Content Specialist II, ELA/Alternate Assessment

This position is contingent upon the successful award of a new solution proposal. An award decision is expected in early fall 2026 with a start date to be determined. This will be a remote position.

About the role

We seek passionate people from diverse backgrounds who are committed to helping improve the work of schools as a trusted partner in advancing learning. By joining the Cognia team, you will be immersed in a community of energetic and resourceful people dedicated to a common vision to impact and inspire education providers to advance and enable pathways of learning success for all learners.

At Cognia, we have developed a holistic approach to education that empowers schools to create real outcomes and optimize learning for students of all backgrounds. Serving over 40,000 institutions from early learning through high school in more than 100 countries and territories, Cognia brings universally recognized perspective to advancing teaching and learning.

The Content Specialist II is responsible for test development activities for one or more assessment programs or projects. These may include traditional large-scale summative assessments (for general education or alternate assessment), curriculum-embedded and formative assessments, content or item specifications, enterprise products, or project work related to research or expanding the use of technology in assessments. The Content Specialist II may also function as the lead developer for one or more programs or projects, coordinating content development efforts for the assigned work.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to conceptualization, specifications, and creation of innovative content and new assessment products, systems, or services.
• Use databases and technology tools to construct, track, and edit items.
• Work with project managers to coordinate schedules and communicate project details with other functional groups such as Graphics, Publications, etc.
• Simultaneously work in different schedule modes (e.g., fast start-up and turnaround projects with more stable, long-term contracts).
• Develop a variety of assessment item types according to standards frameworks and other requirements.
• Develop and refine item specification documents, test or product blueprints, and supplementary materials, as well as facilitate advisory committee meetings.
• Develop and maintain item, test, and project specifications needed to complete a project or contract.
• Create and refine a wide variety of item types, including multiple-choice, short-answer, constructed-response, and evidence-based response items, as well as technology-enhanced items, modules, and performance tasks, aligned to standards.
• Develop item-specific scoring guides, distractor rationales, or other supplemental item information.
• Conduct training workshops in item writing and other test development-related tasks for a variety of audiences; listen to and address concerns of workshop members, clients, and/or developers.
• Train and provide feedback for item writers.
• Review colleagues’ work and provide feedback.
• Provide coordination and uniformity for presentation and quality of items, sets, and other work products.
• Prepare item sets and materials for committee meetings and facilitate and guide the work of advisory committees.
• Create and analyze test blueprints.
• Interpret and use item statistics in the selection of items; complete item selection and test construction according to blueprint and test specifications.
• Consult with scoring chief readers during benchmarking.
• Assist with development of assessment guides, brochures, and sample question packets.
• Work with Psychometricians to develop items to both content and psychometric parameters including adaptive testing banks.
• Ascertain and study current trends within national and professional groups’ content standards and in how children and adults learn.
• Participate in personal and professional development.
• Perform duties and fulfill responsibilities that may, from time to time, include related or unrelated tasks.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five (5) years of experience in Education, including two (2) to three (3) years of experience in educational assessment.
• Proven experience demonstrating test development competencies required; experience in alternate assessment (large-scale assessment of students with significant cognitive disabilities) highly preferred.
• Special education experience preferred; Master’s degree in Education is preferred.
• In-depth knowledge in a specific discipline to successfully develop test activities for assessment programs. Education/degree coupled with teaching experience must be in English/Language Arts.
• Limited travel (0-10%), including travel to the All Staff Company Meeting.

Skills

• Communication: Effectively exchange information through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.
• Technical Expertise: Job-related specialized knowledge and the proficient use of technology-based tools.
• Individual Accountability: Takes full responsibility for own behavior and professional development.
• Scope-of-Work Management: Planning, organization, and use of available resources to move specific tasks, events, or job responsibilities toward completion.
• Leadership: A process of workplace influence or control in which a person enlists the participation of others and the requisite resources in the creation and accomplishment of specific objectives and goals.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off and holiday breaks.
• Comprehensive insurance plans.
• 12.5% retirement savings contribution, immediately vested, effective on your date of hire.