Residence Life Employment Overview

On This Page:
Professional Positions (RD)
Graduate Student Positions (ARD)

Employment Overview
RD Job Description
ARD Job Description
Organizational Chart
Vision, Mission, Values
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Department Responsibilities Information

Residence Life Positions

As part of Housing and Residence Life, our Residence Life Staff Team is responsible for, and committed to, empowering students and staff to create safe, caring and socially just communities.

Our staff supports students in their academic, social and personal growth. We foster their personal awareness, appreciation of others and development of skills to succeed in a diverse, global society. Additionally, we provide opportunities for students to develop leadership skills and encourage them to demonstrate responsible and ethical behavior in their communities and throughout campus. We empower students to take responsibility for themselves and for the well being of others by upholding their residential rights and by creating an atmosphere of civility and cooperation. Furthermore, we focus on enhancing the residential experience of first year students, as is evident in our various services, programs and new initiatives. We also strive and continue to be an innovative organization, changing and growing to meet the needs of millennial students.

While our staff is large in number and complex in our various responsibilities, our common thread is our commitment to working with students. Much of our departmental work is done in various committees and/or area groups, which not only creates strong collegiality and personal connections among colleagues, but also a sense of smaller communities within our larger department.

Professional Positions

Each year the Housing and Residence Life department seeks qualified applicants for the Residence Director professional position. We are currently seeking applicants for the 2007-2008 academic year. Below is a description of the position as well as detailed information on how to apply.

Residence Directors (RD)

The University of Massachusetts Amherst invites applicants for the position of Residence Director. The Residence Director (RD) is a 43 week or 52 week live-in, professional responsible for the overall administration of a cluster of one or more residence halls housing 275-675 students. The Residence Director supervises graduate and undergraduate students to create safe, caring and inclusive communities by demonstrating supervision, community development, student development, leadership development, administration and departmental responsibilities. Cluster-based responsibilities are negotiated within the senior staff team comprised of the RD and Assistant Residence Director(s) (ARD). The Residence Director is supervised by an Area Director.

For more information about Residence Directors click here.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
Women and members of minority groups are encouraged to apply.

Before you decide to apply, hear what our staff has to say about being a Residence Director at UMass Amherst.

Graduate Student Positions

Each year the Housing and Residence Life department seeks qualified applicants for graduate student positions. We are currently seeking applicants for the 2007-2008 academic year. Below is a description of the position, as well as detailed information on how to apply.

Assistant Residence Directors (ARD)

Assistant Residence Directors (ARDs) are live-in graduate student staff members working in the Department of Housing and Residence Life. The ARD serves as an active and visible residence hall staff member and participates in student development, community development, leadership development, activity development, administration, policy enforcement, crisis management, and staff development. All ARDs are expected to participate in comprehensive pre-service orientation programs, as well as in ongoing in-service training. First year ARDs are required to be available every Thursday morning for Department and Area meetings. We offer both 30 and 20 hour ARD positions. Employment begins on August 4, 2008.

For more information about Assistant Residence Directors click here.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
Women and members of minority groups are encouraged to apply.

Before you decide to apply, hear what our staff has to say about being an Assistant Residence Director at UMass Amherst

Helpful Links

UMass Amherst Fast Facts

A Brief History of UMass Amherst

Human Resources

Domestic Partner Benefits

Office of Student Affairs and Campus Life

Office of Institutional Research

Religious Life at UMass Amherst

The Stonewall Center