Curriculum Developer-Volunteer Role

About Us:

The Donovan’s Venom is a 501c3 nonprofit organization focused on curating universal accessibility to fine arts and music education for all. We are passionately dedicated to ensuring that everyone, regardless of financial circumstances, has access to high-quality music education, performance opportunities, and fine art. We aim to inspire, empower, and uplift communities by fostering a love for music and the arts through our commitment to education, inclusivity, diversity, and social impact, which drives us to expand our reach continually and enrich the lives of those we serve

Curriculum Developer Are you passionate about education, creativity, and designing learning experiences that make a real difference?

The Donovan’s Venom is looking for a Curriculum Developer to help create engaging educational content for K–6 learners. This is a unique opportunity to help shape curriculum from the ground up, collaborate with a creative and mission-driven team, and contribute your expertise to meaningful educational experiences.

This volunteer role is ideal for an educator, curriculum specialist, instructional designer, graduate student, or education professional who wants to build, create, innovate, and leave a lasting impact.

You will have the opportunity to help develop curriculum that blends math, literacy, and elements of music theory into engaging, age-appropriate learning experiences.

What You’ll Do

• Design and develop engaging curriculum and educational content for K–6 learners.
• Create lessons, units, activities, assessments, worksheets, guides, and supporting learning materials.
• Develop curriculum that strengthens math and/or literacy skills in developmentally appropriate ways.
• Incorporate basic music theory concepts such as rhythm, tempo, melody, pitch, notation, and other foundational elements where appropriate.
• Develop clear learning objectives and organize content into logical, progressive learning sequences.
• Help build curriculum frameworks, scope and sequence documents, templates, standards, and development processes.
• Translate educational concepts into fun, accessible, and learner-friendly experiences.
• Collaborate with instructional designers, learning experience professionals, subject matter experts, product teams, UX/UI, Creative, and Technology teams.
• Develop activities that promote critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, and learner engagement.
• Review and improve existing curriculum for clarity, consistency, educational effectiveness, and age appropriateness.
• Support the development of assessments and learning activities that measure understanding and progress.
• Research relevant curriculum standards, educational practices, and emerging K–6 learning trends.
• Participate in curriculum reviews, pilot activities, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Help ensure learning experiences are inclusive, accessible, engaging, and culturally responsive.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience or education in Curriculum & Instruction, Elementary Education, Teaching, Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Learning Sciences, or a related field.
• Experience with K–6 education and child development.
• Strong knowledge of elementary math and/or literacy education.
• Familiarity with grade-level instructional progression and age-appropriate learning strategies.
• Working knowledge of basic music theory.
• Experience creating curriculum, lesson plans, assessments, educational content, or instructional materials.
• Strong writing, editing, organization, and communication skills.
• Ability to simplify complex concepts and make learning engaging and understandable.
• A collaborative mindset and willingness to work across multiple teams.
• Comfort working in a growing environment where processes and frameworks may still be evolving.
• Curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to contribute ideas.

Nice to Have

• Classroom teaching experience.
• Experience developing digital or interactive learning content.
• Experience with arts-integrated or interdisciplinary curriculum.
• Familiarity with LMS platforms, educational technology, or digital learning tools.
• Experience with Common Core, state standards, or other K–6 curriculum frameworks.
• Portfolio or samples of curriculum, lesson plans, educational materials, or related work.

What You’ll Gain

As a Volunteer Curriculum Developer, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Build real curriculum from the ground up, not just maintain existing materials.
• Gain hands-on experience in curriculum strategy, development, and educational product design.
• Work on interdisciplinary learning experiences that combine education, technology, creativity, and music.
• Collaborate with professionals across Learning, Product, Creative, UX/UI, and Technology.
• Help establish curriculum standards, processes, and frameworks that can scale as the organization grows.
• Expand your professional portfolio with meaningful curriculum and learning-development work.
• Strengthen your experience working in a startup-style nonprofit environment.
• Contribute to educational experiences designed to positively impact young learners.

Why Volunteer With The Donovan’s Venom?

This is more than an opportunity to write lesson plans. You’ll have the chance to help shape how learning is designed from the beginning.

If you enjoy building, experimenting, collaborating, and creating educational experiences that can grow into something meaningful, this role gives you the opportunity to contribute your expertise while gaining valuable hands-on experience in curriculum development, educational technology, and learning innovation.

Disclaimer

This is a volunteer position and does not constitute employment. Responsibilities may evolve based on organizational needs.

As a 100% volunteer-led U.S. nonprofit organization, we may engage volunteers located outside the United States. International volunteer participation is subject to applicable U.S. sanctions and export-control requirements, data privacy and information-security requirements, background screening where appropriate, and confirmation that the volunteer’s country and assigned responsibilities have been approved by the organization.