Jobs › University of Wisconsin-Madison

Academics & Career Advisor

University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI · $45,879–$65,000 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 25, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

How do you build trust with a student-athlete who sees advising as just one more thing the athletic department makes them do?

What they are checking: Relationship building, which the posting names as essential to this role.

How do you help a senior athlete think about a career when they have assumed they will play professionally?

What they are checking: Whether they can do real career advising and address life beyond sport with honesty and care.

What is your experience meeting recruits and their families, and what do you tell them about academics here?

What they are checking: Whether they can represent academic support honestly during recruiting without overpromising.

Tell me about a time you noticed a student was struggling with something beyond academics. What did you do?

What they are checking: Whether they recognize mental health or personal issues and refer appropriately rather than overstepping.

What would you do

A football player is failing a required course in week ten and practice is eating his study time. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they act quickly, coordinate with coaches and campus support, and keep the student's ownership of the problem.

A coach pressures you to steer a player into an easier major to protect eligibility. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Integrity under pressure and whether they keep the student's real goals and academic standards at the center.

How do you keep faculty informed about travel schedules without asking for special treatment?

What they are checking: Ability to work with faculty respectfully and protect the student's academic standing.

How would you organize your week when you are the main contact for several Olympic sports teams with different seasons?

What they are checking: Organization across competing calendars, which the posting calls out.

About the work

Walk me through how you track a student-athlete's progress toward degree for NCAA eligibility each term.

What they are checking: Working knowledge of progress-toward-degree rules, since an eligibility mistake can cost a student their season.

How do you document advising meetings so another advisor or compliance could pick up the case?

What they are checking: Careful records, which protect students and the university in eligibility and compliance reviews.

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The full job description

As published by University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process. Job Category: Academic Staff Employment Type: Regular Job Profile: Academic Advisor Job Summary: The Academics & Career Advisor provides comprehensive academic and career support to student-athletes in our Football and Olympic Sports programs, helping them navigate their academic journeys and prepare for life beyond sport. This role includes developing individualized academic and career plans, monitoring progress toward graduation and NCAA eligibility, and coordinating with campus and departmental partners. Strong relationship-building, communication, and organizational skills are essential. A Master’s degree and at least one year of experience in intercollegiate athletics academic support are preferred. Key Responsibilities: • Provide personalized academic and career advising for assigned student-athletes. • Monitor academic progress, ensure NCAA eligibility, and adjust support plans as needed. • Create graduation plans and assist with course selection and university procedures. • Participate in recruiting by meeting with prospective student-athletes and families. • Serve as the primary contact for assigned teams; collaborate with coaches and athletics staff. • Engage consistently with faculty and campus partners to support student success. • Contribute to A&C team meetings, programs, and department-wide initiatives. • Support the Badger Built mission by promoting student-first, holistic development. • Partner with campus units to strengthen academic outcomes and retention. • Assist with other tasks and projects as assigned. Key Job Responsibilities: • Serves as a main point of contact for students and provides information about educational options and academic requirements; assists with identifying and assessing interests, skills, and values to match appropriate field of study/career options, and refers students to appropriate institutional resources • Receives, processes, and responds to academic inquiries according to established policies and procedures • Participates in the campus-wide advising community providing input to leadership regarding the development of advising, recruitment, and co/curricular programs offered by the school/college • Proactively engages students as needed • Maintains expertise with advised curriculum and may assist in developing and recommending exceptions for policy and curriculum • Maintains confidentiality and accurate student records and processes and responds to academic inquiries according to established institutional and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) policies • Implements academic advising events such as workshops, panel discussions, and guest speakers Department: Wisconsin Athletics, Academics and Career Compensation: The typical starting salary ranges from $45,879 to $65,000, depending on qualifications and experience. There may be flexibility for highly qualified candidates. Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as: - Generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off; - Competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits; - Badger gear & season tickets for Badger football, men's basketball and men's hockey, and/or the varsity sports pass. Required Qualifications: • 1–3 years of experience as an academic advisor or in a related student support role • Excellent verbal and written communication skills • Strong computer skills • Strong organizational and interpersonal skills • Ability to work with students from diverse backgrounds, as well as coaches and administrators • Ability to work nights and weekends as required Preferred Qualifications: • Experience advising student-athletes, preferably at a Division I institution • Knowledge of NCAA and Big Ten rules and regulations • Experience developing and implementing successful programs for at-risk students and/or student-athletes • Vision Champion: Demonstrated ability to drive a department’s academic and career support vision, prioritizing holistic development and long-term success of student-athletes • Team Collaboration & Development: Ability to promote a culture of collaboration, communication, and growth; mentor and develop staff to maximize their impact and potential; and build relationships with colleagues across academics, athletics, and campus Education: Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred How to Apply: For the best experience completing your application, we recommend using Chrome or Firefox as your web browser. To apply for this position, select either “I am a current employee” or “I am not a current employee” under Apply Now . You will then be prompted to upload your application materials. Important: The application has only one attachment field. Upload all required documents in that field, either as a single combined file or as multiple files in the same upload area. Upload required documents: • A cover letter detailing how your qualifications and experiences align with the responsibilities of the position. • Resume Please note that reference checks will be conducted for finalists. Applicants selected to proceed in the selection process will be notified directly. All applicants will receive notification once a final selection has been made and the search is complete. Conditions of Appointment: This is a 100% Academic Staff appointment. Salary will be assigned within the appropriate range, commensurate with the candidate's qualifications and experience. An excellent benefits package is also included. Successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. Contact Information: Eric Weycker at eweycker@wisc.edu Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information. Institutional Statement on Diversity: Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website . To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you. Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department .

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