Resident Advisor

University of New Mexico•Albuquerque, NM

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Resident Advisor (RA) is a live-in student staff position within Residence Life and Student Housing (RLSH), working under the leadership of the Executive Director, Associate Director for Residential Experience, Residence Life Manager, and supervision of Residence Education senior staff. The RA helps create a comfortable, inclusive residence hall environment that supports residents’ educational, social, and personal growth and advances the values of Quality, Caring, Learning, and Community. The position calls for a student-centered approach, collaboration, sound judgment, problem-solving, administrative skills, timely responses to concerns, and the ability to identify and address student needs. RAs work approximately 20 hours per week throughout the academic year. The anticipated start date is January 2027, unless an opening occurs sooner. The appointment covers the entire academic year, with additional time at the beginning and end of each semester for move-in, move-out, and programming. Reappointments may be considered but are not automatic and depend on job performance and the application process. The position includes live-in service in a provided single room and may require work during winter break for RAs in specified apartment locations. The role includes attending weekly staff meetings and Community Association meetings, completing administrative work, meeting regularly with a supervisor, working desk shifts, and serving overnight on-call rotations that may include weekends and breaks. RAs build community, interact with and support residents, plan and assess programs, facilitate meetings, assist with departmental events and operations, respond to emergencies and conflicts, address and document policy violations, and refer residents to professional staff or campus resources as appropriate. Training and completion of Campus Security Authority training are required. During the first semester, RAs may not have outside employment. After the first semester, outside employment, paid internships, or student teaching are limited to 10 hours, and external commitments must be discussed with and approved by a supervisor. Course loads are limited to 16 undergraduate or 9 graduate credit hours during the first semester.

Requirements

Be enrolled in a degree-seeking program at the University of New Mexico.
Be enrolled at least half-time (six hours) at UNM for fall and spring semesters; audit hours do not count.
If participating in Work Study, meet Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Submit an unofficial transcript and resume with the application.
Successfully pass a pre-employment background check.
Have no outside employment during the first semester; after the first semester, limit outside employment, paid internships, or student teaching to no more than 10 hours.
Discuss external commitments, including student organizations, fraternity or sorority involvement, and volunteer positions, with the supervisor and receive approval before the semester begins.
Limit the course load during the first semester to 16 undergraduate or 9 graduate credit hours.

Nice To Haves

Maintain full-time enrollment in a degree-granting program at the University of New Mexico.
Earn and maintain at least a 2.5 semester and cumulative GPA.
Have completed two semesters of college or university experience by the start of employment.
Be available to fill the position for the full academic year.
Be able to live on campus in a provided single room.

Responsibilities

Attend staff meetings and seminars every Tuesday beginning at 7:00 p.m., and attend and participate in Community Association meetings afterward.
Complete required paperwork and administrative tasks by applicable deadlines and procedures.
Communicate consistently with and attend weekly or bi-weekly meetings with the supervisor.
Work overnight on-call duty shifts in rotation with other student staff, including shifts that may involve weekends and breaks, and respond to emergencies.
Work at least three and no more than five hours at an assigned SRC, Rainforest, East, or West desk; handle check-ins and check-outs, equipment reservations, lockouts, and similar administrative tasks.
Participate actively in the residence hall community and foster a positive, healthy community in the assigned area.
Build rapport with residents through regular interaction, maintaining hall presence, and being available to the assigned community.
Support the Community Association by attending meetings, helping with programs as directed, and encouraging resident involvement.
Serve as a peer support person for residents.
Plan and participate in at least two residence hall programs per month based on residents’ needs and the department’s programming model.
Evaluate at least two programs per month to support continual improvement.
Create self-directed learning opportunities, such as informational bulletin boards, incorporating unit learning outcomes.
Assist resident-generated programs by learning about residents’ goals, interests, and desired experiences.
Attend and participate in training sessions and workshops before each semester.
Facilitate floor-wide meetings during the semester to share pertinent information.
Assist with and be present throughout departmental functions, including check-ins, check-outs, residence hall tours, and health and safety inspections.
Communicate housekeeping and maintenance service needs through appropriate channels.
Participate in selected committees or additional assignments as assigned.
Supervise, implement, and participate in department and university events as directed, including Preview Days, Res-Hall-A-Daze, Class Crawl, Olympiad, Lobo Reclaim, Hanging of Greens, and Student Staff Selection.
Respond to, mediate, and refer living-unit conflicts to professional staff or appropriate campus resources.
Identify, respond to, and address disciplinary situations in the halls fairly and consistently.
Document policy infractions and unusual or inappropriate behavior in the incident report database.
Inform the supervisor of inappropriate resident behavior and community concerns, and consult with supervisory staff as needed.
Complete training required of Campus Security Authorities.
Work a portion of winter break if employed in the Rainforest, Student Resident Center, or Redondo Village Apartments.
Perform other general job-related duties as assigned.