Academic Program Coordinator Jobs in Worcester, MA

JOB TITLE

Program Coordinator

LOCATION

Worcester

DEPARTMENT NAME

Robotics Engineering

DIVISION NAME

Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

Worcester Polytechnic Institute seeks a full-time Program Coordinator for a six-year, NSF-funded S-STEM scholarship program that will support 70 annual scholarships for low-income undergraduate and master's students across four degree programs (RBE, MME, CEAE, IMGD). The program combines scholarships with an integrated set of academic and professional development activities: VINE (Vertically Integrated Nexus Experience) research projects that connect scholars across academic levels, CoHORT cross-disciplinary project teams organized around convergent research themes, a personalized Bridge curriculum for transfer and entering scholars, and a structured internship and career pathway with industry partners.
The Program Coordinator is central to the daily operation and cohort continuity of the program. Working closely with the PI, a Co-PI team spanning four academic programs, an external evaluator, community college partners, and industry partners, the Coordinator serves as the program's operational hub and the primary day-to-day point of contact for scholars. Because scholars enter in overlapping annual cohorts, the position requires someone who can hold a complex, multi-year picture of every participant while running the recurring annual cycle of recruitment, selection, programming, and reporting.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Essential Responsibilities:

Scholar Recruitment, Selection, and Onboarding

• Manage the annual application and selection cycle end to end, including the unified application process, the Spring deadline for fall cohort entry, and the mid-year replacement cycle that maintains full cohort strength.
• Work with departmental advisors and Faculty Champions each spring to identify high-potential sophomores eligible for junior-year entry; coordinate with the Office of Student Aid & Financial Literacy to confirm financial eligibility.
• Support Faculty Champion follow-up with admitted students prior to enrollment.
• Support Co-PI recruiting visits to community college partners (QCC, MWCC, MassBay, NECC, Manchester CC, Berkshire CC, Holyoke CC) and to the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, including scheduling, materials, and follow-up with prospective transfer scholars over the 12-18 month pre-transfer window.
• Serve as a member of the selection committee alongside the PI and Co-PIs; administer the holistic review rubric, coordinate faculty recommendation letters, and schedule finalist interviews.
• Coordinate onboarding for each incoming cohort, including orientation, Bridge placement, faculty champion assignment, and scholarship award notification.

Cohort Management and Scholar Tracking

• Build and maintain the centralized scholar database tracking all participants, with semester-by-semester records of GPA, program participation, financial aid status, and milestone completion.
• Monitor early warning indicators (academic, financial, and engagement) and escalate concerns promptly to the PI and the scholar's Faculty Champion so that support can be put in place before a scholar is at risk of leaving.
• Track scholarship eligibility, renewal decisions, and award continuation in coordination with the Office of Student Aid & Financial Literacy and the sponsored programs office.
• Maintain accurate rosters and status records for scholars moving between stages (junior/senior undergraduate, accelerated BS/MS, master's) and manage the replacement cycle when a scholar exits.

Mentoring and Program Activity Coordination

• Coordinate mentor-mentee matching across the program, pairing scholars with near-peer mentors and Faculty Champions based on research theme, discipline, and academic level; monitor Faculty Champion caseloads against the five-scholar cap.
• Coordinate scholar placement into VINE vertical projects and CoHORT cross-disciplinary teams, working with faculty to align scholar interests with active projects.
• Support delivery of the Bridge curriculum, including coordination of the self-paced module library, the structured summer course pathway for incoming transfer students, and personalized academic plan meetings between scholars, Faculty Champions, and peer mentors.

• Plan and execute program events: cohort kickoffs, seminars, workshops, team showcases, industry engagement events, and the annual program meeting. Handle logistics, scheduling, catering, space, and communications.
• Coordinate the Scholar Advisory Council and support its members in exercising a genuine student voice in program decisions.

Industry Partnerships and Career Pathways

• Serve as the program's liaison with industry partners on internship placements, matching scholars to internal and external opportunities.
• Track internship participation and job placement outcomes against program targets.
• Coordinate the annual Industry Advisory Board meeting, including scheduling, agenda preparation, materials, and follow-up on internship commitments.
• Partner with WPI Career Development Center staff to connect scholars with career services, resume and interview preparation, and employer events.

Evaluation, Reporting, and Program Administration

• Coordinate data collection for the external evaluator, including survey administration, focus group and interview scheduling, consent tracking, and secure transmission of scholar records in accordance with IRB protocols.
• Prepare data, tables, and narrative sections for NSF annual and final reports in collaboration with the PI.
• Schedule and staff quarterly PI team meetings; prepare agendas, circulate scholar progress and assessment summaries, and track action items to completion.
• Monitor programmatic (non-scholarship) budget lines in coordination with the PI and departmental administration; process travel, event, and participant support expenses.
• Maintain program communications: website, scholar-facing newsletters and announcements, recruitment materials, and partner-facing updates.
• Support dissemination activities, including conference submissions, the practitioner guide, and S-STEM community engagement.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and three or more years of relevant experience in program coordination, student support, academic administration, or grant-funded project management. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage a recurring program cycle with multiple concurrent deadlines and many participants.
• Strong data management skills, including experience building and maintaining participant databases, tracking longitudinal records, and producing accurate reports from them.
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with students, faculty across disciplines, external partners, and administrative offices.
• Demonstrated capacity to work with students with discretion, warmth, and sound judgment.
• Ability to handle confidential academic and financial records appropriately and in compliance with relevant protocols.
• Proficiency with standard productivity and collaboration tools (spreadsheets, databases, survey platforms, shared document systems).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Higher education administration, STEM education, engineering, or a related field.
• Experience coordinating a federally funded education or training program (NSF S-STEM, NRT, REU, RET, LSAMP, or similar), including familiarity with sponsor reporting requirements.
• Familiarity with WPI's project-based curriculum (IQP/MQP), accelerated BS/MS pathway, and transfer student infrastructure.
• Experience with mentor-mentee matching, cohort programming, or learning community models.
• Experience working with community college partners, articulation agreements, or transfer student pathways.
• Familiarity with program evaluation practices, IRB processes, and educational research data collection.
• Experience coordinating industry relationships or internship placements.
• Interest in or exposure to robotics, infrastructure, manufacturing, or interactive media.

Attributes for Success

The strongest candidate for this role is well-organized to run a six-year program on a calendar and relational for scholars to come to them first when something goes wrong. The position rewards someone who notices the quiet student, who keeps a comprehensive database of complex information, and who can move between a spreadsheet of GPA records, a conversation with an industry partner, and a scholar's office-hours drop-in without losing the thread.

Work Environment

Primarily an on-campus office environment. Occasional evening and weekend hours are required around program events, cohort kickoffs, and the annual meeting. Periodic travel to regional community college partners in Massachusetts and New Hampshire is expected; occasional travel to national conferences may be required.

Application:

Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume or CV. The cover letter should describe relevant experience coordinating programs or supporting students, and any experience with grant-funded education programs.

Compensation:

$58,500 per year based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity. This position is contingent upon the availability of continue external funding. WPI's benefits package includes a robust retirement match, wellness perks, tuition assistance and more!

FLSA STATUS

United States of America (Exempt)

WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status,or disability. It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making.It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.