Academic Program Specialist

Organizational Summary:
The Department of Molecular Biosciences is home to approximately 24 full-time faculty, over 80 graduate students, and offers courses to approximately 1,200 undergraduate students. The department pursues excellence in the following programmatic research areas: Genome Integrity, Bacterial Pathogenesis, Molecular Biophysics and Systems Biology, Biomedical Sciences and STEM Ed. We offer two Bachelor of Science degree programs, two Non-Thesis Master of Science programs, two Thesis Master of Science programs and two PhD programs.

Position Summary:
This position provides direct support to the Graduate Director and graduate students in the Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology Department.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Supports student administration through preparation of tuition waivers, processing course permits, maintaining student files and records, conducting graduation checks, and fulfillment of other student-related administrative requirements.
• Supports department or college recruitment and admissions process. May be responsible for administration of a direct admission graduate program. Prepares correspondence and mailings to applicants and prospects, maintains applicant records, and organizes information for review by faculty. Enters course information into BANNER/OASIS database system.
• Fulfills administrative requirements for appointment of graduate and teaching assistantships.
• Creates informational materials, recruitment brochures, and web site content describing departmental programs.
• Coordinates orientation for new graduate students.
• Arranges and coordinates travel for incoming guests and speakers.
• Performs other administrative duties as assigned in support of the academic mission of the department.

Additional Information for Applicants:

The University will be closed for Winter Break from December 22, 2025 through January 2, 2026. Applications will begin to be reviewed upon our return the week of January 5, 2026.

Minimum Qualifications:
This position requires a high school diploma or equivalent, with four years of experience in office or administrative positions. Appropriate college coursework or vocational/technical training may substitute at an equivalent rate for the required experience.

Preferred Qualifications:
Preferred candidates will have great communication and organizational skills and an interest proactively contributing to the success of the MBS graduate program.

Applicants MUST provide the following documents when completing the application:

• Letter of interest
• Resume

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at .

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws :

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.