About the Opportunity
Job Summary:
We are seeking a Business Operations Administrative Assistant to provide essential administrative, operational, and personnel support for the Makerspace at EXP and Wetlab Makerspace, working independently and reporting directly to the Executive Director - Makerspace. This role is responsible for maintaining organized records and compliance documentation, managing day-to-day projects, supporting personnel functions such as onboarding and recruiting, coordinating schedules, and handling purchasing needs. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing a variety of responsibilities with minimal oversight in a dynamic, hands-on environment.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Prior experience in administrative, operations, or office management roles preferred
- Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize competing demands
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment
- Familiarity with purchasing processes a plus (Workday purchasing)
- Proficiency with standard office software (e.g., Microsoft Office/Google Workspace)
Key Responsibilities:
Administrative Management (50%)
- Maintain accurate and organized records across administrative, operational, and programmatic functions
- Prepare, track, and maintain compliance documentation to ensure adherence to organizational and regulatory requirements
- Monitor and respond to email correspondence in a timely and professional manner, routing inquiries as needed
Personnel Management (20%)
- Coordinate and manage the onboarding process for new student staff and/or makerspace patrons
- Support recruiting efforts, including posting openings, screening candidates, and coordinating interviews
- Coordinate scheduling for staff, meetings, and events, ensuring efficient use of time and resources
Purchasing (20%)
- Manage purchasing processes, including ordering supplies, equipment, and materials
- Track expenditures, maintain vendor relationships, and ensure purchases align with budget guidelines
Other duties as assigned (10%)
- Support the Executive Director and broader team with additional administrative or operational tasks as needed
Position Type
TemporaryAdditional Information
Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.
Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
This job is for a current or anticipated job vacancy.
Pay Rate:
Skills Required
- Prior experience in administrative, operations, or office management roles
- Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize competing demands
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment
- Familiarity with purchasing processes, including Workday purchasing
- Proficiency with standard office software, such as Microsoft Office or Google Workspace
Northeastern University Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northeastern University and has not been reviewed or approved by Northeastern University.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off is described as extensive, including 22–26 vacation days, 12 sick days, 13 holidays, and paid parental leave for birth/adoption. Additional paid leave is also outlined, including up to 26 weeks of paid medical leave and up to 12 weeks of paid family leave for eligible employees.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support is positioned as a standout, with an employer contribution described as 10% when an employee contributes 5%, alongside immediate vesting once eligible. This is presented as unusually generous relative to typical employer retirement offerings.
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Parental & Family Support — Family-oriented benefits are emphasized through tuition assistance for employees and dependents and access to backup childcare and family-care resources. Tuition remission/discount structures are highlighted as a major value driver, especially for employees with children and for long-tenured staff.
Northeastern University Insights
What We Do
Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university with a distinctive, experience-driven approach to education and discovery. The university is a leader in experiential learning, powered by the world’s most far-reaching cooperative education program. We integrate classroom study with opportunities for professional work, research, service, and global learning in more than 100 countries. The same spirit of collaboration guides a use-inspired research enterprise focused on solving global challenges in health, security, and sustainability. Northeastern offers a comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in nine colleges and schools, and select graduate programs at campuses in Boston, Charlotte, N.C., San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Toronto. Campuses in Burlington, MA, and Nahant, MA, are home to research institutes for homeland security and coastal sustainability, respectively
