What Education Roles Exist in EdTech?

The landscape of educational technology, or EdTech, has shifted from a supplementary niche to a recognized, critical sector influencing learning across all environments, from K-12 classrooms to corporate training halls. ^[8] This expansion means the career paths available are far more varied than just being a "tech teacher." Professionals with educational backgrounds now have avenues that touch product design, data science, ethics, and advanced engineering, alongside traditional instructional roles. ^[7][8] Understanding where one's skills—whether pedagogical, technical, or interpersonal—fit into this ecosystem is the first step toward a successful move into EdTech. ^[1]

# Shifting Skills

For those currently working in education and looking to pivot, the good news is that many essential teaching skills translate directly into high-demand tech roles. ^[1] Educators naturally possess strong project management, problem-solving, and communication abilities. ^[1] However, the transition often requires a mindset shift. While classroom experience provides invaluable insight into the needs and frustrations of teachers and students, success in product-focused roles demands an expert understanding of the product itself, not just the classroom context it serves. ^[3]

# Design Roles

Perhaps the most common pivot is into Instructional Designer (ID) or Learning Experience Designer (LXD). ^[1][7] IDs focus on creating and developing educational and training materials, merging learning theory with technology to build effective, engaging experiences for corporate, governmental, or educational settings. ^[1][7] These professionals might develop e-learning modules, virtual courses, or entire digital curricula. ^[7] A Senior Instructional Designer often takes on a project manager role, building the entire architecture of an educational program, from defining goals and scope to building assessments. ^[8]

Another highly relevant field is User Experience (UX) Design. ^[1] Teachers are already experts in helping people process and retain information; UX design applies this understanding to product usability. A UX designer ensures that the technology is accessible, enjoyable, and easy to use by conducting research, prototyping, and iterating on the product based on user behavior. ^[1] In the EdTech specific context, this evolves into a User Experience Researcher for Educational Tools, whose sole focus is optimizing the interaction between students/educators and the digital product through testing and research. ^[7]

# Coaching and Support

The Technology Coach role remains a significant bridge between education and technology within school settings. ^[2][8] This position, which may be part-time teaching and part-time coaching, supports educators in effectively integrating digital tools into their daily curriculum. ^[2][8] Similar to this, but often in a corporate setting or within EdTech companies, are Customer Success roles. ^[3][4] These professionals handle implementation, professional development, and technical support, relying heavily on their ability to train and support users who are often struggling to troubleshoot technology issues or adopt new platforms. ^[3][4]

# School Tech Careers

Educational institutions themselves hire a variety of technology professionals to maintain infrastructure and guide pedagogical integration. ^[2] These roles often require a deep understanding of curriculum and hardware/software systems. ^[2][8]

# Institutional Specialists

The Instructional Technology Specialist is often cited as the highest-level technology position within K-12, requiring specific state certification alongside an education degree. ^[2] This person acts as the key integrator of technology processes within the school. ^[2]

Conversely, there are Technology Integration Specialist roles that focus on determining the best implementation methods, improving network infrastructures, and managing system upgrades and maintenance across an organization or district. ^[8] These roles often overlap with the Technology Coach, but might have a heavier technical or administrative bent. ^[2][8]

For those who prefer to remain less classroom-facing, Pure Technology Leadership positions exist, though they typically do not require teaching certification. ^[2] Job titles here can include:

• School District Network Manager ^[2]
• Technology Manager ^[2]
• School Database Administrator ^[2]
• Web Master ^[2]

Lower-level, non-teaching roles often fall under Technical Support, such as a computer lab manager, which focuses on equipment maintenance and software installation. ^[2]

# Leadership Tracks

Higher education and larger school districts also seek top-tier technology leaders. Roles like Director of Educational Technology coordinate digital technology use, oversee policy development, and manage faculty training across departments. ^[8] At the executive level, positions such as Chief Information & Technology Officer oversee the entire technology structure, requiring expertise in managing complex systems, compliance (like FERPA), and leading large IT teams. ^[4] It is interesting to note that some high-level leadership roles in larger districts may prioritize a business technology background or even an MBA over solely an educational technology master’s degree. ^[3]

What roles exist in corporate edtech?

# Building the Tools

The core of the EdTech industry involves companies that build the actual software, platforms, and learning content. These areas demand a blend of technical chops and educational insight. ^[1][8]

# Product Ownership

Product Managers are essential for guiding the development lifecycle of digital tools. An Assessment Technology Product Manager, for instance, must translate learning objectives into technical blueprints for testing engines, managing psychometrics, engineering, and compliance to ensure secure, valid, and reliable digital assessment products. ^[7] Similarly, a Technical Product Owner guides the development roadmap for educational products. ^[4]

For those with a strong foundation in coding, the EdTech Developer role is a specialized software developer position. ^[1] Teachers transitioning here benefit from understanding educational needs but must also learn programming languages like JavaScript or Python to build, implement, and refine solutions. ^[1]

# Content Creation

Beyond the high-level design done by IDs, dedicated content creation roles focus on media and structure. Digital Content Developers create the rich media—videos, interactive simulations, and graphics—that form the backbone of modern digital courses. ^[7] Curriculum Designers/Managers, meanwhile, focus on developing the overall educational program and instructional materials, often assisting instructors with presentation and identifying necessary material adjustments. ^[8]

# Cutting Edge Roles

As technology rapidly advances, especially with the integration of artificial intelligence and immersive media, entirely new specialties are emerging that require niche expertise. These roles demonstrate that the industry values specialization alongside broad knowledge. ^[7]

# AI and Data Focus

The rise of generative AI has necessitated the Generative AI Instructional Strategist. ^[7] This specialist sits at the intersection of learning science and prompt engineering, architecting workflows for using generative models for tasks like lesson planning or content adaptation while ensuring outputs are instructionally sound and bias-aware. ^[7] Closely related is the AI Education Specialist, who helps companies and institutions navigate the broader implications of AI use in learning, balancing the need for AI literacy with maintaining core critical thinking skills.

Data has become central to measuring efficacy. The Educational Data Scientist or Data Analyst for Educational Outcomes analyzes data from learning platforms to assess impact and guide strategy. ^[7] The Learning Analytics Engineer (LAE) is the technical powerhouse, building the data pipelines that unify events from various systems (LMS, LRS) to ensure metrics like mastery and persistence are trustworthy and auditable. ^[7] Furthermore, the Student Engagement Analyst focuses specifically on gathering quantitative usage statistics and qualitative feedback to diagnose why a digital solution is or is not "sticky".

# Immersion and Ethics

The move toward immersive learning has created the XR/Spatial Learning Architect. ^[7] These professionals design virtual, augmented, or mixed reality learning environments, translating concepts into immersive scenarios and managing the complex technical requirements of spatial computing interfaces. ^[7]

More abstract but vital are roles focused on trust and equity. The EdTech Ethicist examines core issues like data privacy, surveillance, bias, and the responsible governance of new technologies like AI within the educational context. Complementing this is the Digital Accessibility Engineer, whose critical function is ensuring that digital solutions are inclusive, specifically addressing barriers for users with disabilities, noting that currently, only about three percent of the internet is fully accessible.

What roles exist in anticipatory governance?

# Business Side Roles

Not all EdTech careers involve building curriculum or code; a significant number focus on connecting the product to the users, institutions, and revenue streams. ^[3][4]

# Sales and Partnerships

Sales roles, often titled Account Executive or Sales Development Representative (SDR), are crucial for bringing products to market. ^[4] For former educators, these roles benefit immensely from the ability to understand a school administrator’s needs, though some sales tracks may involve significant cold calling and outreach, which may not appeal to all former teachers. ^[3] Partnership Directors also fall into this business-facing category, working to establish institutional relationships. ^[4]

# Consulting and Strategy

Educational Consultants advise institutions, nonprofits, and corporations on best practices for technology integration, curriculum reform, and system adoption. ^[7] This path often appeals to those with an entrepreneurial streak, allowing them to apply broad expertise to various clients, guiding them through technology implementation roadmaps and professional development workshops. ^[6][7]

# Specialized Content & Compliance

Beyond direct content creation, roles focus on formalizing learning achievements. The Micro-Credential & Badging Program Manager architects skills-based pathways, defining competency frameworks and ensuring that digital credentials are valid and portable across systems. ^[7] This requires a blend of curriculum design, standards alignment, and operational governance. ^[7]

For a sector dealing with sensitive student data and complex institutional purchasing cycles, specialized operational roles are also key. These include roles focusing on compliance, operations, and human resources within the EdTech companies themselves. ^[4] For instance, a Technical Product Owner in a legal or HR capacity at an EdTech firm ensures the internal processes and product documentation meet high standards. ^[4] The ability to communicate technical specifications clearly to non-technical stakeholders is paramount here, making Technical Writers a needed component, translating complex product information into usable manuals and help systems. ^[1]

The sheer variety of roles—from the Learning Analytics Engineer building robust data pipelines to the EdTech Ethicist guiding moral development—shows that EdTech is not a monolithic industry but a collection of specialized domains converging on the future of learning. ^[7] For individuals transitioning, the most effective path often involves identifying which of these core pillars—content creation, technical development, data analysis, or user advocacy—best aligns with their existing strengths while committing to acquiring the necessary adjacent technical skills. ^[1] The continued double-digit growth projection for the sector suggests that these diverse career opportunities will only multiply as digital solutions become further embedded in educational practice. ^[8]