Associate Director of Health Professions & Life Sciences Career Advising

About the Opportunity

JOB SUMMARY

The   Associate Director of   Health Professions & Life Sciences Career Advis ing   serves as Northeastern University's dedicated career specialist for students pursuing roles in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, biotechnology, pharmaceutical sciences, clinical research, and adjacent health and life sciences disciplines. As a core member of the Career Education Center's sector-based advising team, this role brings deep, current knowledge of the health professions and life sciences talent market to bear on every aspect of student career development from first-year exploration through professional school application support, fellowship pursuit, and full-time offer negotiation. The Health Professions & Life Sciences Career Advisor designs and delivers sector-specific programming, maintains active employer relationships with hospitals and health systems, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and public health organizations across scales and geographies, and uses labor market data and AI-enabled tools to give students a competitive edge. This professional understands how health and life sciences hiring and professional school admissions are being reshaped by AI including changes to application and screening processes, evolving competency expectations, and emerging roles at the intersection of biology, data, and   technology, and   translates that intelligence into practical, outcome-focused advising and workshops. The role is ideal for someone who has worked in or alongside clinical, research, or life sciences environments, speaks the language of health professions advisors, hiring managers, and admissions committees, and is energized by helping students land meaningful, high-quality internships, research experiences, and full-time employment ,   or gain admission to the professional or graduate programs that launch careers dedicated to health , science   and human well-being.   This position will supervise 1 or 2 Assistant Directors.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• A   bachelor's degree in a life sciences, health, or related field is   required ;   a master's degree or doctorate in higher education, counseling, public health, a clinical discipline, or a related field preferred.   A h ealth   professions   advising   certification is a plus.
• Minimum   of 4–6 years of experience in career services, health professions advising, clinical or research recruiting, workforce development, or the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or healthcare industries, with demonstrated understanding of health and life sciences hiring practices, professional school admissions, and r elated   ole landscapes.
• Substantive   knowledge of the health professions and life sciences job markets including familiarity with pre-med, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy, and pre-PA advising pathways; professional and graduate school application processes; biotech and pharma recruiting cycles; clinical research career tracks; and the growing demand for professionals with combined biological and data science competencies.
• Experience   working with or advising students or early-career professionals in health or life sciences fields, with the ability to translate complex industry and admissions dynamics including application timelines, licensure and credentialing norms, research experience expectations, and evolving employer and program requirements into accessible, actionable guidance.
• Experience   managing others, including regular coaching and feedback, structured professional development, performance management, and engagement support that cultivates a high-performing, student-centered advising practice.
• Proficiency   with career management platforms (e.g., Handshake), labor market intelligence tools (e.g.,   Lightcast , LinkedIn Talent Insights), pre-health   advising   platforms (e.g., Liaison/AMCAS familiarity), and AI-enabled career development tools.
• Demonstrated   ability to build and sustain employer relationships with hospitals and health systems, biotech and pharmaceutical firms, research institutions, and public health organizations, and convert those relationships into internship, co-op, and full-time hiring opportunities for students.
• Data   fluency: ability to interpret employment outcome data, professional school matriculation rates, labor market trends, and program metrics to evaluate effectiveness and inform programming decisions.
• Strong   presentation, coaching, and interpersonal skills; ability to engage effectively with students at varying levels of clinical experience, research background, and career and professional school readiness.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

1)Sector-Specialized Career Advising & Student Coaching

P rovide individualized career advising and coaching to students and recent graduates pursuing   internships and   full-time roles in   healthcare, life sciences ,   and/o r related fields . Guide students through   industry-specific   job search strate gies , resume development tailored to   health care science positions , interview preparation ,   and offer evaluation.   Managing up to 2   Assistant Directors of Career Development , providing coaching, professional development, feedback ,   and support.   Maintain a current, deep understanding of how AI is transforming   early career   hiring   practices   including AI-assisted screenin g   and shifting skill   expectations and   incorporate this intelligence into every advising interaction .

2) Sector Programming Design & Delivery

Design, deliver, and continuously improve a calendar of sector-specific programming that addresses the full arc of   a   job search: industry exploration, networking in   related   communities, mock interviews, career fairs and employer showcases, and salary negotiation in   relevant industries . Develop programming in partnership with faculty, student organizations ,   and employer partners. Evaluate program effectiveness using attendance, engagement, and downstream employment outcome data, and iterate accordingly.

3) Employer Engagement & Full-Time Hiring Pipeline

Cultivate and steward relationships with a targeted portfolio of health professions and life sciences employers including hospitals and health systems, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, clinical research organizations, public health agencies, and research institutions with the explicit goal of generating internship and full-time job opportunities for Northeastern students and graduates. Collaborate with the employer relations team to coordinate on-campus recruiting, information sessions, and hiring events, as well as to build pathways with health systems and research institutions that regularly hire Northeastern talent. Track employer pipeline health and proactively   identify   gaps in sector coverage, clinical specialty representation, or geographic reach.

4) Labor Market Intelligence & Data-Informed Practice

Monitor   related   labor market trends including hiring volumes, emerging roles, compensation benchmarks, and geographic hiring hubs ,   and synthesize this intelligence into programming,   advising   content, and student-facing resources. Maintain sector-specific employment outcome data, contribute to the center's reporting cadence, and   identify   opportunities to improve student placement rates. Share market insights with colleagues, academic partners, and students through regular communications and resources.

5) Cross-Campus Collaboration & Sector Representation