Administrative Assistant, Mechanical Engineering Department

About The University

Manhattan University is nestled in the historic neighborhood or Riverdale , close to dozens of restaurants and shops as well as Van Cortlandt Park , and is only 35 minutes from midtown Manhattan. Manhattan University is nationally ranked and offers degree programs in the arts, business, education, engineering, and science. The University has approximately 2,900 full and part-time undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in over 50 fields of study. It is committed to excellence in teaching a diverse student body and preparing students for successful careers and fulfilling lives. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all employees and faculty members can thrive personally and professionally.

Position Description

About the Mechanical Engineering Department:

The Mechanical Engineering Department provides a rigorous engineering education emphasizing technical excellence, hands-on learning, design, experimentation, research, and professional development. The Administrative Assistant is an integral member of the department, supporting students and faculty while helping ensure efficient academic and administrative operations.

The Mechanical Engineering Department seeks a highly organized, proactive, and service-oriented Administrative Assistant to provide comprehensive support to the Department Chair, faculty, staff, and students. As a primary point of contact for the department, this position requires excellent communication and organizational skills, attention to detail, sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to manage multiple priorities independently.

This is a full-time, in-person, non-remote position .

Job Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary point of contact for students, faculty, staff, visitors, and external partners; respond to inquiries and direct students to appropriate University resources, forms, and processes.
• Provide administrative support to the Department Chair and faculty; coordinate departmental workflow, calendars, records, meetings, room scheduling, meeting minutes, and communications.
• Support ABET accreditation, program assessment, and continuous improvement by assisting faculty with collecting, organizing, maintaining, and archiving required documentation and data .
• Provide administrative and logistical support for Mechanical Engineering laboratories, senior design/capstone activities, presentations, seminars, advisory board meetings, student competitions, faculty and student research activities , and departmental events.
• Process purchase requisitions, invoices, reimbursements, travel arrangements, and check requests; assist with budget tracking and reconciliation and coordinate purchasing through systems such as Unimarket.
• Maintain inventories of departmental supplies, equipment, and furniture; coordinate facilities, maintenance, textbook, desk-copy, laboratory, instructional, and course-related requests.
• Assist with faculty advising assignments, student records, syllabi, office hours, enrollment information, and other departmental academic records.
• Support faculty and adjunct searches, including applicant files, candidate schedules, travel and accommodations, presentations, meals, interview logistics, recommendation letters, and appointment forms.
• Supervise student workers and graduate assistants, including work assignments, timesheet approvals, and related administrative processes.
• Maintain organized electronic files and paperless processes using Microsoft Office, shared drives, e-signature platforms, Banner, Coursedog, Moodle, Unimarket, and other University systems.
• Help maintain the department’s social media presence by sharing and promoting events, activities, and student and faculty accomplishments.
• Handle confidential student, personnel, search, and budget information with discretion; provide general technical and administrative support and perform other duties as assigned.
  
  

Requirements

• Associate's degree or vocational/technical school degree and a minimum of three years of administrative experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, interpersonal, customer-service, organizational, time-management, and attention-to-detail skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and work independently with limited supervision.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, shared drives, e-signature platforms, and email/calendar systems.
• Ability to quickly and independently learn currently used or new digital tools and institutional systems such as Banner, Coursedog, Moodle, and Unimarket.
  
  

Supplemental Information

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree; experience in an engineering, STEM, laboratory, or higher-education environment.
• Experience with purchasing, budgets, academic events, faculty searches, accreditation, assessment, or institutional reporting.
• Familiarity with ABET accreditation or willingness to learn accreditation-related administrative requirements.
  
  

Manhattan University is an E-Verify employer.

Founded in 1853, Manhattan University is an independent Catholic Lasallian institution located in Riverdale, NY that embraces students of all faiths, cultures, and traditions. The mission of the University is to provide a dynamic student-centered educational experience that prepares graduates for lives of personal development, professional success, civic engagement, and service to their fellow human beings. We expect our faculty, administration, and staff to be knowledgeable about our mission and to make a positive contribution to the mission.

Manhattan University provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, marital status, partnership status, pregnancy, caregiver status, domestic violence victim status, gender identity or expression, arrest or conviction record, criminal history, credit history, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, unemployment status and salary history. Manhattan University values and celebrates diversity and is committed to providing an inclusive environment for all employees. All interested, qualified persons are encouraged to apply.

Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.