TEST DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST 1
Career Family: TEST DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
In New Jersey, Test Development Specialist 1 is filled through the competitive process: candidates take a civil service exam and are hired off a ranked list, not picked at will.
It is the lowest-paid of the 4 Test Development Specialist grades, a step below Test Development Specialist 2, whose band tops out about $13,208 higher. The stated bar is a master's degree, but candidates can swap in added experience for the diploma. The FY2027 range lands between $60,876 and $88,743, and state payroll currently lists 5 people in the title, most of them at Civil Service Commission.
How to apply
-
Exam
This is an application to sit an exam and be placed on an eligible list for this title, not an application for a specific job. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. There may be no current vacancy behind it, and the list it produces may not be certified for months or years.
-
Exam
Open to permanent employees in the competitive division who hold a qualifying lower title in the same unit. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. Like the open competitive exam, this places you on a list; it is not itself a job offer.
-
Agency posting
Civil Service Commission's employment page may require a click-through to see specific openings. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
Pay ladder: Test Development Specialist series
- Test Development Specialist 1 — $60,876 – $88,743 (this title)
- Test Development Specialist 2 — $69,668 – $101,951
- Test Development Specialist 3 — $79,844 – $117,228
- Test Development Specialist 4 — $95,955 – $141,386
Promoting to Test Development Specialist 2 raises the top of the band by about $13,208. Its top salary lands around the 31st percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY2027 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 5 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $61,510. The agencies employing the most are:
- Civil Service Commission (5)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.
Definition
Under the close supervision of a Test Development Specialist 4 or other supervisory official in the Division of Test Development and Analytics, in the Civil Service Commission, performs basic test development tasks including designing and developing open competitive and promotional Civil Service examinations, analyzing and interpreting statistical data, and establishing cut-off points; work is closely monitored and regular feedback is received; tasks are more basic, procedural, and uncomplicated; does other related duties as required.
Examples of work
Maintains a small or less complex workload of state and/or local job titles that requires Civil Service testing. With assistance from a supervisory official or higher-level Test Development Specialist, conducts job analyses on assigned titles to determine critical tasks performed and underlying knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to successfully perform those tasks. Methods used to perform job analyses are typically basic in nature. With assistance from a supervisory official or higher-level Test Development Specialist, analyzes the data/information obtained through job analyses to develop test plans that involve calculating various weights and percentages, determining which KSAs are testable, and calculating the number of items needed to appropriately measure each subject area or KSA; determines the most appropriate test mode and time factor. Selects, writes, and edits test items. With assistance from a supervisory official or higher-level Test Development Specialist, meets with subject matter experts to develop, review, and/or validate oral, essay, or multiple-choice test items. Assists in conducting assessor training for subject matter experts and Test Development staff who participate in scoring various types of examinations. Communicates with staff in other units (e.g., Eligibility, Scheduling, Information Center, etc.) to exchange information regarding close-out of symbols, candidate counts, scheduling and staffing of examinations, reasonable accommodations, and candidate reviews. May participate as an assessor in test administrations for various types of examinations. With assistance from a supervisory official or higher-level Test Development Specialist, analyzes statistical information contained within raw score distributions (RSDs) to determine the validity of test items, identify items that are too easy, too hard, or unclear, and identify items that may be miskeyed; calculates adverse impact and establishes cut-off points that are submitted for review and approval. Submits requested examination files and documentation to analysts in the Division of Appeals and Regulatory Affairs, in the Civil Service Commission, when appeals are received. May work as a member of a team on special testing projects. May perform basic research in the area of employee selection. Drafts correspondence, technical reports, memoranda, and other written materials. Maintains records and files. Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of Test Development & Analytics Technical Standards. Knowledge of the uniform guidelines on employee selection procedures. Knowledge of division policies and procedures related to test development, security, and assembled examinations. Knowledge of Merit System principles, N.J.A.C. 4A, and Title 11A (Civil Service Act). Knowledge of job analysis methods and techniques. Knowledge of test development principles including test mode selection, identification of content areas, subtest weighting strategies, and item development. Knowledge of descriptive statistics and psychometrics. Knowledge of employee selection research techniques and procedures. Ability to apply research principles and methods to test validation and development. Ability to analyze data/information. Ability to perform basic mathematical and statistical calculations (e.g., percentages, mean, standard deviation, etc.). Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with associates, representatives from local and state agencies, members of the public, and others. Ability to keep current with new concepts and developments in the field of testing. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing. Ability to prepare clear, concise, and accurate reports. Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience. Five (5) years of professional experience in job analysis and/or test development, including or supplemented by eighteen (18) semester hour credits in Psychology, Education, or Sociology, and three (3) semester hour credits in Statistics. OR Possession of a bachelor's degree including or supplemented by eighteen (18) semester hour credits in Psychology, Education, or Sociology, and three (3) semester hour credits in Statistics from an accredited college or university; and one (1) year of the above-mentioned professional experience. OR Possession of a bachelor's degree in Psychology from an accredited college or university; and one (1) year of the above-mentioned professional experience. OR Possession of a Master's degree in Psychology, Education, or Sociology, including three (3) semester hour credits in Statistics, from an accredited college or university. "Professional experience" refers to work that is analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range of basic knowledge of the profession's concepts and practices; and is performed with the authority to act and make accurate and informed decisions.