Instructional Designer, Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies

Fort Hays State University•Hays, KS

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies (TILT) at Fort Hays State University seeks an Instructional Designer focused on creating human connection in digital learning spaces. The Instructional Designer partners with faculty to design courses and learning experiences across online, hybrid, and in-person formats, ensuring instructor presence, peer interaction, and student agency are intentionally incorporated. The role draws on expertise in instructional design, educational technology, and faculty development to support student success, inform learning-technology evaluation and adoption, and help faculty make considered decisions about the use of AI and other tools in learning. The position is based on campus in Hays, Kansas, and reports to the Director of Innovative Learning Strategies. The start date will be determined after acceptance of an offer and completion of a criminal background check.

Requirements

Master’s degree in education, instructional design, educational technology, or a related field, or six years of experience in lieu of a degree.
Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain design and technology choices to non-technical audiences.
Expertise with course quality assurance frameworks, such as the SUNY Online Course Quality Review Rubric (OSCQR), Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Scorecard, or Quality Matters.
Working familiarity with a learning management system; FHSU uses Blackboard Learn.
Strong technical aptitude and demonstrated ability to learn new tools and concepts quickly.

Nice To Haves

Two or more years of experience in instructional design or educational technology in higher education.
Demonstrated project management experience, including coordinating communication with several faculty members at once and meeting deadlines.
Online or hybrid teaching experience in higher education.
Familiarity with presence-based course design frameworks, such as the Community of Inquiry model, and ability to apply them in faculty consultations.
Experience helping faculty use generative AI in ways that preserve instructor-student and peer interaction rather than replace it.
Experience interpreting course-level engagement, activity, or outcomes data in partnership with instructors.
Working knowledge of digital learning accessibility standards, including WCAG and Universal Design for Learning, and of Regular and Substantive Interaction expectations for online courses.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate with faculty and colleagues across disciplines and backgrounds.
Experience designing or facilitating faculty professional development.
Background and experience with adoption and development of open educational resources (OERs).

Responsibilities

Partner with faculty to design and redesign courses, modules, activities, and assessments that incorporate Regular and Substantive Interaction across online, hybrid, and face-to-face formats.
Guide faculty through course development from concept to delivery, including alignment of outcomes, activities, and assessment.
Apply course quality assurance frameworks that treat connection and presence as design outcomes.
Design and deliver workshops, consultations, and resources to help faculty develop as course designers, in collaboration with TILT’s faculty development team.
Support faculty in making informed decisions about how AI can extend student capabilities without substituting for course-related thinking and interaction.
Contribute to TILT programming and faculty communities as they are developed.
Help evaluate learning tools and platforms against pedagogical criteria and make recommendations.
Support faculty adoption of approved tools, including the LMS, with attention to accessibility and student engagement.
Help faculty interpret and design based on their course data.
Contribute to quality improvement in online and blended learning, including Regular and Substantive Interaction standards.
Document design decisions and outcomes so TILT’s work can inform institutional priorities.