The aim of the research is to analyze the essence and structure of the research competence of a mathematics teacher. The study and analysis of psychological and pedagogical literature has shown that many authors, when defining the essence of the teacher's research competence, denote its integrity, dynamism, integrity, and integrativity. The research competence is considered as a characteristic, as a set of personality traits, as the ability to solve the research problems. The research competence of a mathematics teacher is a professionally significant quality, an integral part of pedagogical competence, an integral characteristic of the teacher's personality, a conscious willingness to engage in cognitive, research activities, the desire and need to lead it in pedagogical work. The methodological approaches to study the structure of the research competence of a mathematicsteacher were the personal, active, systemic, competence, axiological, procedural and technological ideas. The structural components of the research competence of a mathematics teacher are: motivational-value, cognitive, operational-activity, reflexive.