Graduate Program Coordinator, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Interdisciplinary Materials Science

Vanderbilt University•Nashville, TN

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Graduate Program Coordinator in the School of Engineering at Vanderbilt University plays a central administrative and operational role in supporting the graduate programs in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Interdisciplinary Materials Science. This position is responsible for coordinating and managing key aspects of graduate education, including oversight of the graduate admissions and recruitment process, student onboarding, and ongoing program administration. Working closely with faculty, students, and university offices, the Coordinator ensures the smooth day-to-day operation of the PhD programs, maintains compliance with institutional policies, and supports academic milestones from admission through degree completion. The role requires the consistent exercise of independent judgment, initiative, and discretion in handling complex administrative matters, as well as a strong working knowledge of university systems, policies, and procedures.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree is required.
Proficient in Microsoft office is required.
Comfort with new technological systems is required.
Adapts easily to changes in technology and process is required.
Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously is required.
Professional and pleasant attitude with considerable tact, diplomacy, and judgment in interactions with students, faculty, and staff is required.
At least 2 years of customer service experience is required.
Working on campus on hybrid schedule is required.

Nice To Haves

Financial background including the review of budgets is preferred.
University/College background is preferred.
Database experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage all matters related to doctoral students in collaboration with the Department Chairman, Directors of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies, Graduate Recruitment Director(s), and Grants Manager.
Request departmental item types using the Kuali system.
Respond to inquiries from prospective students regarding scholarships, tuition costs, health insurance, stipend or salary, source of support, and status of position.
Address admissions-related questions from prospective students and explain admissions and waiver policies; waive language requirements as needed.
Assist with registration for all current students, tracking students from first year to terminal year, including assistance with scheduling of qualifying exams, committee meetings, and dissertation defense forms.
Monitor student enrollment and ensure students are enrolling in the correct number of hours.
Proactively communicate with students and faculty advisors about upcoming deadlines for committee meetings, qualifying exams, and dissertation defenses; distribute reminder timelines and required forms well in advance of each milestone.
Assist students in scheduling committee meetings and dissertation defenses, including coordinating faculty availability, reserving rooms, and ensuring all required paperwork is submitted to the Graduate School on time.
Maintain a tracking dashboard of each student's milestone progress (committee formation, qualifying exam completion, dissertation proposal, and defense) to identify students who may be falling behind and flag for DGS follow-up.
Ensure student audit is correct.
Confirm graduate student course enrollment in YES in planning financial support per semester.
Serve as the first contact resource for resolving discrepancies in course credits to student accounts; communicate administrative information about program activities, basic information about curriculum and academic regulations for graduate programs.
Coordinate and maintain all graduate program communication-related correspondence, files, and records; act as a liaison with staff of the School of Engineering, Graduate School, and other departments in support of program activities.
Work closely with the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) to resolve problems and assist with all graduate student issues.
Work closely with the Office of Student Accounts to ensure that all graduate students’ accounts are charged accurately.
Maintain student records and prepare reports to document the number of graduates per program and/or per year.
Compile and maintain historical information for program, school, and governmental benchmarking reports.
Maintain the departmental alumnus spreadsheet.
Act as the department coordinator for Responsible Conduct of Research compliance.
Update the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Graduate Student Handbook.
Update the student sections of the department website.
Provide day-of setup for seminars and student check-in. Occasionally walk seminar guests to appointments.
Create itineraries for seminar guests and assist with on-campus visits.
Provide logistical support and reimbursements for seminar speakers.
Serve as a point of contact to assist the ChEGSA student organization as needed.
Serve as financial advisor for student organizations and assist with ordering as needed.
Ensure TA/RA switches occur.
Submit TAs for Brightspace access.
Manage the graduate student listserv.
Manage and regularly update departmental social media accounts (LinkedIn, Instagram, X/Twitter) to promote graduate research highlights, student achievements, program news, and recruiting content, with particular emphasis on marketing Master's degree programs to prospective students.
Maintain and refresh the ChBE graduate program webpages, including program descriptions, funding opportunities, student profiles, and alumni spotlights, to strengthen the department's recruiting presence.
Coordinate and support graduate student social events throughout the year (e.g., welcome receptions, end-of-semester gatherings, recognition events) to build community and a sense of belonging within the graduate program.
Assist in organizing and promoting the department seminar series, including managing speaker invitations, scheduling, advertising to graduate students, and coordinating logistics for speaker visits.
Work with Interdisciplinary Materials Science leadership on defined scope of work related to that doctoral program, including coordination of recruitment, onboarding, financial costing, and enrollment management for IMS students.
Coordinate the application process by managing graduate student applications in the SLATE system for department programs in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Interdisciplinary Materials Science; review applications for completion, monitor activities by the DGS/DGR in addition to sponsoring faculty.
Utilize the SLATE system to pull applicant information for interviewing potential graduate students.
Enter Recommendation for Action decisions in SLATE on behalf of DGS/DGR and liaise with the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies about admission decisions.
Assist faculty and program DGS with review of applications and available positions; obtain all necessary information regarding prospective students; distribute results of applications.
Ensure that appropriate communications regarding acceptance or rejection are transmitted to applicants.
Prepare files for accepted applicants, noting conditions of acceptance, and post to support grid for financial planning.
Track recruitment budget and organize group recruitment visits for approximately 50 students on average.
Organize, manage, and direct graduate student recruitment events.
Coordinate prospective student recruitment events and all other student visits.
Arrange all travel for incoming interviewee students, including hotel, transportation, and reimbursement in Oracle.
Create itineraries for each student to interview with faculty.
Schedule and coordinate meals and entertainment.
Process and review all graduate student salary, tuition, insurance, and activity fees to ensure timely and accurate entries.
Act as SkyVU Line Manager to enter payroll data and confirm completion of the I-9 process for all new graduate students.
Submit and confirm payroll revisions to HCM according to the source of funds pertaining to continuing graduate students.
Enter on-line payments to the Student Accounts system. Manage funding spreadsheets and ensure costing is completed by the deadline.
Prepare stipend payments and graduate award documentation for Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters in a timely manner.
Maintain the department credit card for department expenses, particularly student charges. Reconcile reports on a regular basis.
Process reimbursements for guests and students.
Coordinate space and facilities planning to accommodate graduate students and faculty as related to courses and lab groups.
Coordinate communication for the department including relevant webpages and other publications.
Understand and communicate new/updated policies, procedures, deadlines, and timeframes from the Graduate School, International Services Offices, and other related federal or university agencies.
Serve as the first stop resource for graduate students, including fielding questions and making referrals as appropriate for financial support, immigration/visa policies, health and wellness issues, and graduate program requirements.
Attend all appropriate training offered by the University.
Serve as contact for student expense reimbursement entry, and other Oracle processes.
Serve as contact for student travel and Concur.
Cross-train as a back-up procurement requestor.
Maintain/Update the ChBE Department website and brochure.
Maintain department social media accounts.
Create and distribute monthly social hour announcements.
Assist with various departmental events - Social Hours, Faculty Meetings, etc. as needed.
Assist with Interdisciplinary Materials Science events and initiatives as needed, including recruitment visits, student orientations, and coordination with IMS program leadership on cross-departmental activities.
Perform other duties as assigned.