Receptionist

Job Title

Receptionist

Agency

Texas A&M Engineering

Department

Space Institute

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Houston, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Why work for Texas A&M Engineering?

Engineering has been part of Texas A&M University since its opening in 1876 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. Today, the College of Engineering is the largest college on the College Station campus with more than 25,000 engineering students enrolled in 15 departments. Its mission is to serve Texas, the nation and the global community by providing engineering graduates who are well-founded in engineering fundamentals, instilled with the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior, and prepared to meet the complex technical challenges of society.

As the research arm of Engineering, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) is a state agency within the Texas A&M University System with a mission to improve lives through basic and applied engineering research, workforce development and technology transition. Our collaborations with industry, academia and government provide cutting-edge solutions to global technical challenges.

We are deeply committed to recruiting and retaining a talented workforce that embraces our core values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Service, by offering competitive salaries, an array of benefits, an extensive support network, and above all, an enriching and highly collaborative working community that is deeply passionate about our vision for higher education, research, and public service.

Job Description

Purpose:

The Administrative Coordinator I, under general supervision, provides front-facing administrative support for the Texas A&M University Space Institute in Houston. This position serves as the initial point of contact for visitors, tenants, and stakeholders and ensures a professional and welcoming environment. The Administrative Coordinator supports the Assistant Director and Institute staff by coordinating administrative activities, managing communications, and assisting with operational functions. This role plays a key part in maintaining cohesion across Institute operations.

Responsibilities:

60% Administrative Operations

• Manages incoming calls, emails, and inquiries, providing accurate information or routing requests to appropriate staff
• Maintains front office operations, ensuring a professional, organized, and welcoming environment
• Coordinates receipt and distribution of mail, packages, and deliveries
• Maintains administrative records, documents, and reference materials
• Coordinates inventory and ordering of office supplies and materials
• Assists with documenting and maintaining office procedures to support efficient operations
• Provides administrative support to the Assistant Director and Institute staff by coordinating meetings, managing communications, and assisting with day-to-day operational activities across functional areas
• Supports onboarding logistics for staff, partners, and visitors as needed
• Serves as a central point for internal coordination, helping ensure staff needs are addressed efficiently

40% Front Desk Operations

• Serves as the first point of contact and front-facing representative of the Institute, ensuring a professional and positive experience for tenants, staff, and visitors
• Provides customer service support to tenants and external stakeholders, including responding to inquiries and assisting with facility access
• Coordinates visitor check-in processes, including access and basic orientation as needed
• Supports scheduling-related coordination by assisting the Lead Scheduler and team with meeting setup and logistics
• Assists with development and distribution of Institute communications, including tenant notifications, operational updates, and administrative announcements
• Helps ensure consistency and cohesion across the Texas A&M operational presence within the Institute
• Performs additional administrative and operational duties as required to support Institute activities

What We Need:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Three (3) years of related experience

Other Requirements:

• This position is security sensitive and requires United States Citizenship only.

What is Helpful:

• Experience in a front desk, reception, or customer-facing role
• Experience working in higher education, research, or multi-tenant environments
• Experience providing administrative support across multiple teams
• Experience coordinating with external stakeholders or partners

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills with a professional and welcoming demeanor
• Ability to multitask and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively across diverse teams and stakeholder groups
• Attention to detail and ability to exercise sound judgment

Work Location:

• Houston, TX.

About Space Institute

The Texas A&M University Space Institute will advance commercial, government, military, and academic research and development partnerships in support of national and international space endeavors. With a $200 million investment from the State of Texas, a 400,000 square foot facility is under construction at NASA-Johnson Space Center's Exploration Park. This unique facility, featuring the world's largest indoor climate-controlled landscapes to emulate surface operations on the moon and Mars, is expected to open in the fall of 2026 and will support space system research, testing, training, and workforce development initiatives.

Texas A&M Engineering provides an outstanding benefits package including but not limited to:

• Competitive medical insurance benefits through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and Prescription coverage by Express Scripts.
• Options for Vision, Dental, Life, and Long-Term Disability insurance.
• A defined benefit retirement plan with the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) with 8.25% employer contribution.
• Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Deferred Account 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation Program 457(b).
• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
• Generous paid time off with holidays, vacation and sick leave.
• Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional development opportunities.
• Tuition assistance and Educational release time to further your academic pursuits.
• Access to Engineer Your Wellness programs that provide opportunities for employees to engage in health and fitness.
• Wellness release time offered to employees to promote work/life balance.

 

Helpful Applicant Information

Required Materials for Application:

• Resume/CV
• Three work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor/former supervisor.
• Letter of interest

 

Applications received by Texas A&M Engineering must have all required job application data entered.

Failure to provide all job application data could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application.

Compensation Philosophy:

• Recruit and retain a high-performing workforce through competitive compensation and career development including career pathing, coaching and skills development.
• Recognize and reward exceptional performance based on individual and team contributions to the growth and success of Texas A&M Engineering.
• Offer total rewards through flexible benefits, professional development, and work-life balance. Maintain an equitable and transparent process for compensation decisions.
• Support, reinforce, and align compensation decisions with budgetary and financial strategies to ensure growth and sustainability.

Employment Eligibility Verification

• If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in delay of start date.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.