Limited-Term Career-Connected Learning Program Developer

foundry10 is an education research organization with a philanthropic focus on expanding ideas about learning and creating direct value for youth. In collaboration with a wide range of partners, we surface, evaluate, and share opportunities to better support youth learning both inside and outside the classroom. Building on more than a decade of impactful work, our unique approach blends applied and experimental research, philanthropy, and education programs rooted in evidence-based best practices.

Summary of Role

The Career-connected learning and Life Skills Team (CCLLS) at foundry10 is an interdisciplinary team that currently focuses on research and philanthropy in support of expanding the ways that educators and students think about preparing youth for their adult life. The team is looking to add a new program-focused team member for 18-months to specifically explore foundry10’s potential to develop and pilot our own career-connected learning programs, with the goal of using these programs to develop tools and stories for other educators in this space. These programs will be integrated with work-related content and develop student skills in career awareness and exploration, career preparation, and career launch. Additionally, we’re looking for someone to build our connections to career-connected learning educators, innovators, and professionals in order to broaden our network and partnership opportunities.

foundry10 has a well-established Program Pillar that supports the development of safe and high-quality programs, and this role will operate within that Pillar, while working directly with the CCLLS team to further their educational programming goals. We are looking for an innovative and self-driven teacher who has developed and delivered youth programs (ideally for teens) with firsthand experience preparing students for postsecondary life through work-based learning and career preparation education. An exceptional candidate will have a history of teaching practices that create career-connected student learning outcomes, such as: 

• Learning hands-on workplace soft skills
• Gaining knowledge of professional code of conduct
• Gaining knowledge about how to pursue a specific job, career, or industry
• Practicing professional job application skills
• Increased interest in entering the workforce

This is a full-time, limited-term (18 months), exempt position with a salary range of $70,000 to $112,625 per year with an anticipated start date of April 2026 through September 2027. This position reports to the Education Program Manager, but will have a close, matrixed relationship with the Team Lead of the CCLLS team.

This is not a remote position. Candidates must live in Washington State and be able to work in person in the greater Seattle area as needed. We are not able to sponsor visa applications, and to be considered for this position, you must be eligible to work in the United States. To protect our staff, partners, and the youth we serve, we require all foundry10 employees to adhere to our masking and COVID testing policies when working in person.

Responsibilities

This role specifically will be exploring career-connected learning programming on the Career-Connected Learning and Life Skills Team (CCLLS), which, for the initial 18-month limited term will include the following:

• Develop/Deliver youth participatory action research (YPAR): Collaborating with the CCLLS lead researcher, the program developer will pilot CCLLS’ first YPAR. This is a style of research that centers the youth as participant-researchers, meaning they are both the subjects (broadly) of the research and the creators and doers of the research. The Program Developer will create the curriculum for guiding students through the YPAR process, work with a community partner to find a group of students, guide/facilitate the meetings, and work with the team to evaluate the program. Youth will develop professional research skills through the research that they conduct, which will be focused around questions they have about their Career-connected learning journey.
• Develop/Deliver a youth leadership cohort: The program developer will build off a proposed work-based learning youth leadership cohort designed to integrate youth-led projects into foundry10 while participants develop an array of life skills. Examples of program developer responsibilities:
  • Create curriculum, design the application process, recruit participants, ensure a safe learning environment, and deliver the program
  • Evaluate program for both youth outcomes and as a future model for additional programs that might include teens learning within foundry10 
• Support embedded career learning: The program developer will collaborate with  other foundry10 program developers to act as a resource to improve career-connected learning outcomes in other youth serving programs.
• Consider/Design additional Career-connected Programs: While the above programs are the initial priority, the program developer will also be responsible for working with CCLLS Team Lead to analyze the sustainability of career-connected learning programs at foundry10. This may include proposing some immediate opportunities for programs to be designed and implemented by the program developer.
• Communicate findings: Represent foundry10 Programs in education spaces; in schools, community organizations, conferences, within publications, and face-to-face with a variety of community partners.
• Act as a strategic team member: Work with the CCLLS team to identify needs and gaps in Career-connected learning education through analysis of partner needs, trends, relevant research, professional development, and relevant current events. 

Education and Experience

• Minimum five years’ experience in career-connected learning education with students from high school to young adult age. This could include work-based learning, youth leadership or advisory councils, career and technical education, high school counseling, youth career counseling,  running soft and/or professional skills training for youth, and career readiness training. Education experience should include both direct instruction/facilitation of youth as well as development of curriculum.
• Experience (or knowledge of best practices in) facilitating YPARs, youth leadership programming, or youth work-based learning.
• Track record and passion for advocating for youth and education.
• Experience serving as a positive role model to children and youth.

Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge

• A network of connections within youth employment and workforce readiness education space.
• Understanding of trends and current issues in youth employment and workforce readiness education.
• Demonstrated ability to work highly collaboratively with a wide range of people.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to speak and present to groups of youth and adults.
• Track record of listening, patience and understanding with youth
• Excellent organizational skills and abilities to understand budgeting.
• Ability to respond to individual and group learning experiences.
• Skills and abilities in Career-connected learning education.
• Basic understanding of research ethics and methodologies is preferred.

foundry10 offers competitive salary and benefits that include:

• A 4-day workweek
• A flexible and hybrid work schedule
• Full Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage for employees and their dependents
• $1,500 yearly education stipend
• $3,000 yearly wellness and hobby stipend, before taxes
• Generous paid time off that includes:
  • 4 weeks of vacation time annually and additional accrual with tenure
  • 12 paid holidays
  • 56 hours of paid sick and safe leave frontloaded annually
  • Week-long office closures twice a year each summer and winter
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care Reimbursement Account
• Employee Assistance Program at no cost to the employee
• Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance paid fully by foundry10 

To be considered for this position, please submit your resume and cover letter. Applications without cover letters will not be considered. In your cover letter, please share why you are interested in career-connected learning program development. 

The application deadline is February 3, 2026. 

The interview process will consist of the following steps:

Step 1: Zoom audio interview with CCLLS and Programs team members (1 hour)

Step 2: Zoom video interview with CCLLS, Programs, and Organizational team members (1.5 to 2 hours)

Step 3: If needed, Zoom call with Education Program Manager to CCLLS Team Lead (30 to 45 mins)

Step 4: Background and professional reference checks

Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs. foundry10 strives to provide a work environment free from discrimination and harassment because of a protected characteristic. The organization does not discriminate against employees or applicants based on race, color, creed, citizenship, status, national origin, ancestry, gender, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, age, religion, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to assist individuals with disabilities with the application and interviewing process as well as essential job function.