Engineering Internship and Outreach Coordinator

SUMMARY

Provides direct assistance to engineering students regarding internship preparation and placement and coordinates engineering department internship program and other promotional activities. The primary responsibilities include 1) serving as the leader for the engineering internship program, focusing on the engineering-specific aspects of student support, and coordinating with staff from the Calvin Career Center (CCC) to provide excellent service to engineering students as they explore career options and seek internship employment opportunities, and 2) supporting engineering department outreach activities directed at employers and prospective students.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Teach the ENGR 295 Internship Workshop (0 SH) course (typically 3 sections in the fall and 1 section in the spring) in coordination with internship preparation activities provided at the university level.
• Maintain and grow the list of engineering internship providers (industry, government, non-profit) locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, and guide graduate school-bound students in the steps to secure engineering-related research experiences for undergraduates (REUs). Coordinate with the CCC to recruit companies for Calvin Career Fairs. Identify and encourage student participation in job fairs sponsored by other Michigan universities.
• Communicate regularly with engineering internship employers via site-visits, phone calls, and email as appropriate for developing and maintaining partnerships. Facilitate employer use of the Handshake platform.
• In coordination with CCC staff, assemble and disseminate student internship resume collections to engineering employers. Communicate on behalf of students with companies outside of the West MI region on request. Forward internship opportunity announcements to students on request.
• Supervise internship-related recording keeping within the engineering department for assessment of the program and marketing purposes. Submit a yearly report to the engineering department chair summarizing activities and making recommendations for continuous improvement of the engineering internship program.
• Be available for student drop-in inquiries and requests for advice.
• Support department outreach activities, including maintaining a department social media presence, generating announcements or newsletters, participating in student recruiting events, and serving on the department’s promotions committee.
• Seek out appropriate professional development activities to stay up-to-date with the current best practices in talent acquisition.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
Occasional direction of engineering student employees, when available.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

The position requires a Bachelor’s degree (BA or BS) from a four-year college or university; at least three years of related experience and/or training; or an equivalent combination of education and experience, preferably including engineering management or engineering human resources (HR) experience.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

The position requires the ability to draft and edit correspondence, to manage social media contributions, to interact in a courteous and professional manner with students, employers, and faculty members, and to clearly articulate the mission of the college and the requirements of the engineering program to multiple audiences.

DECISION MAKING/JUDGEMENT

This position regularly requires independent judgment in setting priorities and organizing work to accomplish results. Some of the responsibilities of this position are performed in accordance with existing procedures and instructions. The ability to take initiative is required, as well as the ability to work with a high degree of flexibility and independence. Excellent attention to detail and accuracy, as well as planning skills, are required.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

This position requires frequent participation with people from a wide spectrum of roles across academic institutions and industry. Problems must be solved and decisions must be made cooperatively using expertise, influence, persuasion, and interpersonal skills with infrequent supervision. Tact, a positive attitude and discretion are necessary attributes.

DIVERSITY COMMITMENT

The position requires demonstrated awareness and commitment to effectively establishing relationshi