Post a job

Teacher, Head Start

On-site Los Angeles, United States full time

  Job Title:  

Teacher, Head Start  

Reports to:  

Regional Education Manager

Division/Department:  

University Relations/School for Early Childhood Education  

Job Location:  

Los Angeles  

Direct Reports:  

None  

USC’s School for Early Childhood Education is dedicated to providing comprehensive, high-quality early childhood education services to children and their families in the South Los Angeles area. Founded in 1970 as a teaching school for future early-childhood professionals, the USC School for Early Childhood Education (USC SECE) seeks to promote school readiness, health/nutrition, mental wellness, and family engagement. Today, our licensed Head Start and Early Head Start centers serve more than 500 infants and pre-school children and their parents each year. We are seeking enthusiastic, creative, dynamic, and team-oriented individuals who enjoy working with children while fostering a supportive learning environment.  

Job Overview:  

The Teacher, Head Start is responsible for initiating, planning, and implementing education program within the classroom in accordance with the policies procedures and philosophy of Head Start Federal and State regulations. With the assistance of assigned program staff, this role facilitates the personal care, learning and development of a group of preschool children over the age of 2.5 years old.  

Responsibilities and Duties:  

  • Leads the planning and implementation of personal care, daily educational and recreational activities.  

  • Prepares learning environmen t. Sets up materials for individual/group instruction. Maintains the ongoing health, safety and upkeep of the learning environment.  

  • In conjunction with stakeholders, ensures program meets all applicable childcare requirements (e.g., licensing, health and safety, accreditation standards).  

  • Confers with licensing, health and safety, and social service personnel as required .  

  • Provide s relationship-based care in daily routines such as mealtime, toileting, hand washing, and napping for infants or toddlers; and/or preschool age children.  

  • Plan s and implemen t s developmentally appropriate curriculu m .  

  • Collaborate s with team on developing and implementing daily lesson plans.  

  • Conduct s assessments, develop s individual development plans and record s ongoing observations of children in assigned groups.  

  • Prepare s and conduct s parent-teacher conferences and home visits for each child in the assigned classroom environment/setting according to schedule of requirements.  

  • Conduct s home visits for each child in the assigned classroom according to schedule of requirements.  

  • Utilize s classroom materials and routines to promote an environment conductive to appropriate levels of development, interests, and specific needs of the children.  

  • Maintain s effective and professional relationships with enrolled families.  

  • Maintain s a safe and healthy classroom environment in accordance with Head Start Program Performance Standards, Title 5, and Title 22 Regulations.  

  • Attend s regular staff meetings as scheduled by Site Supervisor and Administration.  

  • Perform s additional duties as assigned by Site Supervisor, Associate Director, Assistant Director and Administration.  

  • Encourages a workplace culture where all employees are valued, value others and have the opportunity to contribute through their ideas, words and actions, in accordance with the USC Code of Ethics.  

Minimum Qualifications:  

  • Associate's degree in early childhood education, child development, or related field; c ombined experience/education as substitute for minimum education .  

  • 1 year of experience in e arly childhood education .  

  • Teacher Permit or permit eligible (24 ECE units, including 9 units Core Courses (Child Growth and Development, Child, Family and Community, and Curriculum) .  

  • BLS/CPR Infant and Child First Aid/CPR certification .    

  •   Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Certification must be obtained within the first year.    

Preferred Qualifications:  

  • Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, child development, or related field .  

  • 2 years of experience in e arly childhood education .  

  • Ability to create and implement daily curriculum plans.  

  • Ability to work well harmoniously in a multi-cultural team.  

  • Ability to promote a feeling of security and trust in infants and toddlers, and preschool age children by being warm, supportive, and comforting.  

  • A caring, compassionate approach to working with children and families as well as maintaining an open, friendly, and cooperative relationship with each child’s family.  

  • Awareness of safe lifting techniques for lifting children, supplies and furnishings and commitment to using preventive health measures in the classroom to prevent the spread of disease.  

Physical Requirements  

Must be able climb stairs, reach, bend, lift 20-30 pounds, crawl, kneel, stoop, twist, grasp with hands and fingers materials, use arms and legs, able to walk, climb ladders if applicable.  

Pre-Employment Requirements  

  • Physical exam  

  • TB test  

  • LiveScan /fingerprint clearance  

  • MMR and Tdap vaccinations  

  • CPR  

  • Child Abuse Mandated Reporter Training  

The hourly rate range for this position is $2 5.00 - $27.00 . When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.  

Minimum Education: Associate's degree Related undergraduate study
Additional Education Requirements Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education
Minimum Experience: 1 year
Minimum Skills: Early childhood education and experience. Meets Child Development Permit Matrix qualifications and requirements for position.
Preferred Education: Bachelor's degree

                                                  

USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the   Background Screening Policy Appendix D   for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying. 

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at  uschr@usc.edu . Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

                                                  

If you are a current USC employee, please apply to this  USC job posting in Workday by copying and pasting this link into your browser:

https://wd5.myworkday.com/usc/d/inst/1$9925/9925$152912.htmld

Source: the employer's careers page. Last checked 2026-10-07. Posted 2026-09-04.

Applications happen on University of Southern California's own site. View role and apply

More from University of Southern California

All jobs at University of Southern California

Similar jobs in United States

All education and training jobs in United States

Hiring for a role like this? See how employers fill a role fast.