Housing & Residence Life

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Become a Residence Director at Portland State University

Current Openings:

 

 

About Residence Directors at PSU

Residence Director (RD) positions with Portland State University Housing and Residence Life (UHRL) fall into one of three different groups: Residential Education, University Success, or Housing Services. These vital positions in our community work as a team to provide holistic support to our residents. All RD positions participate in a 24/7 duty rotation (including breaks and holidays).

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Residential Education Residence Directors:

Residential Education Residence Directors within our seven Residence Halls supervise and train Resident Assistants, manage hall budgets, provide direct support to residents, and assist with social and educational programming. We are currently developing a curricular model for residential engagement, guiding the intentional interactions, programming, learning opportunities, and community development experiences in our residence halls and apartments! This is a great time to join the team to experience this developmental process, and have a voice in building the framework for our residential experiences.

 

Housing Services Residence Director:

This position works closely with both the Residence Life team and the Housing Operations Team. The primary responsibilities of this position is to oversee the Montgomery Service Desk. This involves managing lock changes, packages, key audits, and supervising student staff members known as desk assistants.

 

University Success Positions: 

The University Success (USuccess) Residence Director roles individually manage day-to-day functions for one of two in-hall after-hours academic support centers, and supervise two different types of student leader positions focused on providing academic peer coaching to residential students. These roles provide specialized support for students on academic warning and probation.

Each of these two roles offers a unique way to contribute to our residents' academic success. One offers opportunities to collaborate with faculty members to support our First Year Experience living learning communities, and the second offers opportunities to support student leadership through advising RHA. These roles offer a different opportunity to work in Residence Life while still encompassing many of the elements of a traditional RD role, including student care, community development, and program management.

 

 

University Housing and Residence Life (UHRL)

The Operations and Residence Life sides of University Housing form a vibrant, dedicated, and welcoming team to serve residents in all 7 of our residence halls. Serving on-campus students at a University that is largely known as a commuter campus means that we are providing services and programming for a subset of students who have chosen to enjoy the benefits of living where they learn. 

We have students in our residence halls who are living away from home for the first time, and residents who are returning to school after extended times away. For some, the residence halls are their “school home,” while for others it is their only home. This diversity in population leads to ample opportunities to provide creative and tailored support for our residents.

Learn more about our current resident population in the Housing Fact Book.

Housing options for residents include a variety of different unit types, from sleepers with shared bathrooms per floor and a community kitchen, to one-bedroom apartments. 

Programs overseen by our Residence Directors through supervision of Resident Assistants, Resident Academic Mentors, Learning Community Assistants, and Residence Hall Association provide ample opportunities for student engagement within the PSU campus community. Our University Success programs provide residents with after-hours academic support and assistance in navigating their journey through Portland State.

Working at PSU

There are many advantages to working at Portland State University, including:

Excellent health benefits: PSU Employees get to choose from a variety of Health Plans, including vision and dental. The cost to the employee is low, and the coverage provided by these plans is stellar.

Reduced tuition costs: Tuition remission is at 70% of the in-state undergraduate rate (even for graduate courses). For example, in the 22/23 Academic Year, a non-resident graduate student would pay $2732 for a 4-credit class. With the Tuition remission, a staff member would pay $240 for that same course.

Retirement: PSU employees are offered two options for retirement to choose from. The first is a pension plan known as PERS/OPSRP (Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan). The second is a 403(b) retirement plan known as ORP (Optional Retirement Plan) Tier 4. More information on these plans can be found on the Human Resources Retirement page.

     

    "Let Knowledge Serve the City" 

    PSU's motto serves as an inspiration for how the university leans into its place within the city. The 49-acre downtown campus is an active part of downtown life, and students participate in the life of the city in a variety of ways, including through their coursework.

    South Park Blocks, which runs through the center of campus, is home to the year round Portland Farmers Market at PSU.

    PSU is committed to sustainability with a variety of initiatives, including a number of LEED certified buildings, on-campus recycling, and a Student Sustainability Center.

    Portland is a foodie city, and there is an abundance of food carts and different food options on and around campus.

    Residence Director Benefits

    The Residence Director positions come with a number of benefits, including:

    • A 1-bedroom, on-campus apartment. All utilities (including internet) are included. 
    • Meal plan included when classes are in session - ability to select whatever meal plan best suits your needs. Meals can be used in Victors Dining Hall during the academic year and Dining Dollars can be used at a variety of locations on campus.
    • Ability to flex time accrued while on call.
    • Work-life balance. Our department believes that vacation, sick, and flex time are meant to be used. Maintaining healthy boundaries in order to support your own well-being is important. The on call/duty phone is a phone that is passed to the person on call, which further encourages work life harmony and healthy boundaries.
    • Opportunities and funding are available for professional development to assist you in your current and future work within Residence Life.

      Amenities and Life on Campus

      There are a variety of great amenities available on campus:

      • In-hall laundry machines (payable through a phone app)
      • Accessible Transit Options: Free access to the streetcar, and a reduced fare transit pass option.
      • Permits for on-campus parking for purchase through PSU Transportation and Parking.
      • Campus Rec gym membership and Outdoor Programs that get you out exploring nature
      • Campus Public Safety Office (CPSO) is available for 24/7 support, and is one of our close campus partners. CPSO officers conduct regular, patrols, providing a visible presence on campus. The Annual Campus Security (Clery) Report can be viewed online.

      Enjoy Living in Portland

      Portland State University is an Urban Campus, located in downtown Portland. The campus encompasses the South Park Blocks, a stretch of green space that runs through the center of the city. In addition to the greenery around campus, there is easy access to a variety of outdoor activities. A walk, bike ride, or hop onto the Streetcar will take you to the river, or to Forest Park, a 5,200 acre urban forest with a total of 80 miles of trails.

      Other perks of living in Portland Oregon include:  

      • Public Transit is right at your doorstep
      • Portland is ranked the best city for vegans and vegetarians, and it is a real foodie city, with an array of different food options and locations to enjoy.
      • The Portland International Airport has been rated the best international airport in the US for 7 years in a row.
      • Portland has been rated the best beer city, and second best coffee city in America.
      • Every Saturday from March through December, Saturday Market takes over a large portion of the Waterfront. And easy walk (or a few stops on the light rail) from campus, this is a great place to see a variety of the artisans, crafters, and performers that the city has to offer.