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Posted: 24-Apr-26
Location: San Francisco, California
Type: Full Time
Salary: $24 - $37 per hour
Internal Number: 1
Chinese American International School seeks a
Lower School Chinese Teaching Associate (2026-2027)
Mandarin & English proficiency required
Non-exempt, full-time position
WELCOME!
Join the vibrant community at the Chinese American International School's new Forever Home campus on 19th Avenue as a Chinese teaching associate. Become part of a team striving to be the world’s most innovative, inspiring, and influential Mandarin-English dual-language immersion school. As a distinctive aspect of your work at CAIS, you will also help students navigate their way in a bilingual and bicultural school setting, guiding them to hone global skills and competencies and prepare to make a difference in the world around them.
OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate finds resonance with CAIS’s mission to Embrace Chinese, Become Our Best Selves, and Contribute to a Better World; our Core Values of Courage, Curiosity, Inclusion, Kindness, and Perseverance; and our Strategic Vision for 2026 and beyond. As CAIS aims to empower independent, effective, and inspired learners, we look for a candidate who seeks to become proficient in student-centered pedagogy such as differentiation, use of assessment to inform teaching, and Workshop-based instruction. The candidate will enter an environment that values social emotional learning alongside academic challenge. Teaching Associates are mentored by and coordinate student learning with an experienced classroom lead teacher.
CAIS offers a dynamic dual culture setting in which faculty are immersed in a culture of language learners. We look for a candidate who will embrace CAIS’s work to create an equitable, inclusive environment where all faculty, students, and families are supported in their individual identities. We welcome all applicants who aim to actively support and participate in our diverse and inclusive community.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Position responsibilities include (but are not limited to):
- Develop a positive intellectual, emotional, and social environment within the classroom and a class community in which all children feel valued and a sense of belonging
- Encompass a positive discipline approach in guiding student behavior
- Work collaboratively and maintain standards of respect, courtesy, and mutual consideration with the school community, including students, staff, and parents
- In coordination with the lead teacher, plan and implement engaging learning experiences in alignment with the curriculum for individual, small and large group activities
- Assist in the daily operations of the classroom
- Meet the varied needs of children in the classroom by scaffolding and extending classroom lessons
- Provide for the physical safety of children
- Support the daily operations of the school by assisting with arrival and drop-off
- Actively supervise students during lunch and/or recess times
- Attend required meetings
- Substitute for the teacher by independently leading the class
- Keep current in pedagogical thinking, strategies and techniques
- Demonstrate an affirming attitude toward the school, a willingness to receive feedback, and professional demeanor and integrity
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred
- Native level Mandarin proficiency (speaking and writing)
- Experience working with children
- Desire to develop as an educator
- Commitment to meeting the needs of individual learners and promoting social and emotional development
- Commitment to school mission, policies, and initiatives
VALUED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
We value, but do not require, the following attributes:
- Personal experience with second language acquisition
- Training or experience in elementary classrooms preferred
- College coursework in education
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
The CAIS Board of Trustees and administration are expressly dedicated to ensuring that CAIS is a great place to work. The school is committed to attracting, developing, retaining, and rewarding top-tier faculty and excellent educators with a strong benefits package. CAIS has an established salary scale that recognizes experience and other qualifications including (but not limited to) education and training, leadership, and bilinguality. The salary range for this position is: $24 - $37 per hour. Please see the final page for a description of benefits.
ABOUT CAIS
As the nation’s first dual language Chinese and English Preschool through 8th grade school, CAIS embodies our mission by working continuously to maintain our role as a leader in immersion education. We are known as an ambitious school, and we recently completed our multi-year vision to reimagine immersion, reimagine our culture of learning, reimagine our community connectedness, and reimagine our learning spaces. Our entire community in together at our newly renovated campus on 19th Avenue.
TO APPLY
CAIS’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is central to our mission. People of color and LGBTQIA candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Email cover letter, resume, and list of references to jobs@cais.orrg. In the subject line please indicate: “LS Chinese Teaching Associate.” Please no calls.
CAIS as a Workplace
Chinese American International School is dedicated to attracting, developing, rewarding and retaining world-class employees and ensuring that this is a great place to work. We put a high priority on advances in compensation, benefits, and work climate with a 2026–2027 benefits package and perks including:
Distinctively CAIS Benefits
- Commuter benefits (up to $340/month)
- Dynamic, dual culture setting valuing honest self assessment, thoughtful self reflection, intentional planning, and focused implementation
Financial Benefits
- CAIS contributes 5% of your earnings immediately in a 403(B) retirement plan (no contribution required on your part)
Health Benefits
- CAIS pays 100% of the premium for medical, dental, vision, acupuncture, chiropractic, short-term disability and long-term disability, and life insurance for you (along with competitive rates for spouse and family coverage)
- Employer-funded Health Savings Account (HSA) and Pre-tax HSA employee contribution
- Pre-tax Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for medical and dependent care
Vacation / Holiday / Paid Time Off
- Thanksgiving Break – 1 week
- Winter Break (December/January) – 2 weeks
- Winter Break (February) – 1 week
- Spring Break (April) – 1 week
- Summer Break – 9 weeks of summer from mid-June to mid-August
- Paid school holidays according to the school calendar
- Up to 2 additional days off for religious holidays
- Accrue 11.5 days of Sick Time annually
- Accrue 3 days of Personal Time annually
Quality of Life and Appreciation
- Monthly appreciation lunches
- Twice-yearly Faculty/Staff Appreciation Events
- Annual milestones luncheon
- Free tickets to annual dinner/dance gala
- Lunar New Year luncheon
- Birthday gift card
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Position responsibilities include (but are not limited to):
- Develop a positive intellectual, emotional, and social environment within the classroom and a class community in which all children feel valued and a sense of belonging
- Encompass a positive discipline approach in guiding student behavior
- Work collaboratively and maintain standards of respect, courtesy, and mutual consideration with the school community, including students, staff, and parents
- In coordination with the lead teacher, plan and implement engaging learning experiences in alignment with the curriculum for individual, small and large group activities
- Assist in the daily operations of the classroom
- Meet the varied needs of children in the classroom by scaffolding and extending classroom lessons
- Provide for the physical safety of children
- Support the daily operations of the school by assisting with arrival and drop-off
- Actively supervise students during lunch and/or recess times
- Attend required meetings
- Substitute for the teacher by independently leading the class
- Keep current in pedagogical thinking, strategies and techniques
- Demonstrate an affirming attitude toward the school, a willingness to receive feedback, and professional demeanor and integrity
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred
- Native level Mandarin proficiency (speaking and writing)
- Experience working with children
- Desire to develop as an educator
- Commitment to meeting the needs of individual learners and promoting social and emotional development
- Commitment to school mission, policies, and initiatives