Instructional Designer (Associate or No Prefix)
About The Position
The Instructional Designer works closely with senior instructional design staff to support the design, development, and enhancement of instructional activities, programs, curricula, and online courses. The role collaborates with faculty, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders to obtain content, apply learning theories and instructional design models, manage projects, and engage appropriate resources to meet learner and organizational needs. The selected candidate’s qualifications and experience will determine whether the position is placed at the Associate or unprefixed title level. The role creates courses in the learning management system and ensures that course content meets high quality standards. It also supports faculty development, educational technology integration, accessibility improvements, media planning, and the evaluation of educational resources. The Office of Online & Professional Learning Resources supports the Universities of Wisconsin Administration and all 13 UW universities in online and continuing education, teaching and learning, and workforce skills training. It partners with the universities to develop and deliver online semester- and competency-based degrees, certificates, courses, and other credentials for adult and professional learners. This is a full-time, salaried, exempt academic staff position. The office is located at 780 Regent Street in Madison, Wisconsin. Telecommuting or hybrid arrangements may be available, with at least two in-office days per month; additional in-office attendance may be requested based on business needs. Residence in or relocation to Wisconsin is required, and telecommuting agreements may change. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis through November 8, 2026, and may be accepted until the role is filled. The offer is conditional on criminal background and reference checks.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Demonstrated knowledge of learning theory and instructional design models.
- Experience working with learning management systems and related educational technologies.
- Experience establishing professional relationships with stakeholders or clients to help meet their objectives while providing excellent customer service.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Experience applying project management strategies to meet project goals and deadlines.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree in instructional design, curriculum and instruction, educational technology, adult learning, continuing education, or a related field.
- Knowledge of current learning and instructional design theories pertaining to online education.
- Proficiency with the Canvas learning management system.
- Proficiency in basic programming related to online learning, such as HTML, XML, ActionScript, Java, or JavaScript.
- Experience collaborating with other instructional designers.
- Experience working in higher education on instructional design projects for others.
Responsibilities
- Meet with faculty members and/or subject matter experts, under senior instructional design staff supervision, to create and manage curriculum development plans for online courses.
- Build collaborative relationships with constituents through in-person and remote communication, including email, webinars, and conference calls.
- Assist in developing training materials and provide faculty professional development on research and best practices for developing and teaching online courses.
- Assist with selecting, reviewing, and integrating educational technologies to support pedagogical aims.
- Train faculty to use the learning management system and associated educational technologies.
- Coordinate with media staff to develop media plans and related content.
- Help identify and communicate opportunities to improve all students’ learning experience, especially accessibility, and collaborate with faculty to implement improvements.
- Help faculty locate and evaluate educational resources and provide guidance on copyright and fair use.
- Maintain practitioner scholarship by keeping current with emerging theories and practices.
- Perform other duties as requested.
Benefits
- Excellent benefits package; details are available through the Universities of Wisconsin benefits information and total compensation estimator.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
