The Family Housing Resident Assistant (RA) is a full-time student and/or spouse of a student living within an on-campus family housing community and supports residents of that community. The RA is a member of the Residence Life Staff and actively participates in the development of a comprehensive Residence Life program.

The RA is appointed for a specific contract year. Individuals should not apply for or accept a position if they cannot commit to the entire contract year. Reappointment is contingent upon successful job performance, requisite academic progress, favorable supervisory review, and the on-going needs of the overall Residence Life system.

The RA position, due to its live-in nature, requires willingness to be called into service at any time of the day or night to meet students' needs as they arise. The RA will function as a peer resource and community leader to residents. Therefore, availability, consistency and interpersonal skills are of the utmost importance.

The RA is expected to serve as a role model and abide by all University and Housing policies. Furthermore, the RA is expected to assist in maintaining a safe, secure and comfortable living/learning community and is expected to maintain academic standards and full-time student status.

I. Community Development
The RA should facilitate the development of strong communities and responsible and involved community members. The successful RA will effectively and intentionally incorporate these concepts into their interactions with residents:

• Interact with each resident on a regular basis focusing conversations related to the guiding principles
• Conduct New Resident Orientation Meetings together with the other RAs and the area supervisor throughout the year, as determined by supervisor
• Build and maintain a relationship of trust with individual residents. Maintain objectivity, neutrality and confidentiality.
• Be mindful of residents' special circumstances (i.e., health concerns, peak stress times, emotional difficulties, academic problems, etc.)
• Be familiar with campus and community resources and make referrals as appropriate
• Encourage resident involvement and interactions within the community
• Promote community development through initiatives and events, policy enforcement and involvement
• Actively support the Aggies Think, Care, Act initiative
• Actively support the efforts of RHA and Leadership Council in programming and advocacy efforts

II. Initiatives and Events
Initiatives and events are an important tool for developing a strong community and providing involvement opportunities for residents. Our model focuses on the Guiding Principles of Residence Life which include personal growth, healthy lifestyles, social responsibility and academic support. RAs are required to coordinate all aspects of initiatives and events including the following:

• Submit an initiative proposal form to the supervisor at least one week in advance of the initiative
• Involve residents in the planning and execution of initiatives and events
• Design initiatives and events intentionally to meet the needs of the community based on assessment and initiative requirements
  
  • Initiatives and events should focus on the development of student families, and the skills and information needed to be successful as a family.
  • Identify learning outcomes for initiatives that align with guiding principles
• Create appropriate, effective advertising for initiatives and events and include Residence Life and Aggies Think, Care, Act logo as applicable
• Manage initiatives and events budget
• Coordinate with other groups who also organize initiatives and events in the community, specifically the RHA Leadership Council
• Support RHA, other campus offices and appropriate student organizations
• Complete an initiative report within 48 hours after the initiative

III. Policy Enforcement
Policy enforcement is an important and powerful tool for developing a strong and safe community and influencing responsible citizenship within our community. RAs should focus on safety and education as they go about enforcing policies as outlined below:

• Read and understand the Rules and Policies document as well as the Housing Contract
• Educate residents about policies and provide clarification as needed
• Address all policy violations – be proactive in responding to hearsay violation reports
• Submit incident reports and any other relevant documentation within 24 hours of addressing a policy violation
• Maintain objectivity and strict confidentiality regarding resident conduct issues
• Follow-up as needed or as instructed by supervisor(s)

NOTE: The RA must be a role model within the residential system and always adhere to these policies and procedures. Any policy violation by an RA may be grounds for immediate termination.
***All Residence Life employees are considered "responsible employees" or "mandatory reporters" and are required to report any instances of sexual misconduct they become aware of under the requirements of Title IX.
***All Residence Life employees are Campus Security Authorities under the Clery Act and must report any possible violations of the law to the police as well as report through the appropriate incident reporting form.

IV. Apartment/Secure Spaces Access
RAs are given access to secure locations in their area of responsibility, including access to master keys which provide resident apartment access. Responsible use and proper protection of master keys is of the highest priority and all policies and guidelines for entry into apartments and key use must always be followed:

• Master keys must be always kept secure.
• RAs may never access an apartment for any person who is not the resident of the apartment or on the lockout card. This includes relatives or significant others.
• Master keys may never be lent to another person, with the exception of fellow staff members in an emergency.
• The misuse of access privileges may result in immediate termination of employment. This can include but is not limited to leaving keys or access devices unattended in a public area, violating any of the policies stated above, losing the keys, or allowing them to be stolen.
• Providing access to secure areas or apartments to themselves or others without supervisor's permission is an abuse of position and can result in disciplinary action, including termination.
• Lost Keys must be reported to the Community Coordinator immediately.
• Approval to enter an apartment without prior notice must be obtained from the supervisor, or the ProStaff on-call if after hours unless there is a perceived life-safety concern or possible ongoing damage to the facility if entry is delayed

V. Availability
The RA position is considered a part-time student position that requires 20 hours per week. Some weeks may require more time, and others may require less time. RAs must be available several times throughout the year to participate in mandatory training sessions and on a weekly basis to attend regular staff meetings. They must also be readily available to their residents on a day-to-day basis. General availability expectations include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Be visible, available and approachable to residents; This means being in one's apartment on a daily and regular basis
• Schedule and post 15 hours of availability per week for residents to see. Submit a copy of the schedule to supervisor
• Visiting eight apartments each week, with a goal of visiting each apartment at least once per semester, to engage with and support residents
• Attend all required and scheduled staff meetings, training sessions, retreats and in-services
• Work office shifts and cover on-call duties as scheduled, including weekdays and weekends. Be available in the community at least two weekends per month, and other times as requested or scheduled
  
  • Residence Life Staff are essential employees and as such are sometimes scheduled to work during published University Holidays.
• Notify supervisor when gone overnight
• Residence Life must be considered the principal employer. Second jobs, odd jobs or part-time work are permissible only so long as they do not interfere with time, availability, and completion of the RA job requirements
• The University requires employees in part-time positions at the University to work less than an average of 29 hours or less/week total across all University positions in order to meet Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements (Exceptions must be approved by the Executive Director of Residence Life.)

VI. Administrative Duties
The RA position includes several administrative duties associated with communication and documentation and are a critical part of the position. They include, but are not limited to the following:

• Submit hours worked on Aggietime weekly
• Weekly logs
• Apartment visit tracking
• Initiative proposal forms
• Initiative reports
• Incident reports
• Office coverage, rounds and on-call shifts
• Assigned extra area of responsibility
• Conduct safety and cleaning inspections annually
• Update printed posting in area regularly
• Weekly walkthrough of community, paying specific attention to possible issues on porches/patios
• Other duties as assigned

VII. Facility & Emergency Management
Facility assessment is an important role that the RA must fulfill to keep maintenance and damages to a minimum. Additionally, RAs will be expected to play a strong leadership role in training and responding to resident needs in emergency situations. Expectations of this role are as follows:

• Know and disseminate fire safety information and enforce regulations.
• Establish positive working relationships with USU Police and Fire Marshals, other campus personnel and departments, in particular Housing maintenance, grounds, custodial crews and administrative staff
• Report, document and follow-up on safety violations, safety/security issues, building damage and maintenance problems
• During emergency or crisis events, as declared by the department leadership, all Residence Life staff may be activated and required to report to work for extended periods of time and may be assigned to work in capacities outside of their normal duties and area

• All RA candidates and current RAs or their spouses must be a full-time student enrolled at Utah State University. Full-time status is defined as 12 undergraduate credit hours per semester or 6 graduate credit hours per semester.
• RA candidates and current RAs must maintain a 2.0 GPA. Two consecutive semesters of a GPA below 2.0 will affect continued employability or rehire status.
• RAs must qualify to live in Family Housing by meeting any of the following criteria: Be married; Be single and have children; OR Be married and have children
  
  • If married, both spouses may become RAs together and the compensation for the position will be split between the couple
  • If both spouses are hired both MUST attend all required training and staff meetings

Along with the online application, please attach:

• Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”
• Complete the following survey in addition to the online application: https://usu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_56hHEOTH8t0Fl30

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

This position is primarily office-based but requires regular travel throughout housing facilities to complete assigned duties. The role involves moderate physical activity, including walking, standing, and lifting up to 25 pounds.

Employees must also possess the mental focus and sound judgment necessary to manage responsibilities in a dynamic residential environment respond appropriately to sensitive or challenging situations. Residence Life staff are mandatory reporters and are required to report violations of federal, state, and local laws, as well as any incidents that may qualify as sexual misconduct, to the USU Civil Rights & Title IX Office. 

As Utah’s student-centered, land-grant research university, Utah State University expands opportunity and strengthens communities across the state through learning, discovery, extension, and engagement. Founded in 1888, USU now holds two Carnegie distinctions: R1 status for very high research activity and the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. Its innovative research and scholarship is grounded in reciprocal partnerships with local, regional, and global communities, advancing knowledge and serving the public good across Utah, the nation, and the world. With over 50 world-class research facilities and the nation’s second-oldest undergraduate research program, USU prepares students to become active, civically engaged leaders who can address critical societal challenges.

USU enrolls over 29,800 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah State’s 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU educates students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. For over 100 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns, serving every county in the state.

Competing at the NCAA Division I level in 16 sports, USU is a proud member of the Pac-12 Conference, which it joined July 1, 2026. The Aggies capped a historic final season in the Mountain West by capturing nine combined regular-season and tournament titles in 2025-26, with five teams advancing to postseason play. This tradition of excellence extends to the classroom, where 232 student-athletes earned academic honors, and to the community, where USU ranked second nationally in Division I service hours, with nine teams placing in the top 10 for community service.

Utah State is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported and where diversity of thought and culture are cultivated. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when it named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU.

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and a reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at 435-797-0122 or hr@usu.edu.

*updated 10/26

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

Utah State University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination including harassment in employment including in hiring, promotion, transfer, or termination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy or any other federal, state, or local law.

Utah State University does not discriminate in its housing offerings and will treat all persons fairly and equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, familial status, disability, national origin, source of income, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Additionally, the University endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations when necessary and to ensure equal access to qualified persons with disabilities.

In all circumstances, Utah State University follows state and federal laws related to sex-segregated spaces.

The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Civil Rights & Title IX Office

Old Main Room 405

1475 Old Main Hill, Logan UT 84322

titleix@usu.edu

(435) 797-1266

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit crtix.usu.edu or contact:

U.S. Department of Education

Denver Regional Office

303-844-5695| OCR.Denver@ed.gov

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

800-421-3481 |  OCR@ed.gov

*updated 08/2026