Join Student Affairs at WSU
Come join the Cougar family! We are a spirited, welcoming community that values equity, resilience, originality, and dedication to solving problems and making the world a better place. We are rooted in Washington State University’s original purpose: to provide education for all, to conduct scholarly research that benefits the world, and to share our expertise widely and freely.
Featured positions:
- Conduct Officer (Student Services Coordinator/Advisor 2) - Closes 11/18
- Undocumented Student Center Retention Counselor - Closes 12/2
- Chicanx/Latinx Student Center Retention Counselor- Closes 12/2
For all students, every day.
Student Affairs helps build the foundation of the Coug experience. We support students by providing services and programs that create space for them to lead, learn, and build their future. Learn more on the Our Foundations page.
About Washington State University
Washington State University was founded in 1890 in Pullman, Washington, on the homelands of the Nimíipuu (Nez Perce) Tribe and Palus people. From an inaugural class of 59 students, our community has grown to 6 campuses statewide with over 26,000 students, 2,000 faculty, and 4,000 staff who are passionate about building an intellectually curious and socially just world.
The WSU system offers over 200 undergraduate fields of study and nearly 150 graduate and professional degree programs. We are one of the nation’s top-ranked public research universities and have been designated a “highest research activity” institution (Carnegie Classification, 2021), and our research covers everything from 3D-printed implant metals that reduce infections to experimental grasses for athletic fields.
Our flagship campus is located in Pullman, with additional campuses in Everett, Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver, as well as an online Global Campus.
We are a diverse community: about 30 percent of our students identify as people of color, over 35 percent are first-generation, and our students come from across the United States and 148 other countries. Our alumni network consists of nearly 240,000 proud Cougs in all 50 states and in countries around the world.
Learn more on our About page.
Recruiting and Hiring Process
Like many universities, WSU has an in-depth recruiting and hiring process that may be unfamiliar to those new to the higher ed environment. This outline aims to shed some light on the process.
Hiring in Student Affairs is a multi-step process that follows standard WSU hiring practices. There are seven basic steps involved in recruiting and hiring for a position:
- Position opens. The position is posted to the WSU jobs website and a search committee is selected. Most positions are required to be posted for a certain amount of time. The search committee is typically composed of people who will work closely with the role but does not include the direct supervisor.
- Applicant review. After the position closes, the search committee reviews the applicants to determine which candidates meet the required and preferred qualifications. Please note that to be considered, candidates must meet all the required qualifications; WSU cannot consider or interview candidates who do not meet those requirements.
- Round 1 interviews. The most qualified applicants are invited to participate in a phone or Zoom interview with the search committee (typically 3-5 applicants).
- Candidate review. After conducting phone/Zoom interviews, the committee determines which candidates will be invited for on-campus interviews (typically 2-3 candidates).
- Round 2 interviews. During the on-campus interviews, candidates typically participate in interviews with the search committee, the hiring authority (generally the direct supervisor), and other individuals/groups who regularly work with the position. Candidates may be asked to give a presentation or demonstrate skills as part of the interview process.
- Candidate review. Following the on-campus interviews, the search committee reviews the candidates again and recommends to the hiring authority the candidate who is most qualified for and best meets the needs of the position. The hiring authority may conduct reference checks for the final candidate(s).
- Offer. The hiring authority makes an offer to the selected candidate (typically contingent on reference and background checks).
Please note that this outline provides a general overview of the recruiting and hiring process; searches may look different depending on the needs of the position and the candidate pool.