Palo Alto University (PAU) is a private, nonprofit university located in the heart of Silicon Valley with a singular focus on mental and behavioral health education. For five decades, PAU has been dedicated to addressing pressing and emerging challenges affecting individuals, organizations, and communities, preparing practitioners and scholars to meet the evolving needs of contemporary society. With an enrollment of approximately 1,200 graduate students and a small cohort of undergraduate students, the University offers a comprehensive portfolio of bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional programs delivered through innovative online, hybrid, and residential modalities.

PAU is distinguished by faculty who are nationally and internationally recognized for their contributions to research, teaching, and clinical practice. Through rigorous academic preparation, applied research, and extensive hands-on clinical training, PAU equips students with the knowledge, skills, and professional judgment required for meaningful impact in the behavioral health fields. Together, these elements define PAU’s mission-driven approach to education and its legacy of preparing confident, competent, and compassionate professionals who make a difference in the communities they serve.

Position Description 
The MA Advising Operations Student Assistant The CES Advising Operations StudentAssistant supports advising infrastructure, degree planning, and program operationswithin the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program. This role worksclosely with the Faculty Support Coordinator and MA Program Manager to helporganize and streamline student advising workflows. The position provides hands-onexperience with advising systems, student records, and program operations whilecontributing to the coordination and efficiency of large-scale advising processes.Through this work, the student assistant gains practical experience in academicprogram administration and student support services

Job Title: MA Advising Operations Student Assistant I 

Department: Counseling 

Program: MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Reports To:  LaToya Smith

Location: Remote 

Date: Spring and Summer 2026 quarters

 Employment Status: Part Time; approximately 5-10 hours per week 

Summary

The Fellow will play a key role in assisting with program of study (POS) modifications, maintaining advising records, providing support to students, and ensuring advising practices align with university policies. This position is ideal for a doctoral student interested in program operations, academic policy implementation, and systems-level improvements in Counselor Education. 

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

The responsibilities described here are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The list of duties serves to provide examples, rather than limit the scope of work assignments. 

Responsibilities

Required Qualifications: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Application Procedures: 

PAU is committed to providing an educational environment that supports a diverse, equitable and inclusive population.  In your cover letter, please include information on how your background and experience has prepared you to be in an environment that holds equity and inclusion core to its mission and values.  

EEOC Policy: 

No Discrimination: The University is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to non-discrimination in its hiring and other employment practices and in the application of its personnel policies. In compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists, employment decisions will be made irrespective of the staff member's backgrounds of race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except for minors), sex, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, sexual orientation, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic condition), disability and/or any another status protected by law. 

As provided by law, and when it is requested to do so, the University will offer reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities, if the individual is otherwise qualified to safely and to the University standards of quality of work, perform all essential functions of the position and if it will be done without undue hardship to the University.

PAU has a high-quality work environment that attracts and welcomes a diversity of backgrounds of its employees.  In your application or in a cover letter, please include information on how your background and experience has prepared you to work at a high level of quality of work with co-workers from a variety of different backgrounds.