as the primary Residence Life student staff contact for residents

• Assist with community engagement initiatives and administrative functions for the Office of Residence Life

• Serve in an on-call after-hours crisis-response system with professional and student staff multiple times a week

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Provide direct support to a number of assigned apartments/students and indirect support to a residential hall through community engagement & service

• Participate in department-led initiatives and functions ranging from opening/closing residential halls, semesterly health and safety apartment inspections, campus wide programming, floor meetings, apartment mate agreements, etc.

• Hold intentional interactions with residents on a regular basis and maintain adequate recordings of these interactions (general, apartment mate agreements, mediations, etc.)

• Direct students to appropriate resources (Campus Safety, Student Counseling, Facilities Management, etc.)

• Plan and execute programs and community engagement that align with the Curricular Approach

• Serve in an on-call after-hours crisis-response system with professional and student staff multiple times a week

• Understand, adhere to, and enforce all campus and residential policies; model appropriate behavior and report incidents to the appropriate chain of command

• Participate in all required meetings including 1:1s with assigned supervisor, team meetings, fall & winter training, etc.

• Perform other related duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of: residential needs, in-person engagement, MICA, and community resources

• Skills: community building, engagement, teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, documentation, time management

• Ability to: access technology, communicate effectively, think critically, follow procedures, and complete tasks as assigned

• Ability to: self-start, work independently, and maintain professionalism in challenges

Minimum qualifications:

• A 3.0 or higher GPA and good academic standing is required for a student to be considered for the position

• Must be a currently enrolled MICA undergraduate student at the time of employment

• Must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.

• Able to live on-campus in an ORL-assigned RA room through the entire 2025-2026 academic year

• Complete Fall/Winter RA Training (once hired)

• A desire to serve the MICA community

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous employment as a student leader or equivalent to a Residential Advisor (e.g. Pre-college RA, camp counselor, lifeguard, shift leader, etc.)

• Cognizant of student's attitudes as well as individual and community concerns

• Able to remain calm and perform effectively in sensitive situations

• Experience communicating verbally and electronically in a professional manner

• Experience in planning and implementing educational and community-building initiatives.

Compensation Information:

• Time commitment: 10-15 hours per week

• Stipend: $1,090 per semester, $2,180 annually

• Meals: 100 meal plan and $135 Dining dollars: $1,515 per semester, $3,030 annually

• A single on-campus room in a residential apartment, Value: $13,000+ annually

Conditions of Employment:

• RAs are expected to attend mandatory in-person training prior to the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. Training may occur in a hybrid (virtual and/or in-person) format.

• RAs are required to move into campus prior to the start of fall and winter training. Your supervisor will provide you with the move-in dates for fall training during the summer of 2025

• Timelines:

• Fall RA Training: Sunday, August 10th, 2025 to Tuesday, August 19th, 2025

• Contractual Pause: Saturday, December 13th, 2025 @ 9 PM

• Winter RA Training: Wednesday, January 13th, 2026 to January 15th, 2026

• Spring Contract End Date: Wednesday, May 13th, 2026

• These dates are tentative and subject to change based on the 2025-2026 academic calendar

• This position is expected to average 10-15 hours of work per week. During peak busy seasons (opening, closing, etc.) there may be demands closer to the higher end of the range.

• Students are required to serve in an "on-call" capacity several times per week. Students on call are expected to respond to incoming calls between 6 PM and 8 AM on weeknights and between 6 PM and 6 PM the following day on weekends and holidays where the residence halls are open.

• A background check of the student's academic & disciplinary history with the College is required.

• Student employees may work no more than 20 hours per week across all on-campus positions. RAs are permitted to work 5 external hours with the approval of their supervisor.

• RAs may not hold another iLead position that conflicts with mandatory aspects of the RA role (I.e. training, hall opening/closing, etc.) or has an hour requirement that exceeds 5 hours.

Application Timeline & Further Information

• Applications close on Saturday, March 1st, 2025

• Submit a resume with your application to be considered for an individual interview

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning on Monday, February 3rd, 2025, and ending on Monday, March 3rd, 2025

• Candidates selected for an individual interview will be invited to one of two initial interview dates:

• Sunday, February 16th, 2025

• Sunday, March 9th, 2025

• Candidates who cannot attend either interview date can be scheduled for an interview at a different date and time on a case-by-case basis

• The group interview process will take place on Wednesday, March 12th, 2025

• Offer letters will be sent by Monday, March 17th, 2025

• Declaration of acceptance and housing/apartment mate forms will be due on Monday, March 24th, 2025 by midnight

• Please note: This position is contingent on the college's operational plan, fiscal budget, and the department's need for student employees.

• For more information, please contact the Assistant Director of Residential Communities, Christopher Czapla, at ileadresidencelife@mica.edu.

Maryland Institute College of Art is committed to its policy of providing equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or veteran status (disabled, Vietnam-era, or otherwise). Furthermore, the College does not tolerate any form of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment or sexual violence. This policy applies to all programs, facilities, and activities provided by Maryland Institute College of Art, including but not limited to admission, educational programs, and employment.

Applicants must apply online for each job in which they are interested. You will not be considered for any job for which you have not specifically applied. We do not accept applications via email, U.S. mail, or fax. Successful candidates for any staff or faculty positions will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

MICA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Human Resources at 410-225-2363.