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Join the Team! Student Employment Opportunities

Residential Life Student Staff Position Information

RL Student Position Update

The RA search process for the 2024-2025 academic year is closed, but check back in November, 2024 for more information if you’re interested in being an RA for the 2025-2026 school year.

If you are interested in being an Office Assistant (OA) or Programming Assistant (PA) please email [email protected].

Residential Life hires students every year for three positions in the department: Resident Assistants, Office Assistants, and Programming Assistants. The selection process happens each spring for the following academic year. Questions about the positions or selection processes can be directed to [email protected].

About the Positions

  • Resident Assistants

    Resident Assistants (RAs) are student staff members who live in a residence hall or specialty housing area. RAs are primarily responsible for helping to facilitate the formation of a genuine community among the residents of that hall or building and to serve as a live-in resource and representative of Residential Life. The RAs also are a crucial part of the implementation of the Life@Mac, and RAs facilitate many aspects of this, including connecting with individual students, helping creating a safe and healthy community environment, and serving as a campus resource for students living in each area. Below are two elements of our yearly selection process for RAs, specifically.

    RA Information Sessions: This is an opportunity for Residential Life to share more in-detail job requirements and expectations as well as the selection timeline. We encourage you to visit Career Exploration for interview preparation guidance. Finally, this is also a great time to have any of your questions about the RA position or interview process answered. The 2023-2024 RA Information Session Powerpoint can be viewed as a resource.

    Interviews (Required): Each candidate will have an hour individual interview that includes a practice intentional conversation . Each interview includes two professional staff members and one current Resident Assistant. Candidates are asked a variety of questions pertaining to the RA position, and candidates have the opportunity to ask questions they may have about the RA position or the selection process.

  • Office Assistants

    Office Assistants (OAs) are student staff members who work in the residence halls to support residential needs. OAs are primarily responsible for providing excellent customer service in hall offices, managing hall desk email accounts and item check-outs, and working with Residence Hall Directors on any specific hall needs. OAs are a critical element of the residential experience at Macalester.

  • Programming Assistants

    Programming Assistants (PAs) are responsible for coordinating, marketing, implementing, and assessing social programming in the residence halls. PAs utilize various google suite platforms (email, calendar, forms, sheets, docs, etc.) to obtain and pass along information related to social programming. PAs will work with Resident Assistants (RAs) and professional staff to ensure that programs are meeting the needs of students living on campus.

Selection Timeline

-Applications are due February 4, 2024

-Interviews will occur the first 2 weeks of February

-If you have additional questions, please reach out to your RHD or email the hiring committee at [email protected].

RA Info Sessions

If you are interested in learning more about the RA application process or gain more insight about the RA position, please attend the info session of your general area: TBD on dates and locations of these events.

Check out some of the things our staff have learned about being an RA and why you should become a student leader!