Middle School Science Curriculum Writer Consultant

About the role

At Zeta we pursue an unprecedented combination of high academic achievement and social-emotional development for our students, ensuring every child receives a world-class education while fostering a love for learning. We operate elementary, middle, and high schools in the Bronx, Upper Manhattan, and Queens, and plan to open 1–2 new schools each year because every community deserves excellent, equitable education. Consultants collaborate remotely or in-person as agreed based on project needs. We are currently seeking a Middle School Science Curriculum Writer Consultant to design rigorous, engaging, and culturally responsive science curricula aligned to New York State standards and Zeta’s academic vision.

Responsibilities

• Design full-course middle school science curricula (Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, Biology), including scope and sequence, unit plans, and daily lesson plans
• Develop high-quality instructional materials:
  • Student-facing lessons and problem sets
  • Labs, projects, and real-world applications
  • High-quality homework aligned with course outcomes
• Create formative and summative assessments with clear success criteria
• Ensure alignment to New York State standards and Zeta’s academic vision and outcomes
• Embed inquiry-based learning, conceptual understanding, and opportunities for analytical thinking and problem-solving
• Design assessments that measure both content mastery and application of skills
• Collaborate closely with academic leaders, instructional coaches, and other curriculum writers to ensure coherence across courses and grade levels
• Use feedback from educators and student performance data to iterate and improve curriculum materials

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred)
• At least three years of experience designing and/or teaching high-quality secondary science instruction
• Proven record of developing rigorous, engaging, and culturally responsive curriculum

Engagement & Compensation

• 12-month project-based consulting role with an immediate start date
• Offered as a 1099 independent contractor engagement; not an offer of employment
• Compensation: between $15,000 and $25,000 per project unit (depending on experience and project scope)
• Consultants are responsible for their own taxes; not eligible for Zeta benefit plans
• Flexible work schedule; deliverables and deadlines agreed upon with the designated project lead