Human Resources

Summary

Michigan Technological University is seeking an International Employment Specialist, that will develop and coordinate immigration services and related employment processes. They will ensure that immigration and employment services comply with University policies, state, and federal laws, and regulations relating to immigration and employment status. The position will provide information to departments and foreign national visitors, researchers, faculty, and staff on aspects of their immigration status.

Responsibilities and Essential Duties

• Facilitate the faculty and staff employment-based immigration petitions, I-140 Immigrant Petitions, permanent residency, J-1 to H1B visa process.
• Develop personalized interactions with customers and strengthen customer relations through proactive and regular customer engagement.
• Establish and accurately maintain documents and files for all work visas, permanent residency cases, and other immigration matters and act as a resource to all personnel and outside counsel for general information and workflow process.
• Assist foreign nationals and the University in complying with U.S. Government regulations related to immigration and employment status.
• Provide hiring departments with information about immigration and employment regulations affecting foreign nations, and file relevant immigration petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services as appropriate.
• Operate as a liaison between the University, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of State (DOS), and Department of Labor and the university-retained immigration attorney, with respect to foreign nationals.
• Manage confidential paper and electronic files in accordance with university, FERPA, USCIS, DHS, and DOS regulations.
• Stay current on emerging legislation, requirements, and forms and assess the impact on policies, procedures, and employees and enforce those policies.
• Monitor the status of pending cases.
• Post, track, and follow up on Labor Condition Applications.
• Commit to learning about continuous improvement strategies and applying them to everyday work. Actively engage in university continuous improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate closely with Human Resources on obtaining relevant information needed to provide essential duties to staff and faculty. Maintain contact between departments in order to relay information to staff and faculty about their petitions.
• Contribute to the development of IPS information sessions, literature, website content, outgoing messages, reports, etc.
• Participate and actively engage in University continuous improvement initiatives and strategies and apply knowledge to everyday work.
• Actively engage in creating a welcoming, and professional work environment for staff, students, and visitors.
• Apply safety-related knowledge, skills, and practices to everyday work.

Additional duties and responsibilities for all Student Affairs non-union staff:

• Collaborate with appropriate stakeholders to ensure that services delivered to faculty/staff are audience-specific, timely, culturally-relevant, needs-based, aligned with leadership’s priorities and student learning outcomes, and can be evaluated.
• Identify and propose appropriate professional development opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills.
• Collaborate with supervisor and division leadership to enhance the visibility of Student Affairs achievements by, for example, exploring and submitting
• proposals to conferences to showcase effective programs that may be replicated within the profession.
• Recruit, hire, supervise, and evaluate approved and assigned student employees.
• Assist with collecting program data and other evidence to better understand faculty/staff needs.
• Ensure that record-keeping systems are updated, accurate, and audit-ready.
• Submit monthly, annual, and ad hoc productivity reports.
• Perform other mission-critical and position-specific duties as requested based on operational needs (e.g., all-hands-on-deck events such as orientation, welcome week, homecoming, commencement, and other university traditions).

Required Education, Certifications, Licensures

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education, training, and experience from which comparable skills can be acquired.

Required Experience

Minimum of 1 year of employment experience in immigration services.

Desirable Education and/or Experience

• Immigration experience in an academic setting with H-1B and PERM visa/immigration processes.
• Demonstrated ability to give presentations to audiences of all levels.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries and work harmoniously with all groups of students, faculty, and staff.
• Demonstrated commitment to contribute to a safe work environment.
• Communication skills: Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Self-management skills: ability to manage time effectively, learn and contribute to overall departmental tasks and goals.
• Project coordination skills: ability to lead or contribute to planning or organizing projects, programs, services, etc.
• Conflict resolution skills: ability to use interpersonal skills to develop and maintain positive professional relationships and resolve conflict in a team environment and with individuals from various backgrounds and experiences.
• Analytical skills: ability to analyze information and offer sound recommendations. .
• Computer skills: proficiency with word processing and spreadsheet software, preferably Microsoft Office or Google Suite.
• Demonstrated ability to make administrative and procedural decisions and judgments on sensitive, complex, and confidential issues.
• Ability to work independently under limited supervision and in teams.
• Ability to make reasoned administrative and procedural decisions and judgments on sensitive and confidential issues.
• Ability to work evening and weekend hours based on operational need.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

• Preparatory knowledge: work-based knowledge on immigration policy and procedure.
• Reporting experience: experience with program databases or software programs used to track, monitor, and report services to faculty and staff.

Work Environment and/or Physical Demands

Required Training and Other Conditions of Employment

Every employee at Michigan Technological University will receive the following required training. Additional training may be required by the department (e.g., FERPA):

Required University Training:
• Employee Safety Overview
• Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Training
• Annual Data Security Training
• Annual Title IX Training

Required Departmental Training: *
• Ongoing professional development to be determined.
• If applicable, insert required departmental training here…

Background Check:
Offers of employment are contingent upon and not considered finalized until the required background check, including motor vehicle, has been performed and the results received and assessed.

Other Conditions of Employment:
The successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment. Visa sponsorship is unavailable at this time. This is not an E-Verified Position.

Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities

1

FLSA Status

Exempt

Appointment Term

12 months

Shift

-

Pay Rate/Salary

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Title of Position Supervisor

Director of International Programs and Services

Posting Type

Dependent on Funding

Special Instructions to Applicants (if applicable)

Please upload the following materials exactly as stated:
(1) a cover letter that addresses required and desired qualifications, knowledge, skills, and abilities
(2) a résumé
(3) contact information for three references (preferably, one should be supervisory)
Position will remain open until filled. Screening and interviews may begin immediately.
The screening process may also include an assessment of required and desired skills, abilities, and experiences.

Additional Information

Michigan Tech is an internationally renowned doctoral research flagship university located in Houghton, MI. Houghton is located in Michigan's scenic Upper Peninsula on the south shore of Lake Superior. The area provides a unique setting where natural beauty, culture, education, and a diversity of residents from around the world come together to share a superb living and learning experience.

We embrace our winters and cherish our summers with an unapologetic spirit of resilience and adventure. We attract students and employees who love “the great outdoors” and are comfortable with not having amenities usually associated with large communities.
The Character of the Division

The Division of Student Affairs at Michigan Tech is devoted to student success from enrollment to commencement. We are dynamic and culturally-responsive. We guide, support, and, on occasion, challenge students as they develop, refine, and pursue their academic, career, and personal endeavors. All staff are responsible for creating a safe, welcoming, respectful, and caring environment for students, colleagues, and visitors. We seek skilled colleagues who are student-focused, self-motivated, and will embrace and respect who we are and what we do. We also seek colleagues committed to moving the Division forward towards prominence and influence on campus, nationally, and within the Student Affairs profession. Titles and responsibilities are subject to change in accordance with university policies and procedures to meet the needs of our students, the university and division, the state of Michigan, employers, and the profession.

Before applying, we encourage interested individuals to spend time learning more about who we are, our values, and what we do: https://www.mtu.edu/student-affairs/.