Job Details

Seasonal Reader for the Stanford GSB MBA Admissions Office

Stanford Graduate School of Business

Residing in Silicon Valley, the heart of innovation, Stanford GSB has built a global reputation based on its immersive and innovative management programs. We provide students a transformative leadership experience, push the boundaries of knowledge with faculty research, and offer a portfolio of entrepreneurial and non-degree programs that deliver global impact like no other. We strive to change lives, change organizations, and change the world.

The MBA Admissions team is seeking a few seasonal readers to round out the team for the 2025-2026 academic year. In a highly selective admissions process, seasonal readers help the MBA Admissions Office evaluate candidates' application materials (e.g. academic transcripts, career history, letters of recommendation, personal essays, etc.) and recommend decisions based on our Evaluation Criteria, which include how candidates think, how they lead, and how they see the world.

In a typical year, seasonal readers work up to 18 weeks per season within the three application rounds (early September through early November, early January through late February, and early April through early May).

In a reader's first year, there will be a month-long intensive training program starting the last week of July and ending the last week of August, followed by 30-40 hours of reading per week during each application round. The reading season will last through early May 2026. All evaluation work is performed remotely.

While seasonal readers do not need to be located in the San Francisco Bay Area, they must be available for periodic meetings held during standard business hours (9AM to 5PM) for the Pacific Standard Time Zone and have the ability to travel to the Stanford campus for a few days in early September every year.

Pay range starts at $40/hour, depending on experience.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Your primary responsibilities include:

• Holistically evaluate MBA candidates' applications according to our Evaluation Criteria
• Write decision recommendations with clear rationales

To be successful in this position, you will bring:

• Bachelor's degree and at least three years of relevant experience or a combination of education and experience
• Experience in a field with exposure to pre-MBA and post-MBA roles, or experience and skill in Admissions
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to review and assess qualitative information
• Superb attention to detail
• Strong sense of confidentiality and ability to maintain it
• Demonstrated ability to respect and encourage diverse perspectives
• Absolute dependability and strong time management skills
• Ability to commit to the role for a minimum of 3 years, given the steep learning curve.
• Please do not apply if you are only able to work 1-2 years or if you have another full-time job commitment
• Commitment to work up to 40 hours/week in the following periods: mid-September through early November, early January through late February, the month of April. Hours worked do not need to occur during standard business hours, but weekly goals and deadlines must be met
• Proactive spirit for problem solving and innovation
• User knowledge of Google Workspace, particularly Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides

In addition, our preferred requirements include:

• Advanced degree; MBA preferred
• Previous experience in Admissions or leadership assessment experience
• Ability to work evenings or weekends occasionally
• Experience with Slate is a plus

Timeline:

Mandatory training will start on 28 July 2025 and last through 29 August 2025. The reading season will begin in early September, including two on-campus meeting days, and last through early May 2026.

To Apply:

Please email your resume and cover letter to Chelsea Sun (...@stanford.edu) by April 15, 2025. Interviews will take place during April and May, with offers extended by June.