Professional Staff

Interested in Joining Our Team?

Thank you for your interest in Student Living! Our dynamic department offers many exciting opportunities for staff, and we welcome you to learn more about our department and search process!

Here is some information on the basics of our timeline and the search process used to fill professional positions such as Residence Directors.


On-Campus Interview Details

(Spring 2019 – Subject to change for Spring 2020)

On-Campus Days: On-Campus interviews typically occur on Mondays & Fridays. Candidates should expect to arrive around 12 pm the day before their scheduled interview date (either Sunday – for a Monday interview, or Thursday – for a Friday interview). Candidates should make plans to depart by 4 pm the day of their interview (that Monday or Friday). OSL recognizes that to acquire the best deal you may need to make a reservation outside of these times, therefore we are willing to be flexible to accommodate you in those circumstances.

On-Campus Meals & Hotel: Candidates will stay overnight during their on-campus visit and stay at the Shearton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center (801 University Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210). We will make your reservations and cover the cost of your stay.

Drive or Fly: Candidates have the choice to either drive or fly (Syracuse Hancock International Airport) into Syracuse. We are also fortunate enough to have a bus and train station close to campus if either of these forms of transportation are more convenient for you. We ask candidates to cover the cost of their travel and make their travel arrangements. We will ask that you provide the details of your trip along with you receipts OSL will reimburse you up to $400 for your travel. The check will be mailed to you in 10-12 business days after your on-campus interview. We will cover parking for the candidates who decide to drive.

Host: OSL will provide you with a professional staff member who will act as your host during the duration of your stay. This staff member will take you on a tour around campus, escort you to your interviews, and answer any questions throughout your visit. Your host will provide you with transportation to and from the airport.

Guests: Sometimes candidates bring a guest, partner or friend to their on-campus visit. We want you to know that you are free to have a guest, spouse or partner with you. If you need a room with a second bed, please let us know, and we will make the arrangements. If you bring a guest, we are not able to cover their travel, but they can accompany you on the campus tour. We want your guest, spouse, or partner to feel the support too.


Residence Director On-Campus Presentation

Over the past two years, our department has been in work to move toward the use of a residential curriculum model which we call the OSL Blueprint. Our previous model (S.L.I.C.E) will phase out so that we can concentrate on the new model.

  • We ask Residence Director (RD) candidates to create a presentation as a part of their on-campus interview. The presentation should be approximately 20 – 25 minutes and the remainder of the time will allow you to address questions. You will present to a group of peers and other staff (i.e., not your RA staff as the audience). There will be 3 – 4 staff members present for your presentation.
  • We encourage all of our Residence Director (RD) candidates to read the article “Shifting to Curricular Approaches to Learning beyond the Classroom.” The article describes a CM model and also provides the lessons learned from implementing curriculums. This particular article is a defining article in the curriculum model world.
  • The article serves two purposes: Defining CM and the shifting paradigm and discusses how the CM has affected our practice. (This article is not ADA compliant. If you need further assistance accessing the document please contact OSL.)
  • Here are the prompts that your presentation should address:
    • How does student learning inform your practice and how would you incorporate your understanding of a residential curriculum into your role as a Residence Director?
    • In what ways do you utilize your knowledge of the ever-changing landscape of higher education

Have a Question? Let us know!

If you have any questions about our processes, please let us know. You can email orljobs@syr.edu.