Posting Description

SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD, Chemistry, seeks a highly organized professional to provide comprehensive executive support to the Department Head and manage critical operations. This essential role offers the opportunity to foster academic excellence by supporting faculty affairs, coordinating major events, and ensuring the seamless administration of a vibrant intellectual community. This position serves as the administrative cornerstone of the department, entrusted with complex calendar management and the facilitation of essential departmental business. The successful candidate will navigate the academic lifecycle by coordinating faculty promotional cases, drafting and assembling academic dossiers with meticulous attention to detail, and tracking recurring responsibilities such as junior faculty progress reviews and NIH research trainings. The role is integral to departmental recruitment and engagement, responsible for independently organizing comprehensive itineraries and complex travel for faculty search candidates.

The full job description is available here: https://chemistry.mit.edu/about/careers/

Job Requirements

REQUIRED: A minimum of five years of administrative, office, or related experience; demonstrated proficiency in English grammar and composition; highly developed organizational skills; ability to handle multiple tasks, set priorities, have attention to detail, and work in a challenging and fast-paced environment; advanced Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Google Workspace, Slack, WordPress skills; event planning experience; experience with handling confidential/sensitive materials; ability to maintain confidentiality of confidential and highly sensitive materials/information; discretion and good judgment; excellent interpersonal and organizational skills, project coordination experience, communication skills, and the ability to work well with all levels of internal management and staff, and outside vendors; and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. PREFERRED: Bachelor’s degree; experience in higher education; or knowledge of SAP, SAP web, Concur, and MIT financial processes, policies, and procedures.

This is a hybrid role that requires work in person in Chemistry Headquarters at least four days per week. A few times a year evening event work is required.

8/27/2026