The GGSC Is Hiring an Education Director!

September 18, 2026

The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley (GGSC) is hiring an Education Program Director to lead our Greater Good Education program, which works to build kinder, happier schools where everyone belongs.

To apply, visit the public job posting. Current UC Berkeley employees should apply through UCPath.

You can also find the position through UC Berkeley’s Jobs page by searching for Job ID: 88470. Applications must be submitted through the UC Berkeley Jobs system in order to be considered.

We strongly encourage you to apply by October 9, 2026.

About the Greater Good Education Program

The GGSC’s Greater Good Education (GGE) program gives education professionals practical, scientific insights that help them bring the science of well-being and flourishing into their lives, schools, and classrooms. It draws on disciplines such as social-emotional learning, mindfulness, character education, and related topics. GGE’s goal is to help education professionals better understand the roots of kind, helpful—or “prosocial”—behavior and emotional well-being and how they can build those skills in themselves, their colleagues, and their students.

GGE resources include our pioneering Greater Good in Education website, which offers more than 350 actionable, research-based practices and has engaged several million users; a suite of online courses that support student and educator well-being; Greater Good articles that share the latest education-related research and its practical application in classrooms and schools; and Greater Good Educators, a community of practice program that brings together educators from around the world to learn with and from each other about the keys to individual and collective well-being in education.

About This Position

This position will serve as the Greater Good Education (GGE) Program Director, overseeing the program’s mission to build kinder, happier schools where everyone belongs. They will lead the short- and long-term planning for GGE, shaping the program’s goals, strategy, key activities, and funding model, working closely with the GGSC’s executive director on fundraising for the program and ensuring that the program’s direction aligns with the direction of the GGSC as a whole. The director also supervises a team that includes GGE’s Associate Director, Program Coordinator, Director of Learning Communities, Director of Educational Partnerships, Marketing Specialist, and Communications Specialist.

The GGE Program Director will oversee all GGE program content, partnerships, and other activities, including trainings, evaluation, and communities of practice. They will also oversee the development of a new GGE program, Greater Good Schools, that will focus on integrating Greater Good values into the fabric of entire schools and districts.

The successful candidate must have experience working in K-12 education, ideally as an educator, school mental health professional, or leader, and possess a strong grasp of the science of social-emotional learning, mindfulness, character development, and other prosocial research related to education, as well as skill in communicating this science. They must also have an entrepreneurial spirit and a command of nonprofit strategy, development, and management.

Responsibilities

Lead Program Strategy and Development

  • Lead short- and long-term strategic planning for Greater Good Education (GGE), shaping the program’s goals, strategy, key activities, and funding model, in collaboration with the GGSC’s executive director and GGE program staff.
  • Identify and pursue funding opportunities for GGE, working in concert with the GGSC’s executive director, deputy director, and development director.
  • Write grant proposals to support GGE—in collaboration with the GGSC’s executive director, deputy director, and development director, along with the GGE team—and oversee the implementation and reporting on grants awarded to the program.
  • Lead the budgeting process for GGE and oversee the program coordinator’s work tracking program expenses.
  • Develop and maintain educational partnerships, helping to field-build and nurture a strong network of experts and practitioners. Oversee and collaborate with the Director of Educational Partnerships on new and ongoing partnerships.
  • Oversee and support the marketing and communications of GGE’s offerings by the marketing and communications specialists.
  • Contribute to short- and long-term strategic planning for the Greater Good Science Center as a whole, aligning GGE’s goals with those of the Center.

Oversee Program Activities

  • Oversee the development of a new Greater Good Schools program as part of a two-year, grant-funded exploratory and design process, working closely with members of the GGE team who will be researching the opportunities, potential challenges, optimal model, and partners for the program.
  • In collaboration with the GGE team, synthesize the findings from this exploratory process in a final plan for Greater Good Schools that includes its program design, target audience, potential collaborators, marketing plan, financial model, and basic evaluation plan. Then lead fundraising and implementation for this plan.
  • Oversee and support the design, implementation, and evaluation of GGE’s activities that offer direct support to educators, including its Greater Good Educators program, quarterly community meetings, and partnership with California’s statewide CalHOPE Schools initiative.
  • Stay up-to-date on the latest research on prosocial education and oversee content creation for the Greater Good in Education website and the education section of the Greater Good online magazine, ensuring that GGE meets its program goals and fulfills commitments to funders and partners. Write or edit content as time permits.
  • Oversee the management of the Greater Good in Education website by the GGE program coordinator, providing input on the site’s design and development to ensure that they align with program goals and direction.
  • Time permitting, attend and/or present keynotes and workshops at conferences.
  • Work with the GGE team on metrics for evaluating the program’s success. Oversee the collection, analysis, and reporting of program data, often working with an outside evaluator.

Management

  • Manage the six-person education team, including supervising and supporting their day-to-day work, overseeing their schedules and priorities through regular check-ins, and completing performance reviews.
  • Attend weekly GGE team meetings and monthly GGSC staff meetings. Participate in discussions about GGE and GGSC operations and strategic direction.
  • Participate in monthly GGSC Directors’ meetings and the GGSC’s annual staff retreat.

Required Qualifications

  • Deep knowledge of the education field, especially the landscape of social-emotional learning, mindfulness, and/or character education, including research and best practices
  • Knowledge of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging practices in K-12 schools
  • Experience designing and implementing educational programs
  • Experience working in K-12 education
  • Exceptional organizational and project management skills
  • Exceptional writing skills, including for grant writing and reporting
  • At least five years of experience in nonprofit program or organizational management
  • Experience with budgets and fundraising, particularly with foundations
  • Strong people management skills, including the ability to set a positive tone; recognize and provide opportunities for team members to use their strengths; demonstrate a positive work ethic with integrity; communicate with transparency and kindness; resolve conflicts in a timely and positive way; solve problems and make decisions with input from the team; and hold, communicate, and implement the vision of the program.
  • Advanced degree in education, psychology, sociology, or other related field; Ph.D. preferred

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with evaluation, including survey, interview, and focus group design and administration, and quantitative and qualitative analyses
  • Exceptional ability to make scientific research feel relevant, understandable, and inclusive to diverse, non-academic audiences, whether in written or oral communication
  • Excellent public speaking and facilitation skills
  • Experience and comfort working with Google Workspace and Zoom

Salary & Benefits

This is a full-time, career appointment, eligible for full UC benefits. The annual salary ranges from $120,000–$125,000/year plus benefits.

This position also offers UC Berkeley’s wide array of high-quality benefit plans, including:

  • Comprehensive health plans
  • A valuable pension plan
  • Vacation and sick accrual
  • Optional retirement savings opportunities

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University of California, please visit: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html

This is a remote-eligible position (within the United States). Exact arrangements are determined in partnership with your supervisor to meet role responsibilities and department needs and are subject to change.

How to Apply

To apply, submit your resume and cover letter through the appropriate UC Berkeley Jobs posting:

You can also visit UC Berkeley’s Jobs page and search for this position using Job ID: 88470.

Applications must be submitted through the UC Berkeley Jobs system in order to be considered.

We strongly encourage you to apply by October 9, 2026. The review process for applications will begin on October 12, 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis after that, until the position is filled. Due to the high volume of applications that the GGSC typically receives, only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

About the Greater Good Science Center

The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley (GGSC) studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being and teaches skills that foster a thriving, resilient, and compassionate society. Over more than two decades, the GGSC has provided a bridge between scientists and the public, turning research findings into practical resources that support well-being for all. Since its founding, the Center has highlighted the importance of building social connection not only within communities but across groups, offering practical strategies for overcoming bias and prejudice, expanding one’s circle of care, and promoting diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

The GGSC’s organizational culture prioritizes independence, rigor, and the well-being of its members. Staff members enjoy autonomy and flexibility while working in a culture that encourages teamwork, connection, and collaboration. The GGSC welcomes a diversity of experiences and perspectives to inform its work and strives to operate internally by the values that drive its public-facing programs: empathy, compassion, joy, forgiveness, appreciation, and cooperation. Recognizing that the science we cover has been shaped by systemic biases and inequities, we aim to address and correct for these prejudices whenever possible—a goal on which we elaborate in Greater Good’s Diversity Statement and Greater Good in Education’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion