Lead where you live
Apply for a leadership position in residence!
Interested in making university and residence the best possible experience it can be? Passionate about community and engagement? Really, really like having fun? Every spring, Residence Services employs over 150 students to work within our residence communities and a number of other volunteer leadership positions.
Check back frequently to see what new opportunities may be available and apply for a leadership position with residence today!
Applications for Fall 2024 student staff position open January 2–28!
What's in it for you?
Make a difference
Build your community, make everyone feel welcome, and connect people to the support they need.
Be a student, too
Prioritize your academics by taking on a role that flexibly works with you—with a great commute, too!
Gain leadership experience
From communication collaboration to conflict resolution, build your skills in residence! Looks great on a résumé, too.
Support your future career
Boost your job, scholarship, and university applications with great new skills and references. We do dozens of references each year for our student staff!
Make lifelong friends
One of the highlights we always hear from past staff are the connections they make with other leaders that last beyond graduation.
Be ready for your first day
Get two weeks of training before the school year begins and more (free!) through the year—from First Aid to Suicide Prevention and the KAIROS Blanket Exercise.
Benefits and perks
Access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), which includes free counseling with very short wait times. You'll also get swag, access to exclusive spaces, priority housing, and more.
Opportunities for advancement
Ready to level up? Apply to be a Senior RA or an Intern and gain more advanced leadership experience and skills supervising before the end of your degree.
About the application process
Although there are many different types of positions, most positions follow a similar timeline and application process.
- To start, find the leadership position that fits you best. Is this a volunteer role? Perhaps a senior level staff position? Consider the amount of time you are able to commit to a leadership position, while maintaining your other academic and personal responsibilities.
- Next, click on the job posting for the position you are most interested in, and look for the information about how to apply for that specific role.
- Follow the instructions carefully, ensuring to include all the necessary information in your application.
- Submit your application and wait to be contacted.
Annual Hiring Timeline
- January - Applications open and close
- February & March - Interviews
- March - Offers and regrets
Please note: Not all positions have the same deadlines or follow the same hiring timeline. Please look at the job posting for more information.
Asking someone to be a reference
References are part of the application for some student staff positions. Choosing a reference is an important choice to help support your application. References often are former or current supervisors, a teacher or coach, a professor or instructor, advisors/mentors, connections from volunteering or clubs, a community or religious leader, or even a student leader in your community in residence. Choose a reference that can speak to your qualities and skills that qualify you for the position you are applying for. References should not have a conflict of interest, such as a family member or romantic partner.
Always ask an individual if they are willing to be a reference before sharing their contact information and give them time to consider the request before the application deadline. It also can be helpful to explain the position you are applying for to the individual so they have some context for their reference.
If you don’t have a reference that speaks English, please reach out to reslife@ualberta.ca to discuss accommodations.
Preparing for an interview
Interviews can seem stressful but they don’t have to be. Think of it as a conversation where you and the employer are getting to know one another. Some simple preparation goes a long way to help you shine! Visit the Career Centre for tips on how to prepare for an interview.
Eligibility to work in Residence Life
- The majority of our positions require students to live within our residence communities, but there are a handful of opportunities (such as intern roles or programmer positions) that do not have a live-in requirement
- Committed to contributing positively to the residence community and supporting students
- GPA of 2.3 or higher
- Full-time student for the time period you would be employed
- Good standing with Residence Services
Frequently asked questions
No. Student staff positions do not require previous experience living in residence, although it may be an asset.
Yes, if there is a live in component. All staff are assigned to live in the residence they are working in, unless under extenuating circumstances (which are at the discretion of Residence Services).
Note: Some positions do not have a live in component. Please check the job descriptions for details.
Yes. All employees do require a Canadian Social Insurance Number, which all students are eligible to have.
Students can only hold one leadership position, to ensure a positive balance within a students’ academic, extracurricular and personal priorities.
Yes. Student leaders living in Lister and PLH are required to purchase a meal plan.
Lister and PLH are primarily first-year residences; however, there’s also a significant upper-year population that serve as student leaders. As such, we want to implement a Meal Plan that will help first-year students adjust to university life, while also supporting the entire community. This means that everyone who lives in these residences (Lister Centre Peter Lougheed Hall) must participate in the meal program. The residence meal program also helps build community and supports the University’s proposed Healthy University Strategic Plan by helping students reduce stress, which lends itself to increased nutritional and mental health. One of the primary focuses of the meal program is to promote and foster a community-based dining experience in the Dining Hall, thereby reducing isolation in dorm rooms.
Yes. Our Residence staff are happy to chat with individuals to deliver feedback following the completion of the hiring process. Please email reslife@ualberta.ca to indicate your interest in feedback.
Yes, all students are able to apply for any openings they qualify for. Your application will be evaluated uniquely for each individual process.
Contact reslife@ualberta.ca and we will try to make an accommodation based on your time conflict. We encourage applicants to read the hiring dates in application forms closely to identify any conflicts as early as possible.
Student-staff training typically occurs during August of each year. Employment dates on each posting identify the date employment begins. Fall student staff arrival typically aligns with that date.
While we take community or cohort preference into consideration, Residence Services reserves the right to assign student staff to floors or communities within your preferences to meet needs based on capacity and demand. We understand that rates for living in a community may impact applicants, so we encourage you to familiarize yourself with rates before identifying preferences in your application.
You should apply as soon as you can! Watch your email for announcements on when applications open. Your application can be transferred to your assigned community if you are offered a position in a specific community. Successful applicants will be provided a deadline to apply for housing before their employment term.
These roles are “add-on” roles to other residence student staff positions. Applicants who are successful in receiving a student staff position will be provided the opportunity to apply for Storyteller or Wellness Ambassador positions.