Responsibilities of UCF Housing Staff

The University of Central Florida (UCF) Department of Housing and Residence Life (DHRL) offers various student employment opportunities. These positions allow students to develop leadership skills, connect with peers, and positively impact the campus community. Among these roles, the Resident Assistant (RA), Conference Assistant (CA), and Office Assistant (OA) positions are prominent.

Resident Assistant (RA) Responsibilities

The RA role is one of UCF’s most recognizable student leadership jobs. The RA position is a live-in position, whereupon, you are responsible for facilitating a positive community among residents, promoting a safe and comfortable living environment, and serving as a departmental and university representative and role model, all while living in a department assigned unit within a DHRL community.

Community Building and Resident Support

Residential Community Residence life staff provide programs and initiatives that promote student success and well-being. The core focus of our work is connected to the Student Success and Well-Being curriculum. It is expected that RAs will develop positive relationships with each student on their floor and create a sense of belonging in their community. RAs facilitate Knight to Knight Conversations, one-on-one meetings with their residents. The RA will be responsible for building a strong community on the floor/building and within the community. RAs also schedule and facilitate conflict mediation and roommate agreements promptly with residents. They promote resident engagement in area councils and the Residence Hall Association.

Administrative and Duty Responsibilities

RAs are expected to attend all community staff meetings; meeting times will be decided prior to the start of each semester. Academic schedules are the only valid reason factored into this regularly scheduled meeting time. RAs are responsible for responding to communications as directed by their supervisor. Other tasks, duties, or expectations may be required by the supervisor(s) or department. Duty includes, but is not limited to: office hours, rounds (internal and external), lockouts, work orders, and incident response. RAs are expected to serve on duty year-round, including University holidays, closures, and academic breaks (i.e., winter recess, spring break, and severe/inclement weather).

Weekend Duty: RAs are required to work a predetermined number of 24-hour weekend duty shifts Friday at 4:45 pm to Saturday at 5:00 pm and Saturday at 4:45 pm to Sunday at 5:00 pm. University and Holiday Closure Duty: RAs must be available to work irregular hours, university holidays, university breaks, university weather-related closures, special events, and residence hall opening and closing. RAs must be available to work on-campus before and after the regular academic year cycle. RAs may be required to work during university holidays and closures.

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Conduct and Policy Enforcement

If an RA is in possession of, or under the influence of, alcohol (under the age of 21), drugs, illegal substances, and/or any prescription medication that was not prescribed to them, they will be immediately released from their position and referred to the Office of Student Conduct/UCF Police Department. RAs must keep all personal information about residents, and other sensitive information private in accordance with FERPA. RAs must not share information about residents or incidents with parents, family members, students, or anyone who is not affiliated with the University. If the RA has questions about specific situations, the RA must discuss it with their supervisor before disclosing any information.

Professionalism and Representation

While working, RAs are required to wear a department-issued polo or T-Shirt with DHRL logo, appropriate shorts/pants/skirts, name tag, and closed-toed shoes. The RA will be provided with departmental apparel; it is the RA’s responsibility to keep it in good condition. All social media and other electronic means of communication are representations of RAs and the overall department. RAs are not authorized to represent or disseminate statements, positions, or policies of UCF DHRL to any media outlet including campus news. This includes engaging in activity on social media, blogging, or speaking with/responding to inquiries from media outlets. While the RA is free to express their personal opinion, the RA must take reasonable steps to ensure that the expression is recognized by potential recipients as their opinion and not a representation of UCF DHRL.

Academic Expectations

As a student leader, academics should be the top priority. Following academics, the RA position should be the top non-academic priority. The RA’s supervisor will work with the RA to make reasonable accommodations for the RA’s academic commitments. The RA must discuss internship or class commitments that interfere with the responsibilities outlined in this position description with the RA’s supervisor. All DHRL employees are subject to a background check. To hold the RA position, the RA must be a currently enrolled UCF student with full-time student status as defined by the University, which is no less than 12 undergraduate credits. Full-time student status can be achieved through a combination of enrollment at UCF and Valencia or another college/university with approval from the Assistant Director of Residence Life and Education. The RA must have the Assistant Director for Residence Life and Education’s approval to drop below the class registration requirement for one semester during their employment period with DHRL. Summer class registration is not required for summer employment if the RA is enrolled in the subsequent Fall semester.

The RA must have completed 24 credit hours by the RA’s employment start date. government throughout the duration of the RA’s employment is required by the University. Any international student hired to be a RA should consult with UCF Global to verify employment eligibility and status. This is a student leadership position and demonstrating academic progress is expected. The RA must remain in good academic standing with the university during employment. Grade checks will be conducted by the Coordinator of Selection in Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters. All RAs must hold and maintain a minimum 2.50 overall cumulative GPA at the time of job offer and throughout employment. If the RA’s semester GPA drops below 2.50, the RA will be placed on Academic Warning for the following semester of employment. If the RA’s overall cumulative GPA drops below 2.50, the RA will be placed on Academic Probation for the next semester of the RA’s employment. Any repeat of dropping below a cumulative 2.50 GPA will result in immediate termination of the RA’s contract. RAs will be given two weeks to complete grade changes. All RAs must demonstrate the ability to abide by university regulations, state, and federal laws. The RA must remain in good conduct standing (as determined by DHRL) from the offer date and throughout employment to remain qualified for the RA position. Any prior violations/conduct cases will be reviewed during the application process and eligibility will be determined by the Assistant Director for Residential Conduct and the Associate Director for Residence Life.

RA Application and Selection Process

A required component of the Resident Assistant Application is to view the above information session in its entirety. This information session will review the RA position, application process, interview process, give further clarification on the hiring process. Live Q&A Sessions with both in person and live-streamed options. If you are selected to move forward after the review of your application, Group Process (GP) is the next step. Group process is a 2-hour time block (you get to choose) and you will work in a group of other candidates to complete tasks related to the role. If you are selected to move forward after the GP, you will then be extended a 1-hour individual interview (time chosen by you) with two of our professional staff members. Time: Candidate should arrive be prepared at least 15 minutes prior to their scheduled time to check in and get prepared. Attire: This is a job interview, so all candidates should dress appropriately and turn off their cell phones. Business casual or UCF spirit attire is encouraged.

With approval from the DHRL leadership team, RAs can hold outside jobs, as long as the outside job does not exceed 15 hours per week. Each RA position comes with a private bedroom. You can indicate community preferences on the application, and they are considered when possible. Weekdays (Sun-Thurs): 4:45pm-8pm in the office, assisting residents (lockouts, check-ins, rounds, incidents). Weekends & Holidays: On-call 24 hours (4:45pm-4:45pm). RAs average 15-20 hours per week, though some weeks may be lighter or heavier depending on community needs. A weekly staff meeting (approx. It is a significant time commitment, but many students balance RA responsibilities with academics and other commitments successfully. Our philosophy is: You are a person first, a student second, and an RA third. RAs play a vital role in building safe, inclusive, and supportive residential communities. References should be individuals (not relatives) who can speak to your leadership, teamwork, or customer service skills. At least one UCF-affiliated reference is preferred (e.g., professor, advisor, current RA).

Conference Assistant (CA) Responsibilities

The Department of Housing and Residence Life employs Conference Assistants (CA) to work with the conference groups that reside in the UCF residence halls and apartments during the Summer. The CA position is a ‘live in’ position that requires the CA to live in an assigned on-campus efficiency for the summer.

Program Support and Customer Service

The CA is responsible for assisting with the functioning of the conference program, including: assisting with group logistics, promoting a safe and comfortable building environment, providing excellent customer service, and serving as a departmental and university role model. CAs are expected to work an average of 20 hours per week. During certain times of the year, CAs may work more than 20 hours a week and during certain times of the summer season (mid-semester, finals week, etc.) CAs may also work less than 20 hours a week. The Housing Conferences Services (HCS) Program provides a valuable service for the university as we partner with other departments, as well as the community, in order to reach out and provide educational ‘live-in’ opportunities for various camps and conferences. This also serves to utilize the facilities in order to generate revenue for the department, as HCS operates out of communities that would otherwise be mostly unoccupied for the summer term (Libra, Apollo, Lake Claire, and Nike). Our program is designed to provide a safe, clean, and inclusive housing environment for the conference guests while delivering professional services.

Leadership and Teamwork

Leadership: CAs are expected to be the presence of leadership within the building. Team Partnering: The CA is expected to work with staff members to partner on conference logistics.

Duty and Safety

Duty requires that the CA staff are able to observe safety and security risks in the community, document written reports, operate radios and phones, appropriately respond according to departmental protocols, and complete a visual inspection of the community (rounds). Typically, each CA will be on duty one night per week (Sunday-Thursday) and have approximately four to six weekend shifts during the Summer, depending on the needs of business (Friday-Sunday). the following morning (Sunday-Thursday). Sunday. CA’s are not required to sit in the office during Weekend duty, but are required to complete two sets of rounds.

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Logistical Support

Conference Assistants are responsible for working Miscellaneous shifts, such as check ins and check outs of the conference guests. These shifts are assigned 1-2 weeks in advance based on class schedules, and are evenly divided among the CA team. Conference attendees are living in the halls the entire Summer. Therefore, some CAs will be on duty during breaks and holidays. CAs must reside in the accommodation no later than 3:00am each night. If unable, CAs will be required to request “Knights Away”. CAs are required to complete other administrative tasks including but not limited to the following: room inventory forms, room checks, damage reports, incident reports, and key inventories. While serving in the CA role, staff will be expected to lift boxes, arrange furniture, place linen, walk stairwells and corridors, and perform other miscellaneous duties.

CA Application and Selection Process

All qualified candidates will complete the online application on eRezLife. Please be accurate in all of your application information. The CA online application has nothing to do with your intended application for future housing with the Department of Housing and Residence Life. If you wish to still live on campus in the event you are not offered a CA position, you will need to follow those procedures in place for those separate processes. You will be notified on January 19th , 2026 if offered an interview. The candidate will sign up for one individual interview on February 2nd or 3rd, 2026. There will also be a second-round group interview held the week of February 16th. Time: It is strongly encouraged that on the day of the actual interview, the candidate should be ready for their interview at least 15 minutes before it starts. If performing a virtual interview, candidates should ensure their technology is working prior to it. A candidate may be Hired: The candidate demonstrated they were an excellent fit for the position. Alternate: The candidate was outstanding, but due to a limited number of vacancies, a hire offer was not able to be extended. No Hire: The candidate will not be extended a hire nor an alternate offer.

The department will consider candidates for interviews based upon application information and qualifications. Records such as GPA, class standing, and university records are used in this process. All new hires will be subject to a background check. All hires are dependent on a clear background check. Any serious concerns brought to the attention of the Department of Housing and Residence Life by means of a background check could prevent official hire. All CA hires must maintain a 2.5 GPA throughout employment. Summer class enrollment is not required. If choosing to enroll in summer classes, no more than 6 credits are recommended. This position requires evening and weekend hours.

Office Assistant (OA) Responsibilities

An OA is a student employee for the Department of Housing and Residence Life who works at the front desk in each of the community offices. An OA is responsible for greeting and assisting students, parents, and guests with their concerns and assisting with the day-to-day operations of the community office.

Administrative Duties and Qualifications

Listed below are general administrative responsibilities. You must establish and maintain a positive relationship with your supervisor, professional staff, student staff, and fellow OA colleagues. OAs agree to perform the various position functions for the compensation of $13.00 an hour. All compensation will be paid on bi-weekly basis. No housing allowance is involved with the on-campus OA position. The most a student OA can work is 32 hours a week (a student employee cannot work more than 32 hours total as a UCF campus employee); international students may not exceed 20 hours a week. Any student employee who works more than 30 hours per week will be taxed accordingly.

Qualifications such as GPA, class enrollment and conduct status are verified with official University records. You must be free of any current violations, or sanctions, with the Department of Housing and Residence Life and the Office of Student Conduct at time of application, offer, and start of employment. Any previous probationary or more severe offense with the Department of Housing and Residence Life and the Office of Student Conduct will be evaluated on a case by case basis. In order to safeguard the student community, the University will request a background check for all applicants. Your hire status is always conditional upon a successful verification. You will be responsible for creating a positive office community.

OA Application and Selection Process

All application files will be reviewed and all candidates will be contacted, in regards to whether or not they are offered an interview. Not all applicants will be offered an interview. Applications will be available as needed at ucf.erezlife.com. It is strongly encouraged that on the day of the actual interview, the candidate arrives early for the interview. If a candidate misses an interview, another one will likely not be offered.

Housing Ambassador Responsibilities

Lead housing tours during Open House dates. The selection process for the Housing Ambassador position generally takes place each spring, but positions are filled as needed every semester. The first step of the process will be filling out an online application. Please refer to this page for updates.

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