ZigZagUp, Inc. is an early-stage education technology startup developing a reasoning calibration and training platform for learners. The first measurable use case is SAT Reading & Writing, but the broader product is designed to help learners diagnose reasoning errors, inspect evidence, repair mistakes, and build stronger critical-thinking habits.
We are preparing an ED/IES SBIR Phase I proposal and are seeking an experienced SAT Reading & Writing tutor, verbal test-prep instructor, curriculum writer, or assessment item writer for a short contract if funding is awarded.
This is a contingent role. Candidate selection may occur before the award, but no paid work will begin unless SBIR funding is awarded and a final agreement is signed. Expected start is around October 2026.
Scope of Work
The main scope is to create approximately 150 original SAT Reading & Writing-aligned practice items.
Each accepted item should include:
- original passage, stimulus, notes, or sentence context;
- question stem;
- four answer choices;
- correct answer;
- explanation for the correct answer;
- explanations for each incorrect answer;
- skill/domain tag;
- difficulty tag;
- reasoning-error / distractor trap tag;
- notes on why each wrong answer would be tempting to a student.
This is not just writing questions. The work requires assessment item engineering: designing plausible distractors, mapping each answer choice to a reasoning error, and creating explanations that help learners understand why an answer felt convincing but failed.
Important Originality Requirements
All items must be fully original.
AI-written or AI-generated final questions will not be accepted. Work must be human-authored and based on the consultant’s own test-prep, teaching, and assessment judgment.
Items must not be copied, paraphrased, adapted from, derived from, or based on:
- official College Board / SAT materials;
- Bluebook questions;
- released SAT tests;
- commercial test-prep books;
- third-party copyrighted question banks;
- student-submitted official SAT questions;
- AI-generated versions of existing SAT-style questions.
The selected consultant may be asked to certify that submitted items are original.
Optional Pilot / Student Testing Support
In addition to item development, ZigZagUp may also need support with a small paid usability or pilot-testing activity involving high school students.
This could include advising on pilot structure, supporting a tutoring-based testing environment, helping interpret student reasoning patterns, or coordinating student feedback sessions.
Pilot support and coordination would be discussed separately and compensated separately. Any student participation would be subject to parent/guardian permission, youth assent, privacy/data protections, scheduling, and any required research review.
Preferred Qualifications
Ideal candidates may have experience as one or more of the following:
- SAT Reading & Writing tutor;
- ACT English / Reading tutor;
- Digital SAT instructor;
- high school English or writing instructor;
- test-prep curriculum writer;
- assessment item writer;
- college-readiness literacy instructor.
Strong candidates should be able to:
- write clear, original Reading & Writing practice items;
- design high-quality wrong answers;
- explain why wrong answers are tempting;
- understand student reasoning mistakes;
- write concise, student-friendly rationales;
- meet deadlines;
- revise items based on feedback;
- work independently.
Independent/self-employed tutors or consultants are preferred. Tutors currently affiliated with a tutoring center may still be considered if they can consult independently and disclose any employer restrictions.
Compensation
Target compensation is $40–$70 per accepted item, depending on experience, item complexity, and quality of deliverables.
The rate applies to accepted items that meet the originality, quality, tagging, and explanation requirements. Revisions may be required before an item is accepted.
Pilot support, tutoring-based testing support, or student coordination work, if applicable, will be discussed separately.
To Apply
Please submit:
1. a short note describing your SAT Reading & Writing / verbal test-prep experience;
2. résumé or short professional bio;
3. LinkedIn profile link, website, or professional profile link;
4. preferred per-item rate within the $40–$70 range;
5. availability around October 2026;
6. whether you have experience writing original test-prep or assessment items;
7. whether you may be able to support or advise on a small paid pilot/usability study with high school learners.
Please do not submit official SAT questions, Bluebook questions, copied test-prep materials, or AI-generated questions as samples.
Pay: $40.00 - $70.00 per hour
Application Question(s):
- How many years of SAT Reading & Writing, ACT English/Reading, or verbal test-prep experience do you have?
- Have you created original SAT Reading & Writing, ACT verbal, or similar assessment items before?
- Would you be open to discussing possible paid pilot/usability support with high school students, subject to parent/guardian permission, youth assent, privacy protections, and research-review requirements?
- Please provide your LinkedIn profile, website, or professional profile link.
- Are you self-employed / independent, or are there employer/tutoring-center restrictions that may affect outside consulting work?
Work Location: Remote
