Mentorship and Micro-Internship Coordinator

OUR STATEMENT
The San Jose State University Research Foundation (SJSURF) is committed to building a work environment where everyone can show up as their own self and have an opportunity to contribute, develop, and advance in their career. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are core values of the organization. We strive to attract, retain, and develop employees who reflect the community and society where we work and live. The Research Foundation aims to develop a culture where everyone feels welcome, shares their views, and where differences in backgrounds and perspectives are seen as adding value.

GENERAL NATURE OF POSITION
Reporting to the executive director of the Career Center and receiving lead direction from both the Career experience program lead and the SJK16 collaborative director, the Mentorship and Micro-Internship Coordinator will play a vital role in advancing student success, equity, and career readiness across the K-16 educational pipeline. This position is responsible for managing, expanding, and innovating mentorship and micro-internship programming that supports both SJSU students and those from partner community colleges, with a particular focus on serving students from underrepresented backgrounds.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Mentorship Programming: Lead the development, coordination, and scaling of mentorship initiatives that connect students with faculty, staff, alumni, and industry professionals. Ensure programs are accessible and impactful for students across diverse academic and cultural backgrounds.

• Micro-Internship Program Development: Design, implement, and oversee micro-internship opportunities in collaboration with faculty, career services, community college partners, and employers. These short-term, project-based experiences will provide students with early, low-barrier exposure to real-world work environments, helping bridge the gap between academics and careers.

• K-16 Collaborative Career Exploration: Coordinate and execute collaborative K-16 career readiness initiatives, such as career treks, structured career pathways, networking events, and experiential learning activities that promote smoother transitions from high school to college and into the workforce.

• Partnership Development: Build and sustain strategic partnerships across educational institutions and with regional employers to increase access to mentorship, micro-internship, and career exploration opportunities.

• Student Support & Equity: Ensure that all programming is designed and delivered with an equity lens, supporting the persistence, retention, and upward mobility of students, particularly those from historically marginalized or under-resourced communities.

INTERPERSONAL CONTACTS
1) Reports to Career Center executive director.
2) Frequently interacts with the Career experiences lead and SJK16 collaborative director.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
NA.

QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in one of the behavioral sciences, public or business administration, or a job-related field

• Experience: Two years of professional experience in one of the student services program areas or in a related field. A master's degree in a job-related field may be substituted for one year of professional experience

• Commitment: Demonstrated commitment to value diversity and contribute to an inclusive working and learning environment

Additional Requirements

• Strong oral and written communication skills. Must possess excellent customer service and public relations skills.

• Ability to reason logically; ability to collect, compile, analyze, and evaluate data.

• Ability to work independently and in a team setting.

• Ability to perform accurately in a detail-oriented environment.

• Ability to plan and execute multiple work priorities, organize and plan work and projects.

• Working knowledge of technology and software applications such as: word processing, spreadsheet, database management, and communication tools.

Physical Demands

• Sitting in a typical office environment, heavy computer use, standing when presenting workshops, and moderate to loud noise level near working space. The position may be required to travel between campus offices. Limited lifting may be required. May be required to travel to other geographic locations and work on some evening and weekend hours.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the SJSURF. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or the continued employment of current SJSURF employees who apply for the position.

PLEASE NOTE: This position is considered a "sensitive" position by SJSURF and California State University (CSU) policy. Consequently, the successful candidate must undergo and successfully complete the Live Scan (fingerprinting) background check as a condition of their employment. This background check must be completed before the actual start of employment.

NOTE: This position description intends to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. It is not intended to include all duties and responsibilities. The order in which duties and responsibilities are listed is not significant.

Compensation Range:

BENEFITS
The SJSURF provides an excellent benefits package to benefited employees. The comprehensive benefits package includes:

• Four company health insurance plans to choose from (employee contributions differ according to plan and level of coverage).

• Employer-paid dental and vision for both employee and eligible dependents.

• Life, AD&D, LTD with supplemental coverage opportunities.

• 14 paid federal & state holidays.

• Retirement Plan: 403 (b) employee contribution plan component and a 403 (b) employer contribution component, which vests immediately.

• Vacation-hour accruals and separate sick-hour accumulations.

• Employee discounts.

• Paid training and professional-development conferences.

Please visit the Benefits & Compensation page on the SJSURF website for more detailed information.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
The SJSURF is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with physical or mental disabilities in the employment, recruitment, examination, interviewing, and hiring processes. If you are a job seeker with a physical or mental disability, and you require a reasonable accommodation to search, apply, or interview for a job opening or otherwise need a reasonable accommodation during the application and hiring process, please contact us at foundation-jobs@sjsu.edu. In the email message, please indicate your full name, phone number and the type of assistance required. You must not reveal the underlying medical reason for your needed reasonable accommodation or otherwise disclose confidential medical information.

ABOUT THE SJSU RESEARCH FOUNDATION
SJSURF employment is separate and distinct from San Jose State University (SJSU) or state of California employment. SJSURF employees are not employees of SJSU or of the state of California. SJSURF is a non-profit auxiliary of SJSU. SJSURF is totally self-supported. The majority of the organization's funding comes from the federal government, and other public and private entities. With annual revenues totaling over $65 million, programs managed through SJSURF cover a rich diversity of applied research, public services, and educational-related activities.

San Jose State University Research Foundation is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, religion, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sex, genetic information, sexual orientation, military and veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws. It also prohibits unlawful discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.

It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. All employment practices such as recruitment, selection, promotions, and other terms and conditions of employment are administered in a manner designed to ensure that employees and applicants for employment or services are not subjected to discrimination. We are committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, and where employees are treated with respect and dignity. This policy is in accordance with federal, state and local laws and reaffirms the Research Foundation's continuing commitment to both the spirit and intent of equal employment opportunity laws and policies.

San Jose State University Research Foundation is an EOE M/F/Vet/Disability. Learn more about our organizations EEO and AAP policy by visiting our website HERE. Data metrics on the AAP is available for review upon request. Please also visit OFCCP for additional resources: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/posters.

If you have any questions or need assistance or an accommodation in completing this application, please contact Research Foundation HR at (408) 924-5582.

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