Specialist, Copy Editor

Qualifications

• Education & Experience
  • Bachelor's degree in a related field (e.g., literature, language, journalism) or equivalent certification/on‑the‑job training
  • Minimum of three years' editorial experience and two years' experience in educational assessment
• Comprehensive Editorial Expertise
  • Demonstrates strong end‑to‑end copyediting proficiency: spelling (interpreting dictionary entries, compounding/hyphenation), grammar and terminology, punctuation, syntax, diction, and usage
  • Interprets and applies major style and usage references with confidence (e.g., Chicago Manual of Style, Gregg Reference Manual, Garner's Modern English Usage, and other industry standards)
• Technical & Software Skills
  • Proficient with Adobe Acrobat and various Microsoft Office 365 apps: Word, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and Excel
  • Understands the basics of HTML/XML for web publishing and adapts to evolving software and requirements
• Communication & Collaboration
  • Communicates clearly and respectfully; listens, synthesizes, and applies information effectively
  • Gives and receives feedback constructively; accepts direction and acts on it
• Professional Behaviors & Judgment
  • Reliable and organized: meets deadlines with appropriate quality; manages time effectively
  • Exercises sound judgment and analytical decision‑making; advocates/persuades when necessary and knows when restraint/negotiation is more productive
  • Self‑managed, resilient, and adaptable to process and duration modifications; works independently when required
  • Accountable for editorial proficiency and quality; uses systems correctly; owns errors and identifies root causes
  • Demonstrates decency and professionalism: mentors or accepts mentoring; maintains confidentiality, openness, and truthfulness
  • Displays curiosity about rules, processes, tools, perspectives, and the broader business context

Responsibilities

• Core Editorial Responsibilities
  • Implements grammar, spelling, usage, punctuation, syntax, and style per department, client, and industry standards; applies rules consistently
  • Ensures uniformity and consistency across assessment components; sustains focus and reliably identifies errors throughout the workday while minimizing mistakes
  • Exercises good judgment when applying client style guidelines; queries when deviations from style would be appropriate for best outcomes; may create/modify client style guidelines
  • Understands the copyeditor's scope of responsibility, knows what to do when requested to go beyond scope, and flags concerns when needed
  • Proactively seeks learning opportunities to strengthen editorial expertise by refining skills, expanding knowledge of style guides, and integrating emerging best practices
• Quality Assurance & Risk Awareness
  • Adheres to quality assurance and quality control steps and review guidelines; recognizes the impact of editorial errors on item/test validity and broader reputational and program risks
  • Demonstrates a strong understanding of the application of copyright law in assessment and knows when to escalate concerns
• Assessment & Content Understanding
  • Understands educational assessment foundations (content standards, alignment, validity, item‑level statistics)
  • Considers assessment design interactions (passage–item relationships, item types, metadata, accommodations) and the impact of editing cross‑components
  • Demonstrates a strong understanding of assessment best practices (universal design, plain English, accessibility design)
• Technical Platforms & Publishing
  • Uses Pearson‑preferred applications and platforms (e.g., ABBI, eStyle, Oracle) and demonstrates strong understanding of related publishing workflows (e.g., ABBI interactions with XPRT/TN8, XML issues, MathML); suggests necessary enhancements
  • Identifies appropriate digital job aids and documentation and knows when and whom to ask for help or training; may develop job aids and create training for colleagues
• Collaboration & Community
  • Assists with staff training, including mentoring, seminars, and one‑on‑one support; engages proactively in Editorial and Assessment Trends channels
  • Works collegially across Editorial, Asset Services, Content, CDS, and Pearson; shares essential information across projects and understands the editor's span of influence
  • Works interdepartmentally, contributing to checklists, process documents, fact‑checking, item writing, scoring checks, and cross‑functional initiatives
• Leadership & Project Coordination
  • Serves as lead editor when assigned: ensures Editorial obligations are met; coordinates with Content, Program Teams, and other departments and influences program decisions
  • Creates effective training/process documents and work logs; reviews/approves schedules (e.g., in Smartsheet)
  • Coordinates editors' work, monitors schedules, tracks assets through all phases; communicates status, scope changes, risks, issues, defects, deadlines, resources, and overtime needs to manager
  • As a lead editor, makes final editorial decisions on behalf of Editorial and escalates issues to manager in a timely manner and takes responsibility for editorial quality
  • Provides lead editor guidance and support to other lead editors
• AI‑Enabled Editorial Use
  • Leverages AI tools to develop, review, and enhance assessment content that meets quality and accessibility standards; integrates AI‑generated assets with appropriate editorial oversight
  • Demonstrates proficiency in AI‑supported content development; prompts, refines, and evaluates AI outputs; iterates with sound editorial judgment; stays current with emerging AI technologies and adapts as they evolve
• Professional Responsibilities & Operational Excellence
  • Understands role across CDS and Pearson; aligns with Asset Services, CDS, and Pearson goals and contributes to their fulfillment
  • Attends team/town‑hall meetings and acts on disseminated information; completes administrative tasks on time (timesheets, goals, surveys, training modules)
  • Supports efficiency initiatives (standardization, resource sharing, time management and appropriate pace, productivity metrics, hours tracking) and provides training to vendors/contractors when appropriate
  • Identifies problems and escalates as appropriate; balances cost, efficiency, schedule impact, and quality to set priorities; champions new technology, tools, and processes to improve efficiency and efficacy
  • Maintains appropriate business behaviors (responsive communications, scheduling time‑off per protocol, arranging backup coverage); collaborates effectively as a partner or team member

Pay

Hourly rate: $24.70 – $29.56. This position is not bonus eligible.