Project Based Freelance Contributor - Assessment Item Specialist, Science (Remote, US)

Why You'll Love This Role:

As an Assessment Item Specialist for Science (Project Based Freelance Contributor), you will play a key role in expanding the Newsela Item Bank, ensuring students have access to high-quality, inquiry-based assessments. You will leverage your scientific expertise to create rigorous, standards-aligned content that helps educators deliver data-informed instruction. This role offers a collaborative, remote environment where your commitment to quality and scientific accuracy directly supports academic success in classrooms nationwide. You will enjoy the flexibility of a freelance contract while contributing to a platform that is a staple in K-12 digital learning.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Create original, standards-aligned Science assessment items, tasks, and stimuli that are precisely mapped to NGSS or state-specific standards.
• Transfer and format existing Science assessments and items from district and state sources directly into the Formative platform.
• Produce and configure technology-enhanced items (TEIs) within the platform, ensuring accurate metadata tagging and flawless technical functionality.
• Conduct systematic quality assurance reviews of Science content to ensure all items are unbiased, scientifically accurate, and meet strict editorial standards.
• Validate content alignment and cognitive rigor by accurately evaluating the Depth of Knowledge (DOK) for every assessment item.
• Provide expert platform feedback and recommendations regarding content tools and item bank features to continuously improve development workflows.

About You:

• You are a professional assessment author with at least one year of direct experience writing and reviewing Science assessment items on a commercial scale, such as for a reputable EdTech company, testing vendor, or educational publisher.
• You are an assessment methodology expert who possesses a comprehensive understanding of educational assessment design, including formative, common, and summative assessments.
• You are a standards and framework specialist with deep familiarity with NGSS and state-specific science frameworks, along with a proven ability to apply strict standards alignment principles.
• You demonstrate a mastery of rigor and Depth of Knowledge (DOK), allowing you to accurately classify and create items that meet specific cognitive rigor requirements.
• You are skilled in technical item production, bringing prior experience authoring technology-enhanced items (TEIs) and comfortably navigating digital assessment platforms.
• You exhibit editorial excellence through a thorough grasp of established style guides and best practices, including critical quality control elements such as fairness, bias, and accessibility.
• You are a reliable content producer with a proven track record of delivering high-quality work under tight deadlines.