Become an associate
Join a community of subject matter experts who work with us to design and deliver exams
What's in it for you
As an associate, you'll be able to:
Progress your career
Continue your professional development and enhance your current role.
Work flexibly
Fit work around your regular job and your home and work commitments.
Enhance your knowledge
Keep your subject knowledge up to date.
Develop new skills
Work with us to become a recognised expert in assessment.
Apply for roles
Discover more about the positions we have available and how to apply below.
Further information is available in the senior associate recruitment pack (963.69 KB).
- Item Writer – GCSE English Literature (closing date 19/05/2025)
Are you an expert in English Literature with an in-depth knowledge of assessment, who is ready to take the next step in your professional development?
Do you aspire to influence national assessment standards for the leading provider of GCSE and A-level qualifications?
AQA are an educational charity committed to helping students and teachers realise their potential. We’re looking for an Item Writer to support the delivery of GCSE English Literature (Paper 2, sections B and C). This is one of our largest and most high-profile specifications. AQA are the market leader for this specification and saw approximately 500,000 entries in 2024.
The bulk of the workload will fall between November – April and you will be required to attend a small number of meetings throughout the year.
What you’ll do
You’ll be responsible for creating items and appropriate supporting marking instructions, then act on constructive feedback from other members of the team. An “item” is the term we use for a question or task and the accompanying mark scheme. To write an item you need to be able to produce all of these elements in accordance with specific commissioning guidance.What we’re looking for
- Experience of teaching and marking AQA GCSE English Literature (within the last 2 years).
- In-depth understanding of curriculum requirements, the three anthologies and a wide breadth of poetry knowledge.
- Experience of writing questions and a comprehension of what makes a good question paper and mark scheme.
- Receptive to feedback, consistently meeting deadlines and working within a collaborative environment.
- The ability to work independently and write to a brief.
Why this role matters
You’ll help shape assessments that reflect the diverse skills and understanding of students across the country. Your work will be essential in delivering assessments that meet the needs of both students and teachers.Further information and how to apply
This is a contractual role; you’ll be paid a fee for both your work and meeting attendance.If you’re ready to take on this role, complete the application form by 9.00am on Monday 19 May 2025.
For further enquiries contact seniorrecruitment@aqa.org.uk
AQA welcomes applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes people unique.
- Content Writer - Numeracy (closing date 13/05/2025)
Are you someone with experience of creating educational resources and bringing to life Numeracy skills? Would you like to play a key role in the development of an innovative new digital qualification that will assess students skills in Numeracy?
AQA are an educational charity committed to helping students and teachers realise their potential. We’re looking for a diverse pool from multiple subject specialisms, to create content that will support the teaching and learning of a new Numeracy based assessment.
We are on the lookout for talented and passionate Content Writers who can captivate audiences with compelling narratives and engaging content. If you have a flair for drafting content that uses innovative, real life contexts, a keen eye for detail, and a love for crafting content that resonates, we want to hear from you!
What you’ll do
You’ll design and develop engaging content for both teaching and assessment, ensuring materials meet a range of learning needs. You will drive innovation through the use of digital content, assessment products and tools while working with stakeholders. By quality assuring and peer reviewing materials, you’ll ensure they are error free and meet the required standards.
What we’re looking for
Ability to create an engaging narrative around the use of numbers in real world scenarios.
Experience of creating effective educational content and resources.
A passion for raising learners Numeracy skills.
Ability to define approaches that support a full range of learning ability.
Ability to deliver high quality work to tight deadlines.
Why this role matters
We want to improve the nation’s numeracy skills and this starts with helping students realise their numeracy potential.You’ll play an important part in enabling students to demonstrate their skills outside of the traditional GCSE exam style format.If you're ready to take your writing to the next level and create content that truly engages and inspires, apply now!Further information and how to apply
This is a contractual role; you’ll be paid a fee for both your work and meeting attendance.If you would like to be considered for this exciting opportunity, please contact seniorrecruitment@aqa.org.uk by 9.00am on Tuesday 13 May with:
A statement of no more than 500 words outlining your skills and experience related to Numeracy.
Example/s of educational resources you have developed (if possible).
For further enquiries contact seniorrecruitment@aqa.org.uk
AQA welcomes applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes people unique.
Training and support
Alongside the support AQA and our associate community will give you, you'll also get detailed training on our core systems and processes. These include:
- Assessment writing and reviewing
- Online marking and monitoring
- Digital assessment creation
- Awarding and statistical analysis
Paper production
For some specifications, whole papers are planned, drafted, agreed and managed from beginning to end.
Exam delivery
Our exams and non-exam assessments (NEA) are marked by 30,000 examiners and moderators. Progress and quality is monitored by groups of associates, starting with standardisation and regular checking of marking through to awarding – where grade boundaries are set and applied to each student’s mark.
Our safeguarding commitment
AQA is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk. We’re dedicated to reducing the risk of employing or contracting any person intent on abusing their position of trust, along with identifying and responding to any incident of alleged abuse from its employees or associates fairly and swiftly.
For more information on safeguarding at AQA please visit the AQA website here.
Connect with us
Email: onboarding@aqa.org.uk
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