Upstream Red Team, Join the OTeam!
Thank you for your interest in being part of our Orientation Team! This is a tremendous opportunity for current students to share their experiences, advice, and RUTGERS PRIDE with our incoming students. Applications for summer 2025 have closed, but we are recruiting for our summer 2026 Orientation Team:
Complete this Interest Form and we will send more information to you during the fall semester!!
Check out our TWO Orientation Staff Positions
ORIENTATION COORDINATOR (OCs) work in the spring semester during office hours to collaboratively plan summer projects/initiatives. During the summer, the OCs will implement first-year and transfer initiatives developed in the spring semester, supervise orientation leaders, perform office/logistic duties, facilitate mainstage presentations, and assist with training.
ORIENTATION LEADER (OLs) serve as connectors and guides for incoming students at Rutgers. Their responsibilities include facilitating small group activities and discussions, leading campus tours, operational and logistical tasks, serving as panelists, and assisting with behind-the-scenes work.
- Timeline - Orientation Coordinator
- Application
- The application will be available starting November 1, 2024. Interested students will receive an application link after attending an information session or reviewing informational video on the details of the Orientation Team position, criteria, benefits and time commitments. Applications are due December 1, 2024 at 11:59pm EST.
- Group Interviews
- Select applicants will be invited to participate in our group interview process which will be held the weekend of Saturday January 25, 2025 - Sunday January 26, 2025. A first-round decision will be made on who will continue to the individual interviews. Invitations will be sent via Rutgers email to those candidates. Candidates who are not proceeding to the next round will also be notified.
- Individual Interviews
- Orientation Coordinators: Select applicants will be invited to participate in the individual interview process. Applicants will have the opportunity to select a 45 minute interview that will be conducted with at least 2 staff members. Individual interviews will be held February 3, 2025 - February 6, 2025.
- Offers, Work Agreements and New Hire Welcome
- Orientation Coordinators: Notification of final staff selection will be done via Rutgers email on Friday February 7, 2025. In order to accept the offer, newly selected staff must acknowledge and sign the employment agreement by February 14, 2025 at Noon. First Orientation Coordinator staff meeting will be the Week of February 17, 2025
- New Hire Welcome will be Sunday April 6, 2025 for all staff from 1-3PM
- Timeline - Orientation Leader
- Application
- The application will be available starting November 1, 2024. Interested students will receive an application link after attending an information session or reviewing informational video on the details of the Orientation Team position, criteria, benefits and time commitments. Applications are due December 1, 2024 at 11:59pm EST.
- Group Interviews
- Select applicants will be invited to participate in our group interview process which will be held the weekend of Saturday January 25, 2025 - Sunday January 26, 2025. A first-round decision will be made on who will continue to the individual interviews. Invitations will be sent via Rutgers email to those candidates. Candidates who are not proceeding to the next round will also be notified.
- Individual Interviews
- Orientation Leaders: Select applicants will be invited to participate in the individual interview process. Applicants will have the opportunity to select a 30 minute interview that will be conducted with 2 staff members. Individual interviews will be held February 10, 2025 - February 21, 2025.
- Offers, Work Agreements and New Hire Welcome
- Orientation Leaders: Notification of final staff selection will be done via Rutgers email on Friday March 7, 2025. In order to accept the offer, newly selected staff must acknowledge and sign the employment agreement by Monday, March 17, 2025 at Noon.
- New Hire Welcome will be Sunday April 6, 2025 for all staff from 1-3PM
- Who can apply? Can I apply to both positions?
- Qualifications for both positions:
- GPA: Must currently have and continue to maintain by the end of spring 2025 a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA to be an Orientation Leader and a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA to be an Orientation Coordinator. GPAs for first-year students will be checked in after fall 2024 grades are posted.
- Be enrolled as a matriculating student at Rutgers University - New Brunswick for the Fall 2025 semester
- Applicants must not be on student conduct probation or have any active sanctions with the University
- International students must currently have a VISA and Workers Permit that allows them to work in the US. Able to work 40 hours per week.
- Must be available for ALL summer trainings and sessions
- No summer classes
- No other summer jobs (unless approved by a professional staff supervisor)
- Additional qualifications for Orientation Coordinators only:
- Available for our Spring Team Meetings starting the Week of February 17th, 2025
- At least a second-year class standing
- Previous employment and/or leadership experience (required)
- If you meet both sets of qualifications listed above and both jobs align with your interests, you can apply to both positions! Past orientation experience is not required. New transfer students are eligible to both positions as long as they meet the qualifications of the position.
- Compensation and Benefits
- Pay: The compensation for our Orientation Coordinators is $16.24 (pre-tax) and $15.49/hour (pre-tax) for our Orientation Leaders. Both positions have the opportunity to earn overtime pay and staff will be paid on a bi-weekly during the course of the summer.
- Housing Accommodation: On-campus housing accommodations for summer 2025
- Meals: Select meals provided during all orientation sessions and select training sessions
- Personal and professional development: You will have the opportunity to develop essential career competencies sought out by employers for internships and post-graduation positions.
- Cool Swag: Members of the OTeam will be provided with some swag to help look good, feel good, and work well all summer long.
Hear From Past OTeam Members
Wonder what the summer experience is like? The benefits and skills you will obtain? View the videos below to hear from past Orientation staff!
- Leah, School of Arts and Sciences
“As a commuter student, I initially joined the O-Team in an effort to make connections and feel apart of Rutgers. I would’ve never imagined making lifelong friends and memories that I couldn’t forget if I tried. Being a part of the O-Team not only gave me so much insight into resources on campus, but it gave me the confidence to be my best self as a leader, student, and individual overall.”
- Patrick, School of Communication and Information
“Going into both summers I’ve worked for Orientation I always wanted to be that guide to help new students and I’ve gained so much more as well. Whether it be skills like public speaking, communication, teamwork, and leadership or gaining some very close friends due to the bonds we made over the course of the summer. That’s what’s memorable to me, being able to help others while also being able to gain new people in my life and new skills to use down the line.”
- Aadi, Rutgers Business School
“I would recommend people to join the O-team for its' supportive culture and to build lasting relationships. As cliché as the former reason sounds, this sense of belonging kept me motivated to come to work every day. The Professional Staff does an outstanding job of creating an inclusive and friendly culture, which creates a ripple effect on the whole team. Rutgers is a large university, and it can be challenging at times to find a smaller community where you belong. After working on the O-team, I can proudly say that my world got smaller - in the best possible way. “
Have a Question...We have the Answers:
- What is it like being a part of the Orientation Team?
Being a part of the OTeam is an incredibly fun and rewarding experience that is likely to make this a summer to remember! Check out the videos above and hear from some of our former OTeam members about their experience!!
- Is this a paid Internship?
Yes! This can be your paid summer internship! Orientation Coordinators and Orientation Leaders are paid summer positions that will develop your skills/abilities for your future career – leadership, communication, teamwork, and more! This opportunity offers fantastic work experience in a healthy environment that will challenge you while being surrounded by supportive supervisors.
- What types of characteristics are you looking for in Orientation Team candidates?
The O-Team is made up of students who are passionate about Rutgers with a desire to make incoming students feel at-home and prepared On The Banks. The students in both positions come from a diverse array of majors, school affiliations, interests, identities and personalities!
People assume that all orientation staff need to be outgoing, high energy and extroverted. However, that is not true. There is no defined list of characteristics we look for when creating our orientation team. Each individual’s uniqueness is what makes our program so special. However, some of the qualities we look for in our leaders include school spirit, cooperation, management skills, adaptability to change, and work ethic.
- Do I have to have a specific major, have previous work experience, or be a part of a lot of organizations on campus?
All majors are welcome! We will be welcoming thousands of students representing every school and major that Rutgers has to offer, and we would love for our staff to reflect that diversity. Even if you have never had a job before, you should still apply for our Orientation Leader role! All staff members will be trained extensively in the necessary areas to provide them with the skills and knowledge to deliver a fantastic orientation experience to all incoming students. It is alright if you are not a part of many clubs and organizations at Rutgers! We love to see our staff members involved and engaged with the Rutgers community, but this may look different from person to person.
- During the spring/summer/fall, what is the time commitment and typical work week like for the Orientation staff?
Orientation Coordinators (OCs) do have spring 2025 commitments starting the week of February 17th, which include weekly office hours and meetings. Orientation Leaders (OLs) have some spring 2025 semester commitments. Both positions assist us with helping to welcome our new students back in the fall during Welcome Week. More specific information can be found in the position descriptions above.
The majority of time commitment is during summer 2025 and includes training and orientation sessions. Summer work weeks will consist of sessions with most weekends off. Training for our OTeam starts at the end of May for orientation coordinators and early June for our orientation leaders. During summer sessions between late-June to early-August, the daily work schedule will consist of Monday - Friday with some variation on start and end time depending on the day (e.g. 7am/8am - 6pm/10:30pm). Expect to be working full time with opportunities for overtime compensation. Breaks during the sessions are included and we do include one short vacation for all staff around the 4th of July. A more detailed schedule of specific dates will be shared during the spring 2025 group/individual interviews.
- Can I work another job or take a summer class while working on the Orientation team? What about vacations and time off?
We do not allow orientation staff members to take classes or work another job during the summer unless it is approved by a professional staff supervisor. The time commitment from end of May to early-August for our orientation staff makes it very difficult to take classes during the summer. If you are considering taking courses, please meet with a professional staff member to discuss this further. If permitted to have another job during the summer, the hours must not conflict with your job as an orientation staff member.
Vacations, while not impossible to take, are dictated by the orientation summer schedule. Each year staff receive time off around the 4th of July for a short break. Aside from those set days, staff will not be excused from work for any reasons other than illness/a personal or family emergency.
- Can I have another leadership position on campus and still be a part of the Orientation Team (OLs and OCs)?
Yes. You can apply for other leadership positions and still be part of our orientation team.
We encourage you to consider other student leadership opportunities if you are hoping to get involved on campus! Student leadership opportunities on campus include the following:
