Resident Assistant Jobs

Position Overview: 

As an employee of Residence Life, Resident Assistants (RAs) at Maryville College play a vital role in creating a safe, welcoming, and engaging residential community that supports a co-curricular approach to learning in the residence halls. As peer leaders, educators, and community builders, RAs support the residential curriculum by fostering belonging, academic engagement, interpersonal growth, wellness, and global citizenship among residents. RAs take on multiple roles as administrators, programmers, listening ears, enforcers, and teammates while building connections, facilitating educational programs, and guiding residents in accessing campus resources and support services. 

Core Responsibilities (aka the RA Hats) 

• Administrator Hat
  • Attend required trainings, meetings, and evaluations. 
  • Participate in on-call duty rotation. 
  • Support hall openings, closings, and daily operations. 
  • Conduct monthly health and safety inspections and hold floor meetings to maintain a safe & informed community. 
  • Maintain accurate documentation, follow all protocols regarding key usage, confidentiality of student information, and submit program requests and hall-related materials on time. 
  • Examples include: Duty logs, incident reports, room condition reports, check-in/out paperwork. 
• Programmer Hat
  • Plan and implement monthly programs and initiatives following the programming model, collaborating with hall staff and encouraging resident participation. 
  • Create bulletin boards and door decorations that support learning and community connection. 
  • Examples include: Door decs, bulletin boards, programs/events.  
• Counselor (Listening Ear) Hat
  • Foster a community where residents feel heard, respected, and supported by intentionally engaging to build connections and provide guidance and support. 
  • Serve as a mediator in conflicts, guiding discussions constructively and referring to professional staff when needed. 
  • Listen with care, respect confidentiality, offer support, and recognize when to refer or connect students to professional staff or other campus resources. 
  • Examples include: Helping a resident navigate homesickness, their first failing grade, or a roommate conflict. 
• Enforcer Hat
  • Promote a safe and respectful living environment by modeling and upholding College policies and community standards. 
  • Educate residents on community standards & College policies and address violations fairly and consistently. 
  • Examples include: explaining the reason behind guest and quiet hour policies and addressing all policy violations as needed. 
• Teammate Hat
  • Support fellow staff members and contribute positively to team dynamics. 
  • Be dependable, collaborative, and encouraging to others on the team. 
  • Maintain positive working relationships with supervisors, fellow staff, and campus partners; communicate effectively and demonstrate initiative in assigned tasks. 
  • Examples may include: Covering a duty shift for a sick teammate or collaborating on a large event. 

Eligibility Requirements 

• Full-time Maryville College undergraduate student (minimum 12 credit hours). 
• Lived on campus for at least one semester. 
• Maintains a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA 
• Maintain good conduct standing (not on probation or suspension held in abeyance)  
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. 
• Ability to connect with a wide range of students. 
• Punctual, reliable, and able to manage multiple responsibilities. 
• Positive attitude and enthusiasm for supporting students. 

Time Commitment & Availability 

• Spend an average of 15–20 hours weekly on RA responsibilities such as duty coverage, programming, community engagement, and administrative work. 
• Maintain high visibility and accessibility within the assigned community. 
• Limit time away from campus to no more than two weekends per month. 
• Remain present and engaged during key campus periods, including New Scots Orientation, all hall openings/closings, and designated campus events. 
• Balance outside commitments (such as employment, internships, or leadership roles) to ensure no conflicts with training, duty, or other RA expectations. 

Compensation & Benefits 

• $2,100 stipend paid biweekly ($105 every two weeks), with incremental growth each subsequent year as an RA. 
• Single room at the standard rate with a housing grant covering half the cost (approximately $4,500 in indirect annual compensation).  
• Free parking pass (valued at $120 annually). 
• Develop leadership, communication, conflict resolution, and problem-solving skills through team collaboration, community engagement, and crisis management, skills that are highly valued by employers. 
• Participate in professional development and training opportunities that enhance post-graduate readiness and strengthen your resume across industries. 

Application Timeline: 

• Interested candidates should submit an application, including a cover letter and résumé, through Handshake by the posted deadline (Typically applications are open mid-November to mid-January).
  • The cover letter should explain your interest in becoming (or being rehired as) a Resident Assistant and highlight any qualities or experiences that make you a strong candidate. 
• Interviews will be conducted during the spring semester. (Typically the first few weeks in February.)
• Decision letters will be sent out beginning late February until all positions are filled.
• *More specific information regarding application deadlines, interview timelines, and hiring updates can be found in TodayMC announcements, emails, and campus flyers.

Interview Prep 

As part of the interview, we will ask you to rank your hats and building preferences 

Building Preferences: Rank your top five buildings and explain why. Note any you would not accept. Keep in mind that while preferences are considered, saying no to certain buildings could limit opportunities if we feel you’d be a strong fit there.The Residence Hall program is dedicated to the growth and development of each student as a part of the “living/learning” concept at Maryville College.  It is the responsibility of every student staff member to provide a healthy residence hall environment: assist individual student needs, encourage responsible community living, and provide opportunities for growth and development.  The Resident Assistant (RA) reports directly to a full-time professional Residence Life staff member and is a full-time undergraduate student at Maryville College.  The responsibilities of the RA focus on the following areas:

RA Hats: Rank the hats (Administrator, Programmer, Counselor, Enforcer, and Teammate) for how they apply to you 1–5 (1 = most excited/most confident, 5 = most challenging). Be ready to explain your #1 and #5 choices. 

For further information, contact residence.life@maryvillecollege.edu