Graduate Resident Adviser/ Graduate Assistant (10 open positions)

Graduate Resident Adviser/Graduate Assistant

Job Overview
Graduate Resident Advisers (GRA) and Graduate Assistants (GA) are part-time student employees who are enrolled in the Higher Education and Student Development program and work 20 hours a week in an office area within Student Development. GRAs are residential/live-in staff and are supervised by one of the residence directors. GAs are supervised by a student development staff member. Below you will find general job description information. Specific Job Descriptions for the 25-26 school year can be found here. These positions assist Student Development by cultivating community, mentoring students, and advancing a Christ-centered, inclusive environment that promotes personal, physical, spiritual and intercultural growth.

Primary Responsibilities – Graduate Resident Advisers

1. Foster a living environment characterized by caring relationships, service to others, accountability, and personal growth.
2. Connect with and support students in emotional/mental health crises and direct them to appropriate campus resources.
3. Meet regularly with the Residence Life team and with the senior staff team and Residence Director in your area.
4. Participate in the conduct process in partnership with the Student Development Deans and Directors to communicate and enforce College policies.
5. Schedule concentrated relationship-building time one weeknight each week and cover on duty weekend responsibilities in your staff team rotation which occur roughly once a month.
6. Submit and follow up on facility work orders to address maintenance and operational needs.
7. Assist in Resident Assistant selection, training, and related Residence Life initiatives.

Residence Hall GRA Specific Duties and Responsibilities

1. Assist in supervising, training and mentoring four undergraduate Resident Assistants (RAs) through weekly individual meetings.
2. Recruit, hire, train, and supervise a group of students who fill additional roles in the building, either front desk staff or in planning community life events.

Apartment GRA Specific Duties and Responsibilities

1. Invest ten hours a week working with student teams and student leaders in a designated Student Development office area (these 10 hours will be part of your weekly 20-hour total)
2. Collaborate with full time office staff to support the mission and goals of the office
3. Assist in training, hiring, and supporting students in that specific office area

Duties and Responsibilities – Graduate Assistants

1. Invest twenty hours a week working with student teams and student leaders in a designated Student Development office area
2. Oversee and advise student leaders within their specific organizations
3. Attend weekly or bi-weekly office meetings
4. Develop growth-oriented relationships with students in the office
5. Meet weekly or bi-weekly with supervisor for professional and personal development, and participate in monthly Student Engagement team meetings
6. Co-lead student leader training with full-time staff
7. Participate in student leader hiring and selection process
8. Oversee specific administrative tasks within the office

This job description is intended to represent key areas of responsibilities; specific assignments may vary from time to time, and other duties may be assigned. 

Qualifications

1. Enrolled in the Higher Education and Student Development program in the Wheaton College graduate school.
2. Residence Life or Student Development experience preferred
3. Organized and self-motivated with strong administrative and collaborative skills.
4. Evidence of Christian character and commitment
5. Leadership ability and mentoring experience
6. Communication and management skills
7. Understand issues related to sexuality and racial identity development

Physical Requirements

The employee is regularly required to sit, talk, or hear; frequently required to use repetitive hand motion, handle or feel, and to stand, walk, reach, bend or lift up to 10 pounds.

FLSA Status - Exempt

Please note, interested candidates should complete the Graduate School Admissions application

As a Christ-centered community, Wheaton College faculty and staff must affirm the College’s Statement of Faith as expressing their own theological convictions and agree to live by the moral standards in Wheaton’s Community Covenant, modeling these commitments for the Christian formation of our students.  Wheaton College faculty and staff also support the Christ-Centered Diversity Commitment, which highlights our desire to treat all individuals as equal image-bearers of Jesus Christ through diversity, inclusion, justice and unity.

Updated October 2025