Social Science Research Scholar

The anticipated start date for this position is September 1, 2027. To be considered, please submit your application by January 10, 2027.

The Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE) is dedicated to solving education's greatest challenges. Through rigorous research, model training programs and partnerships with educators worldwide, we're pursuing equitable, accessible and effective learning for all. The GSE is a top-ranked school of education, known for its prestigious faculty, rigorous graduate degree programs, and its impact on the quality of education across the world.

The GSE is committed to developing leaders in education research, practice and policy. Our community includes over 60 faculty, 400 students, 230 staff, 14,000 alumni and countless individuals from the local and global communities that we work with and impact.

Reporting to Anne H. Charity Hudley, Ph.D., Principal Investigator of the Black Academic Development Lab at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, the Academic Staff Researcher will lead the design and development of a culturally grounded, standards-aligned 5th Grade English Language Arts curriculum rooted in Afrocentric education and Black liberation pedagogy. This work directly advances Stanford GSE's mission to produce groundbreaking research and model programs that achieve equitable, accessible, and effective learning for all.

Working in deep partnership with an independent Afrocentric PreK–8 school in Oakland dedicated to centering Black history, culture, and liberation in every aspect of student learning, this role centers community co-design as a core value — embedding the researcher within the school community as an active, invested collaborator rather than an outside observer, spending at least two days per week on‑site alongside teachers, administrators, and school leadership.

The curriculum developed in this role is intended not only to serve current students but to function as a replicable model for Afrocentric and Black-centered elementary schools nationwide, making this a position of both local impact and national significance. The researcher will also contribute at least two days per week to Stanford-based projects focused on Black Language and Culture practice and pedagogy, working at the intersection of rigorous academic scholarship and transformative, community-driven educational practice.

Additional Notes
Will need to spend at least two days a week developing curriculum alongside teachers and leadership at the partnered middle school
Will need to spend at least two days at Stanford to work on secondary projects related to Black Language and Culture practice and pedagogy
Will demonstrate full engagement and immersion at the middle school site, contributing as an active member of the school community rather than approaching the role as an outside observer

The candidate will work closely with educators, administrators, and staff at the Oakland partner school, conducting in‑person visits to gather input on curriculum structure, content priorities, and community vision. This community‑centered, co‑design approach is central to the position The candidate would work two days a week in Oakland, CA at the school site and at least two days a week on site at Stanford.

• A full, standards-aligned 5th Grade ELA supplemental curriculum aligned with the current curriculum, grounded in Afrocentric and Black liberation frameworks, including detailed unit plans, lesson plans, and a comprehensive teaching guide.

• Draft materials suitable for piloting in the 5th‑grade classroom during the 2027–2028 school year.

• A curriculum designed to serve as a replicable model that can be shared with and adapted by other…