California Federation of Teachers, AFT, AFL-CIO
 

Research Director

Based out of the Sacramento, Burbank or Emeryville Offices

 

Position: Research Director 
Employment Starts: ASAP 
Location: CFT Sacramento, Burbank or Emeryville Offices
Salary Range: $102,802 – $143,653 (Steps 1 – 5 on a ten step schedule, depending on qualifications and experience), plus full employee fringe benefit package: health, dental and vision plans and retirement program.
Deadline to apply: February 9, 2026

The CFT, A Union of Teachers and Classified Professionals, represents school employees, certificated and classified, at every level of public and private education — preschool and Head Start, TK-12 public and private schools, community colleges, private higher education, and the University of California.

The Research Director will work under the direction of the CFT Senior Director of Statewide Programs. The Research Director is in charge of the CFT Research Department and has the responsibility of keeping up-to-date on education finance, budget analysis of Head Start, early childhood and child care, elementary, high school and unified districts, community colleges, University of California, and private sector education institutions. This position will generate reports on the education finance, statewide salary and benefit data to both CFT staff and local leaders that have comparability studies related to the jurisdictions represented by the CFT, be available for consultation for negotiations, and conduct training sessions for CFT staff and local leaders on these assigned subjects. The Research Director will provide information for presentation.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Designing and disseminating studies of budget and benefit comparisons for all CFT represented jurisdictions
• Keeping up to date on trends in education finance in both public and private sectors
• Training CFT staff and local leaders on state and local budgets
• Preparing materials that may be published internal or external
• Representing the CFT at conferences, workshops, seminars and meetings
• Assisting CFT locals in budget analysis in negotiations 
• Strategic research to support organizing efforts and other campaigns
• Distributing to CFT staff and local leaders most recent information concerning education finance and policy
• Current California driver's license

Qualifications and Experience:

• Knowledge of the critical issues and problems facing education in California and the nation
• Knowledge of the labor movement and collective bargaining in California
• Knowledge of state and district budget forms and practices
• Knowledge of the California Education Code
• Knowledge of California public employment relations laws
• Ability to work in a high-pressure environment
• Ability to work rapidly and accurately in peak/busy periods
• Ability to strategize, organize and set priorities
• Ability to secure relevant, contract, budget, salary and benefit information
• Ability to make decisions, render judgments and take appropriate action
• Ability to work independently with a minimum of supervision
• Ability to research work-related questions in appropriate sources
• Ability to accurately and coherently compose correspondence
• Ability to make public presentations to audiences in a range of venues
• Ability to design and present training sessions

Applicants for the Research Director position should be able to demonstrate commitment to improving education and to the labor movement, a willingness to work long and irregular hours, an ability to communicate effectively with a diverse staff and membership, and an organizing approach to the job.

All CFT professional employees must become members of the CFT staff union, CFTFRU.

CFT requires proof of vaccination as a condition of employment.

To Apply:
Submit letter of application, résumé, references and at least three samples of the applicant’s written samples to: hr@cft.org

If you have any questions, please call or email Daniel Martin, Chief of Staff at (707) 853-0895 or dmartin@cft.org.

The CFT is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer.