pɹˈaɪɚ tə pɚsˈuːɪŋ ɐ fˈʊltˈaɪm kɚɹˈɪɹ æz ɐ skˈɑːlɚ, mˈæk wˈɪni wˈɜːkt æz ɐn ˌɛlɪmˈɛntɚɹi skˈuːl tˈiːtʃɚɹ ɪnðɪ ˈoʊklənd jˈuːnɪfˌaɪd skˈuːl dˈɪstɹɪkt fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɪks nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti ˈeɪt, ɐ tˈiːtʃɪŋ ɐsˈoʊsɪˌeɪt æt jˌuːsˈiː bˈɜːkli fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti ˈeɪt nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː, ɐ ɹᵻsˈɜːtʃ ɐsˈoʊsɪˌeɪt æt jˌuːsˈiː bˈɜːkli fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti tˈuː nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː, ænd ɐ ɹᵻsˈɜːtʃ saɪkˈɑːlədʒˌɪst æt jˌuːsˈiː dˈeɪvɪs fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː dˈæʃ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ.
Prior to pursuing a full-time career as a scholar, MacWhinney worked as an elementary school teacher in the Oakland Unified School District from 1966–1968, a teaching associate at UC Berkeley from 1968–1973, a research associate at UC Berkeley from 1972–1973, and a research psychologist at UC Davis from 1973-1974.