Item Writer

Item Writers 

JTG is seeking highly qualified Item Writers to join the item development team to write, review, revise, and approve test items to assess proficiency in a foreign language. These items, based on foreign language material, will be written in English, according to the U.S. government’s Inter-Agency Language Roundtable (ILR) proficiency scale.

Location: Nationwide

Citizenship status: US citizenship preferred but not required

Minimum qualifications :

• At least 2 years of experience in item writing for language proficiency testing.

Preferred qualifications:

• A degree in linguistics, psychometrics, foreign language teaching, second language acquisition, or educational assessment
• Familiarity with the ILR scale
• Excellent oral and written English and cross-cultural communication skills, with a preference for additional knowledge of a foreign language
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize work, and work under tight deadlines.

Job responsibilities:

• Using translations of authentic passages (written/audio) in a target language at specified Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) levels, designing test items around these passages, in accordance with project standards and specifications
• Reviewing passages for correct ILR level and acceptability and appropriateness
• Reviewing test items created by other item writers for quality and adherence to project standards and specifications
• Adhering to the project timeline and schedule for product deliverables
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize work, and work under tight deadlines.

If selected, the consultant would commence work on or around May 10 of 2021 and conclude about December 15, 2021. During this period the consultant should be ready to work from 10 to 40 hours per week for approximately 20-25 days per month. There may be an opportunity to extend the assignment for additional time, pending performance review and mutual agreement.

The consultant will sign (1) a Conflict-of-Interest form, stating that he or she is not currently a reviewer for the DLPT in any language, are not in a position in which they instruct people who will take the DLPT in this language, or will not take the test themselves, and (2) a non-disclosure agreement with the funder and JTG regarding the protection of proprietary materials. The consultant will provide their own workspace, materials, and supplies.

Founded in 1995, JTG is an Employee-Owned Company that is specialized in language services, training, and analytics. JTG is an Equal Opportunity Employer.