Academic Mentor - Mid-Year Hire

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or [email protected].

The Academic Mentor (AM) position at the University of Nevada, Reno focuses on the academic success of our on-campus residents, as this is a crucial component of our residence halls. Academic Mentors are trained undergraduate student staff who live on campus to assist students with acclimating to the university, building a positive community, and navigating the academic environment.

The AM will serve students living in all residence halls by helping to bridge the residence hall living environment with what occurs in the classrooms of the university. Academic Mentors supplement the residential experience by providing more extensive academic resources and in-depth individual and group academic attention. AMs collaborate as a team to provide academic support to all on-campus residents, no matter the residence hall in which they live.

Responsibilities 

• Serve as a positive role model on and off campus. 

• Represent the university positively to various stakeholders. 

• Engage and connect with residents through intentional interaction. 

• Actively participate and be visible in the community. 

• Provide at least 10 hours per week of dedicated study hours where they will provide academic assistance to their students
• Intervene with residence hall students identified as struggling academically

• Maintain accurate academic information and up-to-date resources to share with students

• Complete a collateral assignment which revolves around academic outreach to all residence halls

• Perform general administrative tasks such as weekly reports as well as attend regular staff meetings and one-on- one meetings

Required Qualifications 

• Applicants for the position of Academic Mentor must have a minimum of two completed undergraduate semesters at the time of hire (dual enrollment not accepted)

• Applicants for the position of Academic Mentor must be a full-time student in good standing and eligible to live in the residence halls.

• A cumulative and semester GPA of 3.00 must be maintained throughout employment.

• Students are expected to maintain 30 credits of coursework per academic year or average 15 credits per semester.

• Strong connections to their academic major and campus academic resources will be preferred.

• Previous experience as a tutor or similar experience will be preferred.

• This position routinely requires approximately 15 hours a week for Academic Mentors.

Schedule 

• Walk-in Study Hours – 10hrs/week

• Some study hours will be held in common areas of the residence halls and are open to all residence hall students, not just those who live in their residence hall.

• Study hours may consist of tutoring and assisting students in developing adequate study habits and skills.

• Study hours may also consist of providing referrals to other campus resources such as the Math Center,

Tutoring Center, and professors’ office hours.

• Academic Outreach – 2.5hrs/week

• Conduct academic intervention meetings with residents identified as needing additional academic support.

• Perform proactive community outreach when specific intervention opportunities have not been assigned.

• Host workshops on commonly requested academic topics or courses during mid-terms and finals seasons. 

• Be a role model and advocate for personal academic success and encourage residents to develop and enhance successful academic skills.

• Assist residents in identifying, understanding, and utilizing campus resources dedicated to developing students’ academic success.

• Know campus academic and personal support services to effectively serve as a referral agent for  residents.

• Meetings – 1.5hrs/week

• This includes a weekly Academic Mentor staff meeting for 1 hour and a biweekly 1:1 meeting with your direct supervisor lasting 30 minutes.

• Collaterals Assignments – 1hr/week

• Complete collateral assignments such as: Social Media, Hall Currency, Event Programming, Student Leader Advisory Council, and staff representatives for other departmental committees.

Compensation Grade

Student Employee Level 1 

• The University of Nevada, Reno will compensate Academic Mentors for the length of time served as an Academic Mentor by furnishing a room and utilities.
• Depending on building/room assignment, students employed may be assigned a roommate and/or suitemates.
• Academic Mentors will be provided with a Meal Plan

• In addition, those who successfully complete at least two semesters as an Academic Mentor will receive a partial tuition waiver ($14 a credit for up to 15 credits).

During Fall Training (August) and Winter Training (January), meals will be provided by the department as part of training.  

Note: Academic Mentor compensation may interfere with any financial aid you may receive. It is your responsibility to consult the Financial Aid office to discuss any potential impacts. 

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at[email protected]. 

Attach the following attachment(s) to your application  

Resume/CV – (required) List a detailed description of the major duties that you performed as part of each job. You must demonstrate that you qualify for the position and your education and experience must be clearly documented. 

Contact Information for Two References – (required) Please include name, contact information, and relationship. Reference can be a professor, former or current supervisor, or your current RA. A current GRD/RD may not be used.

Posting Close Time 

Applications must be received by 11:59pm on 11/09/2026. This posting will close at 12:00am on 11/10/2026. 

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.

Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit the University’s website.

University of Nevada, Reno