Carnegie Mellon University

*Personal Assistant Role*

Start Date: As soon as the perfect fit is found

Hours: 9 AM - 5 pm

Hourly Rate: $29.50+

Full university employee benefits (health, vision, dental and retirement planning). 

Paid Vacation:

• 11 Paid holidays
• 1.42 days of PTO accrued per month
• Winter break: approximately Dec 24 - Jan 1. 

Employment: This individual will be hired and employed directly by Carnegie Mellon University.

Parking is available at a nearby lot for $150/month or public transportation is accessible. 

Requirements:

• A high school diploma or equivalent
• Approximately at least 1–3 years of relevant work or life experience are preferred
• You'll need a valid driver's license, dependable transportation
• physical ability to safely provide hands-on mobility support
• A good sense of humor.
• The ability to jump in without being asked.
• The belief that caregiving is about people—not just tasks.

Parking is standard CMU rates, however, the university is willing to ensure hourly rate is competitive to cover parking considerations. 

WHO/WHAT: This may be one of the most unique assistant positions we've ever recruited for—and we already know the person you'll be working alongside is pretty fantastic.

We recently had the privilege of helping this university leader build out his support team at home, and here's what we quickly discovered: people genuinely love meeting him. Candidate after candidate walked away from conversations excited about the opportunity to work alongside him. So, when we were asked to help find the right person to join him during his workday at Carnegie Mellon University too, we couldn't wait to jump back in.

Here's what makes this role interesting: it's part Executive Assistant, part Personal Assistant, and entirely about being the kind of person who knows how to jump in wherever you're needed. You'll be hired and employed directly by Carnegie Mellon University, working alongside one of its department heads throughout his workday.

And we mean alongside him pretty literally.

His days are filled with meetings, colleagues, students, campus events, and all the moving pieces that come with leading a university department. Some of your day will be spent at your own desk just outside his office, partnering with his Executive Assistant and helping support the department head's office. Other parts of the day, you'll be up and moving with him—accompanying him across campus, helping him get from one meeting to the next, carrying his laptop, documents, or other materials, retrieving what he needs, helping him get settled, grabbing lunch or a drink, and generally making the logistics of a busy workday easier.

Think less sitting behind a desk waiting to be needed and more trusted right hand who moves through the day with him.

A neuromuscular condition has limited his mobility, which adds one unique component to this otherwise professional assistant position. Occasionally, he'll need some hands-on personal assistance—perhaps helping reposition his legs so he can stretch or, less frequently, assisting with a restroom need. These moments aren't expected to consume much of your day, but being comfortable stepping in with kindness, discretion, and absolutely no awkwardness is an important part of the job.

When he's working independently or in meetings where your presence isn't needed, you'll have your own workspace in the outer office and can help his Executive Assistant with administrative tasks and the day-to-day workings of the department head's office.

And when he's traveling or spending time at his home in Florida, your job doesn't disappear. You'll continue working on campus as his representative, partnering with his Executive Assistant and helping keep the department head's office running smoothly.

THE IDEAL TEAMMATE: You're that wonderfully rare combination of polished professional and genuinely helpful human. You can interact confidently with faculty, staff, students, guests, and university leadership—and then, five minutes later, grab the laptop, hold the door, figure out where the next meeting is, and make sure everyone gets there with what they need.

You're dependable, organized, adaptable, discreet, and full of common sense. You can read a room. You know when to walk alongside him, when to jump in, when to quietly handle something in the background, and when to give him space to do his job. You don't believe any reasonable task is beneath you, and you don't need someone continually telling you what comes next.

Just as importantly, you're someone people genuinely enjoy being around. He has a fantastic sense of humor, and you're going to spend a lot of your workweek together. The best fit will be someone who can laugh with him, build an easy and respectful working relationship, and understand that excellent support is as much about trust and relationships as it is about getting things done.

THIS IS NOT A MEDICAL CAREGIVING POSITION. You do not need to be a CNA, HHA, or have specialized medical certifications. Previous caregiving or personal-assistance experience could certainly be helpful, but we're equally interested in candidates from administrative support, education, hospitality, social work, household management, or other people-centered roles.

What matters most is finding someone who can comfortably live in both worlds: professional enough to represent a university department head and caring enough to step in when he personally needs you.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

• Work alongside and provide day-to-day support to a Carnegie Mellon University department head.
• Accompany him between meetings, events, offices, and other locations across campus.
• Help make transitions throughout his day easier, including carrying belongings, laptops, documents, and meeting materials and helping him get settled where he needs to be.
• Retrieve meals, drinks, materials, or other items as needed throughout the workday.
• Maintain your own workspace outside his office and remain available when he needs assistance.
• Partner with his Executive Assistant and provide additional support to the department head's office.
• Assist with documents, meeting materials, standard office equipment, and basic computer-related tasks.
• Provide occasional hands-on personal assistance related to his limited mobility.
• Interact professionally and warmly with faculty, staff, students, guests, and university partners.
• Serve as an on-campus representative and continue supporting the department head's office when he is traveling.
• Jump in with administrative, logistical, or practical support as the workday requires.

QUALIFICATIONS: Your résumé might say Administrative Assistant. Personal Assistant. Caregiver. Educator. Hospitality Professional. Household Manager. Or something we haven't thought of yet.

We're much more interested in finding the right human than checking every box on a résumé.

If you're looking for meaningful work, enjoy being part of a busy university environment, and happen to be equally good at keeping up with a department head and making his day a little easier, we have a feeling you're going to love this one. Apply today!

QUALIFICATIONS: Your résumé might say Executive Assistant. Administrative Assistant. Personal Assistant. Caregiver. Educator. Hospitality professional. Household Manager. Or something we haven't thought of yet.

We're much more interested in finding the right human than checking every box on a résumé.

If you're looking for meaningful work, love being part of a busy and interesting professional environment, and happen to be equally good at supporting an executive and supporting a person, we have a feeling you're going to love this one. Apply today!