Technical Support Associate (Contractor)

Today, 67% of students and 82% of low-income students can’t read at grade level by the end of third grade. That’s when students are supposed to go from learning to read to reading to learn. It’s America’s number one education crisis and we know how to fix it.

Ignite Reading delivers one-to-one virtual tutoring that teaches every student the foundational skills they need to become a confident, fluent reader. We pair students who need extra support with expert reading tutors who provide daily, 15-minute, Science of Reading-based instruction that rapidly closes their decoding gaps. We focus on the foundational reading skills—phonics, phonemic awareness, and sight words—kids need to master so they can decode a sentence. Students in Ignite Reading’s program achieve over 2 weeks of reading skills growth per week of instruction, and notably all students achieve the same outstanding results including students with IEPs, multilingual learners, students of color and those receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Ignite Reading is a mission-driven public benefit corporation. We believe we can do well for our team members and shareholders while we solve one of the nation’s biggest challenges. We believe we will be more successful with a diverse team and are seeking candidates who have lived experience related to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Your Role

Ignite Reading is seeking a contract Technical Support Associate to join our Customer Experience Team for the fall tutoring term. Reporting to the Lead Sr. Manager, Technical Support, you will be the first line of help for the day-to-day technical issues that arise during live tutoring sessions - ensuring our tutors, students, and school partners can keep instruction running smoothly.

In this role, you will primarily handle student technical concern tickets raised by our tutors, the majority of which involve audio and video issues within Lessonspace, our third-party virtual classroom provider. Working in HubSpot's Help Desk, you will triage and resolve tickets using macros and basic Level 1 troubleshooting, escalating more complex cases as needed. Throughout, you will communicate with tutors and school partners in a professional, friendly, and solutions-oriented way that reflects well on Ignite Reading.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for student technical concern tickets submitted by tutors, primarily audio/video issues in Lessonspace, our virtual classroom platform

• Triage incoming tickets in HubSpot's Help Desk and route or escalate to the appropriate internal team when needed

• Perform basic (Level 1) troubleshooting to diagnose and resolve common connectivity, audio, and video issues

• Use HubSpot macros and AI-assisted drafting where appropriate to deliver clear, accurate, and personalized responses quickly while maintaining empathy and technical accuracy

• Communicate professionally and warmly with tutors and school partners, representing Ignite Reading in every interaction

• Meet or exceed established SLAs, including first response time, first resolution time, and CSAT survey targets

• Escalate, while continuing to manage, cases that require Level 2 or Support Engineer involvement

• Build a working knowledge of the Ignite Reading Platform and how it integrates with Lessonspace and other partner tools

• Contribute to knowledge base articles, macros, and troubleshooting guides based on resolved cases

Competencies

• Familiarity with Ignite Reading's program strongly preferred; current or former Ignite Reading tutors especially encouraged to apply

• 1+ year in a technical support or customer support role, or equivalent experience supporting customers

• Experience supporting customers across channels such as tickets, email, chat, and screen shares

• Comfort troubleshooting audio/video and connectivity issues in a virtual or web-based environment; experience with Lessonspace or similar virtual classroom tools a plus

• Experience with HubSpot, or a comparable CRM/help desk platform, preferred

• Strong written communication with a friendly, empathetic, and professional tone

• Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills; able to manage multiple tickets simultaneously

• Comfort with AI-assisted workflows while maintaining quality standards and personal accountability for customer outcomes

• Self-directed and reliable in a fully remote environment

Contract Details

• Engagement type: Independent contractor (1099)

• Dates: September 1 – October 31, 2026, with potential for extension based on business needs and performance

• Rate: $35/hour

• Location: Fully remote

• Hours: approximately 30 hours per week

We believe in building and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace environment. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer where all applicants are considered for employment without attention to color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. Research shows that candidates from underrepresented backgrounds often don't apply for roles if they don't meet all the criteria – unlike majority candidates meeting significantly fewer requirements. We strongly encourage you to apply if you’re interested!

We are seeking candidates who have lived experience related to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are a virtual organization with headquarters in the California Bay Area.