Program Specialist I

Troops To Engineers Program Manager

This position is budgeted for $5858.67 per month and is non-negotiable.

Function of the unit: In February 2011, SDSU launched the Troops to Engineers (T2E) Program for veteran students pursuing undergraduate and graduate engineering and computer science degrees. T2E provides tailored career assistance to improve professional-development skills, obtain paid internships, and secure engineering- and technology-related employment upon graduation. The program supports military veterans transitioning from active duty through higher education to civilian careers and advances employer engagement, regional transfer pathways, and career-services infrastructure.

Goals and evaluation of the program:

• Goal #1: Place 100% of program participants seeking career assistance into paid internships and full-time jobs upon graduation.
• Goal #2: Increase the number of veterans pursuing degrees and careers in engineering and computer science.
• Goal #3: Create a regional and national model that increases the number of veterans pursuing engineering and computer science careers.
• Goal #4: Stabilize program funding through grants and support from industry and other organizations.

Purpose of the position: Under general supervision of the PI, or a designee of the PI, the Troops to Engineers Program Manager leads the day-to-day operations of T2E; administers student career-development services, employer and community partnerships, program assessment and reporting; and serves as the primary administrator and point of contact for the College of Engineering's 12Twenty career platform.

Responsibilities

Specific duties:

Program Coordination (95%) Program Leadership and Operations

• Coordinate and administer program activities internal to the university and with industry sponsors, benefactors, employers, government agencies, military organizations, community colleges, alumni, and other external partners.
• Develop and execute annual operating plans, program calendars, outreach strategies, policies, procedures, priorities, and deliverables aligned with T2E goals.
• Prepare and deliver presentations to veterans, active-duty personnel, students, advisory groups, industry representatives, university leadership, government officials, and other stakeholders.
• Communicate orally and in writing with student veterans, transitioning service members, wounded warriors, senior military and government officials, recruiters, executives, faculty, administrators, donors, and community partners.
• Represent T2E at internal and external meetings, career and education fairs, conferences, advisory meetings, and sponsor or employer engagements.
• Maintain program webpages, social media, outreach materials, schedules, standard operating information, and other communications needed to execute program activities.
• Monitor program spending, purchasing, subscriptions, and vendor activity to ensure expenses are approved, within budget, and aligned with program and grant requirements.

Student Career Advising and Instruction

• Mentor and advise undergraduate and graduate student veterans, transitioning service members, and wounded warriors on academic-to-career planning and professional development.
• Provide one-on-one assistance with resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, networking, elevator pitches, interview and mock-interview preparation, salary negotiation, internship searches, and full-time employment strategies.
• Develop and teach the veteran-focused section of ENGR 101, including the syllabus, career-readiness curriculum, instructional materials, assignments, guest speakers, employer participation, and alumni panels.
• Design and deliver workshops, seminars, information sessions, career-expo preparation, networking events, facility visits, and other career-development programming.
• Develop and execute student recruitment and employment initiatives to identify, screen, prepare, and match student veterans with internships and full-time opportunities.
• Develop and maintain student resume books and follow up with students and employers to document internship, employment, graduation, and continuing-education outcomes.

Career Technology, Data, and Reporting

• Serve as the primary administrator and institutional point of contact for the College of Engineering's 12Twenty career platform.
• Lead platform implementation, configuration, testing, phased deployment, and ongoing administration, including career-services, resume-book, student-engagement, and internship-job-board functions.
• Coordinate with the vendor, campus information technology, accessibility personnel, college leadership, Career Services, and other stakeholders on single sign-on, accessibility, system requirements, integrations, issue resolution, and upgrades.
• Administer user accounts, roles, permissions, student and alumni records, employer profiles, job postings, workflows, communications, surveys, data imports and exports, and related platform settings.
• Develop training materials and provide onboarding, technical guidance, troubleshooting, and ongoing support to students, employers, faculty, staff, and other authorized users.
• Establish and maintain data standards and operating procedures that promote accurate records, appropriate access, continuity of operations, and compliance with applicable privacy, security, and accessibility requirements.
• Maintain program databases; define performance measures; analyze engagement, placement, and career-outcome data; administer feedback surveys; and use findings to improve services and platform functionality.
• Prepare recurring impact reports, grant and sponsor reports, executive updates, presentations, white papers, and other communications concerning program performance and student-veteran employment and education issues.

Employer, Sponsor, and Community Engagement

• Develop and execute employer outreach to expand paid internships, full-time employment, mentorship, and professional-development opportunities for student veterans.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with industry, government, nonprofit, military, university, and alumni partners and serve as a primary liaison for recruiting and workforce-pipeline activities.
• Plan and coordinate employer information sessions, recruiting events, mock interviews, career expos, networking programs, facility tours, alumni panels, and mentor or volunteer participation.
• Interface with military transition programs and community colleges; develop seminars, transfer-pathway programming, campus visits, and regional partnerships that support veterans entering engineering and computer science programs.

Resource Development and Stewardship

• Work with College of Engineering and other university development personnel to identify and secure grants, sponsorships, gifts, and other resources for T2E.
• Contribute to funding proposals, scopes of work, budgets, justifications, outcome measures, and other materials required for grant and sponsorship requests.
• Track grant and sponsor commitments, allowable use of funds, deliverables, recognition, utilization, and reporting requirements; provide timely stewardship and impact information.

Qualifications

Experience/Education

• Equivalent to a bachelor's degree in appropriate field related to program/project, or additional experience may be substituted for the required education on a year for year basis
• Two years of progressively responsible experience in technical or administrative assignments.

Preferred Qualifications and Special Skills

• Experience working with transitioning military personnel, veterans, and university students in engineering, computer science, or related career pathways.
• Experience administering 12Twenty or a comparable career-services platform and supporting a multi-stakeholder technology implementation.
• Experience with career advising, course or workshop instruction, employer engagement, grant-funded programs, fundraising support, data analysis, and impact reporting.

Additional Applicant Information

• Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).
• San Diego State University Research Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU Research Foundation provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law.
• Employment decisions are based on an individual's qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has equal access to resources and support.
• SDSU Research Foundation complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California's Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), and other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws including grant or contract terms and conditions related to funded program activities. Further the SDSU Research Foundation maintains a Nondiscrimination Policy that prohibits discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all programs, policies, and practices.