Resident Director

 Graduate Assistantship

Housing and Residence Life

Resident Director (RD) Graduate Assistants have primary responsibility for the day-to-day supervision and management of a residential community. This includes the training and supervision of a staff of Resident Advisors (RAs); implementation of a Residential Curriculum that incorporates the mission, vision, and values of the Department of Housing and Residence Life and ETSU; facilitating educational programming for residents; co-advising a Community Council; and administrative responsibilities to support the operations of the department. Resident Directors are live-in positions, and are supervised by an Area Coordinator or Apartments Manager.

 

Individuals interested in pursuing the RD position are encouraged to review the complete PROSPECTIVE RD GUIDEBOOK for full details.

 

  • RD QUALIFICATIONS
    • Previous experience in residence life at a college or university is preferred, but not required.
    • Knowledge of student development and residential living-learning philosophies, interpersonal communication, and organizational skills are necessary to lead and direct hall staff and students.
    • RDs must have an ability to interact with a diverse student population.
    • Candidates must have an ability to be flexible, work as a team, organize tasks, prioritize duties, and effectively complete the various components of the RD position, including the following physical requirements:
    • Visually assess the community, surroundings, and situations that occur spontaneously, and respond accordingly;
    • Verbally communicate with staff, residents, and supervisors in casual and crisis situations;
    • Use and operate keys/access cards, elevators, duty phones, and computer systems;
    • Access and respond to situations where they occur (i.e. inside student rooms, bathrooms, hallways, stairwells, elevators, and building lobbies)
    • RDs must be admitted to a program of study at ETSU prior to starting work, and be enrolled full-time (9+) credit hours at the graduate level.
    • Applicants must be able to successfully complete a national a national and local criminal background check, conducted after an initial offer of employment is made.
    • Please note: applicants for the RD position must be in possession of a social security number at the time of application (required to complete the background check), and be eligible to work in the United States. A social security number can only be issued in-person at a social security office within the United States.
    • To begin employment, all applicants must have fingerprints on file with the ETSU Police Department. Prints are taken at the Police office after successful completion of the background check.
  • APPLYING AND TIMELINE
    • February 27, 2026: Application opens for prospective RD candidates
    • March 30, 2026: Priority application deadline for new RD applications
    • April 10-11, 2026: New RD applicant invitation to interview sent
    • April 14-20, 2026: New RD applicant interviews
    • April 27, 2026: RD Offers sent
    • April 30, 2026: Deadline to accept (if offered a position)
    • May 1, 2026-onward: Review of alternate applicants (as needed)

    Note to all applicants: This timeline is anticipated, and subject to change. Employment dates and training timelines will be shared during candidate offers.

  • APPLICATION

    To submit an application, click the button below and log in with your ETSU username and password. Your username is the first part of your ETSU email, without @etsu.edu. You will upload a copy of your cover letter, resume, and the In-House RD application when you submit your temporary application.

    Apply Now

  • FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

    Please browse these common questions, as you consider the RD position at ETSU.

     

    Q: I have not yet been admitted to my program of study. Will this impact my ability to apply for the RD position?
    A: We will accept applications from candidates prior to admission to a graduate program. However, all candidates must be admitted in order to accept the position, if offered, and to enrolled in coursework prior to starting work.

     

    Q: How are RDs compensated?
    A: RDs are full graduate assistants, and are hired under a GA contract with ETSU. Candidates are encouraged to review the Graduate Assistantship Handbook, found here.

     

    Q: I am an international student. Am I eligible to apply for the RD position?
    A: International students interested in the RD position should visit the International Student Employment website here: ETSU International Student Employment, and complete the steps noted on the page, prior to completing an application for the RD position. All international students must be in possession of a social security number and a valid visa, authorizing you to work in the United States. Please note, students who are not already within the United States are unable to apply for the RD position, a social security number can only be issued in-person, at and office within the USA, and students are unable to arrive in time to start training in July.

 

If you have additional questions after careful review of the above information, please contact Dr. Adrianna Guram, Associate Director of Residence Life, at gurama@etsu.edu.