Academic Advisor

Department: Col of Engineering and Computing

Classification: Education Support Spec 3

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Pay Band: 04

Salary: Salary range starting upper $50k, commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department offers B.S. and M.S. degrees in both Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as M.S. degrees in Digital Forensics and Telecommunications. The department comprises more than 30 faculty members and serves over 950 students, including more than 300 graduate students. The ECE department maintains a vibrant and growing research portfolio, with faculty conducting cutting-edge research across a broad spectrum of areas, including bioengineering; communications and networking; control systems and robotics; cyber-physical systems; cybersecurity; digital forensics; machine learning and artificial intelligence; semiconductors and microelectronics; power and energy systems; signal processing; and space-based and satellite systems.

About the Position:

The primary purpose of this position is to support the recruitment, academic success, and retention of students in the undergraduate electrical and computer engineering programs through effective advising, outreach, and engagement. The Academic Advisor provides comprehensive guidance to prospective and current students, helping them make informed academic decisions, remain on track for graduation, and fulfill their degree requirements. The advisor also helps students explore their academic interests, align their educational pathways with their career goals, and prepare for graduate study.

As a key representative of the department, the Academic Advisor provides accurate and timely information about university and departmental policies, procedures, and requirements. The advisor serves as a resource for students and other stakeholders, uses proactive problem-solving to address complex academic matters, and assists with forms, requests, petitions, and appeals.
Through a student-centered approach, this position advances George Mason University's strategic goals by promoting academic achievement, improving retention and graduation rates, and preparing students for successful careers and continued education.

*Please note that this is not a 100% remote/virtual position, but it is telework friendly. Depending upon your department/office, you may have the ability to telework 1-2 days per week.

Responsibilities:

Undergraduate Student Advising

• Advise current undergraduate students in decision making and developing a plan of study consistent with students' interests, goals, and abilities;
• Assist students with course selection, prerequisites, transfer courses, registration and overrides, career and/or educational goal and general university rules and regulations;
• Process graduation applications for all undergraduate students who have applied for graduation and ensure that all program requirements are met;
• Ensure that students meet departmental requirements of degree progress;
• Proactively assist with trouble shooting and problem solving (registration errors, late schedule adjustments, retroactive withdrawals, etc.);
• Communicate essential academic registration information to students;
• Provide information on academic policies, procedures and practices, including working through various academic requests, forms and appeals;
• Organize and retain student records, to include advising notes and email exchanges;
• Escalate complex issues or situations with students to Supervisor for guidance (any requests for policy exceptions);
• Participate in outreach initiatives organized by the department/college/university;
• Plan and conduct regular outreach campaigns to proactively engage students;
• Utilize university platforms for tracking and reporting student interactions and making referrals; and
• Advise and support students participating in the Bachelor's Accelerated Master's (BAM) program by providing pre-application guidance, monitoring eligibility and academic progress, recommendation for admission, maintaining applicant records, recommending coursework to maximize accelerated credit opportunities, coordinating undergraduate and graduate approval processes, facilitating program transition requirements, and serving as a liaison among students, academic departments, Graduate Admissions, and university offices to ensure a successful transition from undergraduate to graduate study.

Undergraduate Student Affairs

• Develop and coordinate student recruitment initiatives, including outreach campaigns, information sessions, campus events, and follow-up communications with prospective students and their families;
• Develop and coordinate retention initiatives, including proactive outreach, early identification of students who need additional support, and referrals to appropriate academic and university resources;
• Assist in coordination of efforts to organize departmental functions for students, including events such as orientation or faculty-student advising meetings;
• Participate in university wide programs and events related to undergraduate students such as admissions, orientation, articulation, advising, graduation and other social and networking events;
• Assist and function as liaison between students, faculty, management and administrative agents in understanding the programs, university rules and regulations;
• Assist and perform the oversight of operations related to student records, graduation and student recruitment functions;
• Generate correspondence in communicating with students, faculty and other administrators and units such as the Dean's office, registrar's office, etc. in writing, via e-mail or through other communication means in response to students and other constituents' inquiries in fostering student success as needed;
• Assist in updating ECE department's advising materials (printed and on the website) prior to each catalog year;
• Assist in creating sample schedules, transfer guides, and degree worksheets for different student populations;
• Serve as the department's liaison for transfer student and articulation matters by attending relevant meetings, monitoring policy and program changes, and maintaining current transfer information in all departmental publications and resources;
• Serve as the primary contact for academic grade appeals, providing guidance to students, ensuring compliance with university policies and procedures, and coordinating communications among students, faculty, and departmental leadership; and
• Participate in training of new and current faculty in advising and student mentoring practices.

Other Duties

• Serve on committees and other projects related to advising and student support as needed;
• Participate in university-wide advising training and ongoing professional development;
• Develop and maintain marketing and communication materials to support student recruitment, outreach, and departmental events; manage and expand the department's social media presence, including LinkedIn and Instagram; and contribute content for newsletters, web pages, and other communications that promote student achievements, academic programs, and departmental initiatives; and
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent;
• Generally, one to three years experience with or demonstrated knowledge in one or more of the following areas: academic advising, success coaching, counseling, orientation, disability services, veteran's services, career services, student involvement, and student rights and responsibilities;
• Experience serving and supporting diverse student populations;
• Experience working with multiple complex projects simultaneously;
• Experience with spreadsheets, email, and Microsoft Office suite including Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with students, families, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders;
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize competing responsibilities and manage multiple projects simultaneously;
• Ability to meet deadlines while maintaining a high degree of accuracy, attention to detail, and professionalism;
• Strong customer service orientation, with a commitment to providing responsive, student-centered support;
• Excellent problem-solving and conflict resolution skills, with the ability to handle sensitive and complex situations effectively;
• Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse cultural, ethnic, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds;
• Ability to collaborate effectively as part of a team while also working independently when appropriate;
• Ability to plan, coordinate, and participate in outreach, recruitment, orientation, and student success initiatives; and
• Flexibility to work occasional evening and weekend hours in support of orientation, recruitment, admissions, and departmental events.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related field;
• Professional Credentials or Certificates in Academic Advising;
• Experience assisting students in a higher education setting in academic advising/support;
• Experience working with science/engineering students;
• Experience with leadership, communication, program development, and administrative activities;
• Experience with recruitment, retention and outreach activities;
• Experience with developing marketing materials and social media engagement;
• Experience with educational database management systems, degree audit tools and customer relationship management systems (CRM) such as Salesforce;
• Knowledge of academic advising best practices and student success strategies; and
• Knowledge of student development and the academic, personal, and transitional challenges faced by undergraduate students.

Instructions to Applicants:

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Academic Advisor at Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume for review. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.

Posting Open Date: September 9, 2026

For Full Consideration, Apply by: September 25, 2026

Open Until Filled: Yes

A Force for Innovation in the Heart of Northern Virginia's Technology Corridor

About the College:

The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) at George Mason University is a fast-growing force for innovation in research and education. Ranked nationally in the top 100 in both undergraduate and graduate education, the CEC has more than 11,000 students in fall 2025. The college has 34 undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree programs including several first-in-the-nation offerings. Of its 326 instructional faculty, 100 are tenured, 64 are tenure-track, 100 are term faculty, and 62 are research faculty. As part of a nationally ranked research university, CEC research teams expended $83.7 million in sponsored research awards in the past year and had projects with over $66.8 million in awards. The college stands out for its leading research in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics engineering, cybersecurity engineering, biomedical imaging and devices, healthcare, autonomous systems, 5G/Next G communications, systems architectures, computational biomedicine, advanced materials and manufacturing, sustainable infrastructure, and more. The college encourages and supports multidisciplinary research and provides ample opportunities for faculty to work with other disciplines.

About the University and the Region:

George Mason University is the largest and most diverse public research university in Virginia, with an enrollment of more than 40,000 students studying in over 200 degree programs. Mason is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. It was classified as an R1 research institution in 2016 by the Carnegie Classifications of Institutes of Higher Education. The university has campuses in Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William County. Its proximity to Washington, D.C. provides unmatched geographical access to federal agencies and national laboratories. Northern Virginia is also home to one of the largest concentrations of high-tech firms in the nation, providing excellent opportunities for interaction with industry. The region is consistently rated as being among the best places to live in the country and has an outstanding local public school system.

About the Future:

In conjunction with Amazon's decision to establish a second headquarters in Northern Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced a multi-year plan to invest in the growth of degree programs in computing. As a result, George Mason has committed to accelerating its plans to grow its capacity in computing and high-tech fields. Among the university's exciting initiatives are the launch of the Institute for Digital Innovation-a university think tank and incubator to serve the digital economy-and the expansion of Mason Square home to its Arlington facilities. In 2025, Fuse, a new 355,000 square foot building, opened to students, faculty, and research teams. This net-zero facility will house the Institute for Digital Innovation, state-of-the-art classrooms, labs, and collaborative spaces. It will also include retail space, and leasing opportunities for local businesses. These initiatives reflect hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment by George Mason that will rapidly elevate the university's already leading national position in computing and related areas.


Each agency within the Commonwealth of Virginia is dedicated to recruiting, supporting, and maintaining a competent and diverse work force. Equal Opportunity Employer