Learning Experience Designer, ELA Multilingual Learning (Remote, US)

We are seeking a Learning Experience Designer (LXD), ELA and Multilingual Learning to be a key driver in the design and production of high-quality instructional materials for Newsela’s ELA and English Language Development (ELD) products. This role is ideal for a hands-on curriculum builder with deep expertise in multilingual learner (MLL) pedagogy and second language acquisition—and enough familiarity with English Language Arts standards to apply that expertise sharply within ELA contexts—who is passionate about creating engaging, standards-aligned lessons, texts, and assessments that give multilingual learners genuine access to grade-level content.

Responsibilities

Support the design of ELD scopes and sequences, including selection and vetting of grade-appropriate texts; Directly write, design, and structure prototype lessons, student-facing activities, and ancillary materials; Develop formative and summative assessment items and rubrics measuring language growth and content mastery; Build embedded scaffolds and differentiation such as graphic organizers, sentence frames, leveled vocabulary, and translanguaging supports; Support the design and iterative refinement of AI prompts for lesson generation; Review lessons and provide editorial and pedagogical feedback grounded in Newsela guidelines and ELD best practices; Support development and maintenance of rubrics, quality checklists, and naming conventions; Maintain expertise in state and national ELD standards and frameworks; Apply evidence-based principles of second language acquisition, biliteracy, and the Science of Reading for multilingual learners; Collaborate with the core ELA team, product teams, and technology teams; Act as grade-level lead and point of contact for external contributors; Prioritize work in line with business needs and communicate progress and blockers proactively.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Education, Linguistics, TESOL, Curriculum & Instruction, English, or a related field; A specialized degree, endorsement, or certification related to multilingual learner education, ELD, TESOL/ESL, or language acquisition; 3+ years of experience in K–12 curriculum development, instructional design, or content creation with a significant focus on multilingual learners, preferably for an educational technology or publishing company (school- or district-based content development experience also considered); Strong working knowledge of multilingual learner pedagogy, second language acquisition, and ELD standards and frameworks (e.g., California ELD/ELPAC, WIDA, or ELPS), across the four language domains; Familiarity with ELA pedagogy across K–12, including reading development, foundational literacy (e.g., phonics), and assessment best practices, particularly as they intersect with the Science of Reading for multilingual learners; Experience developing, adapting, or scaffolding English Language Arts content—such as standards-aligned lessons, texts, or reading and writing assessments—with a demonstrated ability to apply MLL expertise within an ELA context; Excellent English writing and editing, with a demonstrated ability to produce polished, standards-aligned instructional content and to give clear, useful feedback to other writers; Comfort and fluency with AI tools, and an interest in using them to accelerate high-quality content development without sacrificing pedagogical rigor; Strong organizational and verbal communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and prioritize in conjunction with business needs.

Nice to have

Experience with multilingual learners across both elementary and secondary grade bands (secondary emphasis is welcome given near-term needs); Prior classroom teaching experience with multilingual learners / English learners; Experience contributing to a supplemental ELA product (e.g., fiction, nonfiction, or assessment content) in an EdTech environment; Master’s degree in TESOL, ESL, Multilingual Education, Curriculum & Instruction, or a related field; Experience managing or mentoring contributors, freelancers, or vendor teams; Experience with digital content authoring tools or content management systems (CMS); Familiarity with the dual language market and biliteracy frameworks.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical benefits with employer contribution to premiums and HSA accounts; Gym reimbursement, pet insurance, free access to Calm app, Rocket Lawyer and more; Monthly tech stipend for work-from-home needs; Inclusive benefits including parental leave, fertility support, adoption, and more; 401(k) plan with employer match; Flexible PTO, paid sick time off, company holidays plus winter break (Dec 24th - Jan 1st); Annual learning and development allowance; Incentive stock options.