Resident Advisors

The Center for Residence Life is looking for individuals who are serious about the Resident Advisor (RA) position and can define and articulate their motivation, expectations and desire for learning. The RA position is one of the most important and sought-after student leadership positions on our campus, and it requires a high degree of responsibility and commitment.

General Requirements of the position include:

• Connect residential students’ needs and interests to community engagement opportunities
• Serve as a Liaison between Residential Students and The Center for Residence Life
• Crisis Management and Policy Enforcement
• Administrative Tasks

An RA is a student staff member who resides within RIT housing with their residents and is employed by the Center for Residence Life. The RA is responsible for creating an engaging residential experience for members of their assigned community, as well as assisting their Residence Coordinator (RC) supervisor with administrative duties regarding the daily operations of the residence hall. Administrative tasks include, but are not limited to, ensuring necessary forms and reports are completed accurately and submitted on time.

RAs act as role models who are there to assist and develop community amongst their residents. RAs are student leaders who foster a community of respect and civility and show concern for the development of all residents. RAs will recognize opportunities to connect with their residents and support that aligns with advancing a positive experience for residents. In addition, RAs ensure accurate and timely communication occurs, disseminating pertinent information, and collecting feedback from residents.

RAs will participate in collaborative efforts within their assigned staff, as well as center-wide initiatives, to promote an engaging environment conducive to upholding and honoring the individual rights and responsibilities of all students. RAs are expected to demonstrate integrity and uphold the core values and policies of RIT and the Center for Residence Life to be effective liaisons and support for students living on campus.

Given the high standards of this position, RAs must possess compassion for others, inspire respect, and set a good example in attitude and general role modeling. RAs are expected to have the ability to articulate the strengths of others, as well as utilize solution-oriented feedback when interacting with students. They are expected to conduct themselves professionally both on campus and in the community. RAs will think critically in order to assist residents with problems or behaviors of concern and connect students to appropriate university resources. RAs will provide opportunities to reflect on the outcome of situations with residents when appropriate.

In addition, this role has set time commitments including a training period prior to each academic semester, a weekly staff meeting and 1:1 meeting with their RC supervisor, and planned in-service training opportunities. All known dates will be provided in the Resident Advisor agreement, given upon hire.

The following criteria must be met in order for a student to be given initial consideration as a candidate for the RA position:

• Meet all Rochester Institute of Technology student employment eligibility requirements
• Enrolled as a full-time student at RIT
• Undergraduate students: minimum of 12 credits per semester
• Possess minimum GPA 2.40 cumulative and semester  
• Must be available for staff meetings on Monday nights between 7-10 p.m.
• Must be enrolled in the RIT emergency alert system
• Cannot hold a status of Probation or higher through the RIT conduct process
• Must complete all required training sessions prior to the start of employment

• RAs will be credited 100% of a single residence hall room and 100% of a pre-determined meal plan while they remain in the position.
• Compensation is reported to the Office of Financial Aid and may impact eligibility for and/or financial aid awards.

The RA application for the 2026-27 school year will be open in early November and will close in early January. Details regarding the exact dates to come soon.

In order to be eligible to apply, you must attend a mandatory information session. Failure to attend an information session will result in an incomplete application. When the application opens in November, Students interested can apply on the MyLife portal (select Employment, then Resident Advisor).

Application details and requirements coming soon. Please expect to attend a required information session, complete an online application, and, if selected, participate in an interview process.  

There are a number of services and resources available to support you in crafting a resume and cover letter that will capture the attention of a potential employer. Not sure where to start? View the Cover Letters and Resume Guide developed by Career Services and Co-Op. If you're in need of additional writing assistance, contact the University Writing Program.