Join Us Supporting Discovery
Today, the San José State University Research Foundation (SJSURF) employs roughly 1,340 employees and has annual revenues of nearly $65 million. This federal, state, and private funding supports SJSU's expanding research enterprise, placing San José State among the top 200 universities in the country for total research and development expenditures.
SJSURF is constantly looking for motivated employees with great organization and teamwork skills to join our team. SJSURF is an employee-focused organization with industry leading benefits (including a 403(b) retirement plan with an employer contribution equivalent to 8% of your base salary, health, dental, and vision insurance) and a strong focus on employee safety, health, and work-life balance.
Hear what it’s like to work for us from our tenured employees!
Wesley Heim, Principal Investigator at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
"I began working for the Research Foundation as a SJSU/MLML graduate student. Since graduation I have worked in a range of different roles with the opportunity to develop professionally, be challenged with problems to solve, and learn new skills. The research work we do for the community and society as a whole is extremely rewarding. The people I work with and relationships that have been built over time have been a strong incentive to remain at the Research Foundation."
Jeannie Nguyen, Post-Award Analyst
"For the past 10 years, both my professional and personal growth have been developed at San José State University Research Foundation (SJSURF). This is where I enjoy learning new things to gain new skills and experiences, in a friendly atmosphere with a fully supportive upper management. If you are looking for a place that includes fun work, good benefits, and challenges you, then SJSURF is the one!"
Danny Ta, IT System Analyst
"After working with the San José State University Research Foundation for more than 20 years, I am proud to know my work helps our staff and faculty continue their important research and services that benefit our community. SJSURF is a collaborative environment with great team spirit, allowing me to work with many different departments to support their operations. I plan to continue my career at SJSURF, a welcoming company that promotes empowerment and provides an opportunity for me to continuously improve my skill sets."
Ricky Yoneda, Self-Support OSP Manager
"I started at SJSU first as an undergraduate student, and started working for the Research Foundation over 40 years ago — initially as a student assistant before moving on to becoming a full-time staff member after graduation.
The reason I have stayed here for so long is the relationships I have formed with the SJSU Community and with my colleagues here at the Research Foundation, many of whom I consider not only as coworkers but as friends. The meaningful work we provide to support our faculty, administrators, and students, so they can carry on their research and academic activities, is something that I take great pride in."

