Career Specialist

Job description

Make a difference at one of Florida’s premier institutions for education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Florida Polytechnic University, ranked the No. 1 public college in the region by U.S. News and World Report, offers a unique working environment that encourages faculty and staff to be part of a culture that prizes collaboration, innovation, and the willingness to go above and beyond to ensure our students and University succeed. Florida Poly offers a small campus academic environment where students form connections with their faculty and peers as they pursue high-value degrees in engineering and applied sciences. The University is equipped with cutting-edge facilities and equipment and two award-winning, architecturally distinct academic buildings. Its evolving curriculum, designed to meet the needs of industry and provide a life-long educational foundation for students, has helped the institution grow in prominence since its opening in 2014. Florida Poly’s deliberately small classes, affordability, and outstanding graduate outcomes have helped it earn recognitions such as being named a top value school, in the top 25 nationally for affordability, and in the top five best universities in the South for tech students. Accredited by ABET and SACSCOC, Florida Poly is educating some of the brightest minds in Florida and attracting standout talent from across the nation. JOB TITLE Career Specialist JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY The Career Specialist is responsible for providing career coaching and professional development services that prepare Florida Polytechnic University students pursuing STEM degrees and recent alumni for successful internships, graduate school, and full-time employment. This position serves as one of the primary student-facing members of Career Services by providing individual career coaching, facilitating workshops and classroom presentations, supporting career events, and helping students develop the skills and confidence needed to achieve their career goals. The Career Specialist also collaborates with faculty, employers, and campus partners to strengthen career readiness initiatives, expand experiential learning opportunities, and enhance student engagement across the university. The position utilizes career technologies, labor market information, and student engagement data to improve services, measure outcomes, and support student success. JOB DESCRIPTION RESPONSIBILITIES: Career Advising & Student Coaching - Provide individualized career coaching that assists students with career exploration, career planning, graduate school preparation, career assessments, internship and job search strategies, career readiness competency development, and individualized career actions plans utilizing career technologies and labor market information 15% Career Readiness Documents - Coach students in developing professional resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, portfolios, and personal branding materials while educating them on applicant tracking systems (ATS), current recruiting practices, and employer expectations. Then teach them how to utilize ATS systems, artificial intelligence enhanced career technologies, LinkedIn, digital portfolios, and current recruiting practices to empower them for today’s hiring environment. 10% Interview Preparation - Prepare students for internship and employment interviews through mock interviews, behavioral and technical interview coaching, networking strategies, salary negotiation, professional etiquette, and employer hiring practices. 15% Workshops & Career Education - Develop and facilitate career development workshops, classroom presentations, and student organization programs, and career readiness learning experiences that support student learning, professional competency development, and workforce preparation 10% Student Engagement & Career Programming - Promote Career Services through outreach initiatives, digital communication, appointment follow-up, career fairs, employer engagement activities networking events, classroom outreach, and campus partnerships to increase student participation, career readiness, and experiential learning opportunities. 20% Assessment & Reporting - Collect, analyze, and interpret student engagement, learning, career readiness, and graduate outcomes data utilizing assessment technologies and departmental dashboards to support continuous improvement, accreditation, institutional reporting, and strategic decision-making 10% Employer Collaboration & Experiential Learning – Collaborate with employers, faculty, alumni, and campus partners to support employer information sessions, networking events, classroom engagement, internship preparation, experiential learning initiatives, and career programming that strengthen career readiness and workforce connections 10% May perform other duties as assigned 10% MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, Human Resources, Business Administration, Communications, Psychology, Education, or another closely related field• One year of professional experience in career services, advising, recruiting, workforce development, talent acquisition, higher education, or a related profession. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered In lieu of a degree, any appropriate combination of relevant education, experience, and/or certifications may be considered. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Master's degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a closely related field. Two or more years of experience in university career services Experience working with STEM students, employer recruiting, internship programs, career management platforms such as Handshake, labor market information resources, career outcome assessment, and developing and presenting workshops and classroom instruction KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge Career development principles, career coaching techniques, resume and cover letter development, LinkedIn best practices, interviewing strategies, internship and job search processes, applicant tracking systems, current hiring trends, and labor market information. Career readiness competencies, student development, and higher education best practices• Microsoft Office, career management systems, virtual communication platforms, career assessment tools, and labor market information resources Skills Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills Strong coaching, advising, and active listening skills Ability to present information effectively to both individuals and groups Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities Ability to build collaborative relationships with students, faculty, employers, and campus partners Strong problem-solving skills with attention to detail and customer service Abilities Establish rapport with students from diverse backgrounds and create a welcoming environment. Coach students through career exploration and professional development Work independently while contributing to a collaborative team Manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment Learn new technologies, adapt to changing workforce trends, exercise sound judgment, and maintain confidentiality. Required Work occasional evenings and weekends in support of university programs and events. Travel locally for employer visits and university events as needed. REQUIRED LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND/OR OTHER SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF LAW: Must possess a valid driver’s license. This position requires a criminal background check, which may include a Level II screening as required by Florida Statute §435.04. This position is subject to federal and state privacy regulations. NORMAL WORK SCHEDULE: This position is non-exempt. The regular work schedule is Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. However, the schedule may vary depending on activities. Occasional overtime (weekends and evenings) may be required. TARGET HIRING SALARY : $50,200 - $53,000, commensurate with experience. LOCATION/WORK MODEL: Full-time/On-site Note: Employment-based visa sponsorship will NOT be considered for this position. Application Deadline Date: The position may be open for 14 days with a minimum of 7 days; however, application review will begin immediately. Application Process: In addition to completing the online application, all applicants are required to upload the following as attachments to the application (preferably in PDF format): Cover Letter Resume Three (3) Professional References If any of these three items are missing, you will not be considered for the position. References will not be contacted unless you are selected as a finalist for the position. DIVERSITY STATEMENT: Florida Polytechnic University is an equal opportunity/equal access institution. It is the policy of the Board of Trustees to provide equal opportunity for employment and educational opportunities to all (including applicants for employment, employees, applicants for admission, students, and others affiliated with the University) without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or genetic information. Employment is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. An appointment is not final until proof is provided. FLORIDA POLY BENEFITS INFORMATION Florida Poly qualified employees have the opportunity to take advantage of a variety of health benefits (through the State of Florida) to help meet their specific needs, as well as the needs of their family. This comprehensive coverage includes flexible spending accounts, medical and life insurance, and worker's compensation. Health benefits are administered through People First , on behalf of the State of Florida, as pre-tax insurance plans. People First handles all new hire enrollments, coverage changes, premium administration, and dependent eligibility. Their Service Center is staffed Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m.–6 p.m. EST, at 1-866-663-4735. RETIREMENT Florida Poly offers great options for retirement. From the required selection of a state plan to additional voluntary retirement plans, our employees have many opportunities to save and prepare for their future. Click Here for more information. OTHER BENEFITS Discounts & Perks Annual Leave To help promote work-life balance, Florida Poly provides a generous leave program, which includes paid time off and paid holidays. Qualified employees may accrue 22 days of annual leave. In addition, the University observes the holidays listed in our University Holidays policy FPU-1.008 . Sick Leave Qualified employees may also accrue 12 days of annual sick leave and participate in our Sick Pool Program . Employee Assistant Program (EAP) EXPLORE LAKELAND FLORIDA Conveniently located along I-4 between Tampa and Orlando, Lakeland is home to Florida Polytechnic University and many other businesses and attractions. Click here to explore Lakeland, Florida. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING ATTACHMENTS: Required attachments are listed on each posting. Please be sure to attach all required documents in the Resume/CV field before continuing through the application. Once your application has been submitted, no changes may be made and additional attachments will not be considered. An unofficial copy of the degree/transcript is acceptable during the application process. For positions requiring a degree, the official transcripts are required upon hire. Foreign Transcript: Transcripts issued outside of the United States require a equivalency statement from a certified transcript evaluation service verifying the degree equivalency to that of an accredited institution within the USA. This report must be attached with the application and submitted by the application deadline. All document(s) must be received on or before the closing date of the job announcements. This position requires a background check, which may include a level II screening as required by the Florida Statute §435.04.