Palo Alto University (PAU), a private, non-profit university, founded in 1975 and located in the heart of Northern California’s Silicon Valley, is a community grounded in values of social justice, dedicated to addressing pressing and emerging issues in the fields of psychology and counseling that meets the needs of today’s diverse society. The students at PAU reflect the diversity of the region, are engaged in their education, and committed to improving the lives of others. The University sees diversity in its staff and faculty as very important to serving its diverse student body (or synonymous with inclusive excellence). PAU offers undergraduate and

graduate programs with online, hybrid and residential options. PAU has an engaged faculty who make significant contributions to their fields and prepare future leaders who make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities. When you put all of this together, PAU creates a legacy of confident, competent, and compassionate professionals who are at the forefront of psychology and counseling and who move ahead in life by moving lives ahead.

Position Description

Job Title: Student Assistant I

Department: Counseling

Reports To: Karen/Karina Roller

Location: Remote via Zoom OR In-person Mountain View campus

Date: September 10, 2026, through June 30, 2027

Employment Status: Part-time; approximately 10 hours per week

Overview

The Student Assistant role supports a hybrid (residential + remote) faculty member within the Counseling program. This role assists a faculty member with course management, student engagement, grading support, and administrative tasks in residential and online courses that enable the instructor to maintain a high-quality learning experience in clinical coursework for master's-level students. The Student Assistant role also includes research administration. This faculty member teaches clinical skills and performs research in Spanish and English.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Assist with student evaluation and gatekeeping processes.
Maintain accurate records safeguarding the confidentiality of subjects and students, as needed.
Conduct literature reviews and gather relevant research articles.
Assist in the preparation of manuscripts and presentations.

Attend research/administrative meetings and take notes.
Assist in the organization of research materials and data.
Complete clerical updates to Canvas
Assist with various course tasks.
Other duties as assigned.

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.

Be a current PAU student
Be conversationally fluent in Spanish and English
Familiarity with counseling-related research and family systems clinical skills is required
CES doctoral applicant preferred and will consider an MA in CMHC student
Bachelor’s degree in psychology, counseling, or a related field
Be detail-oriented; have strong organizational, verbal, and written communication skills
Ability to meet deadlines
Proficient with APA formatting
Proficient with Qualtrics
Comfort with Excel
Ability to work independently and collaboratively
Knowledge of research methods and data analysis software is preferred
Experience with IRB protocols and procedures preferred

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 have prepared you to be in an environment that holds equity and inclusion core to its mission and values.

EEOC Policy:

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 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 other status protected by law. When necessary, the University will reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities if the individual is otherwise qualified to safely perform all essential functions of the position, and if it will be done without undue hardship to the University.

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