Associate Instructional Designer

Western Governors University; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 61,000 - 91,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses

Discounted WGU tuition

Flexible paid time off

11 paid holidays

Job summary

Western Governors University seeks an Associate Instructional Designer to develop high-quality, engaging educational experiences aligned with program outcomes. You will collaborate with stakeholders to design courses and refine curricular materials, ensuring accessibility and instructional quality across projects.

You’ll support multiple concurrent projects, track progress, and communicate with teams to promote continuous improvement and learner success in a Salt Lake City onsite setting.

Qualifications

• Fundamental understanding of instructional design principles and adult learning theory.
• Ability to design engaging, inclusive learning experiences for diverse adult learners.
• Experience evaluating curricular materials and aligning with program outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Supports course design and development for new and existing courses with alignment to outcomes.
• Designs engaging, objective-driven learning experiences reflecting real-world application.
• Applies UX/UI and accessibility best practices to learning experiences.

Skills

Instructional design

Curriculum development

Adult learning theory

Technical writing

Collaboration

AI in learning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Education/Learning Sciences/EDT

Tools

Learning management systems

Digital authoring tools

Job description

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career. Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Grade: Faculty 504 Pay Range: $60,600.00 - $90,900.00

Job Description

The Associate Instructional Designer is a faculty learning design professional who, with guidance from other instructional designers, develops high-quality, engaging educational experiences that align with program outcomes, instructional best practices, and each course's intended scope and sequence. In conjunction with key stakeholders, this role engages in the course development process and evaluates curricular materials. Consistently applies quality standards throughout development and across projects. Passionate about learner success, this individual collaborates across teams to research, design, and refine impactful learning experiences. Supports multiple concurrent projects, tracks progress and communicates effectively with stakeholders to promote accountability and continuous improvement. Location: This position will be based onsite in our Salt Lake City, UT office.

Primary Responsibilities

• Supports the course design and development content for new and existing courses, ensuring alignment with instructional best practices, scope and sequence, and defined learning outcomes.
• Designs and develops engaging, contextually rich, and objective-driven learning experiences that reflect real-world application and support diverse learner needs.
• Applies evidence-based instructional and learning experience design strategies, including scoping and sequencing with best practices in UX/UI and accessibility, to create high-quality educational experiences.
• Collaborates with faculty, internal teams to ensure instructional alignment, technical feasibility, and consistency in course design.
• Evaluates, develops, and revises curricular materials, learning resources, and assessments to ensure alignment with program objectives and learner competencies.
• Conducts quality assurance reviews and implements continuous improvement processes to maintain high standards of academic and instructional quality.
• Ensures timely completion of course development projects within established timelines and budget parameters.
• Stays current with trends in learning science, instructional design, digital learning technologies, and learner behavior to inform and enhance design practices.
• Leverages system capabilities and emerging tools to enhance the overall learning experience and contribute to innovation in design and delivery.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

This job description includes a general representation of job requirements rather than a comprehensive inventory of all required responsibilities or work activities. The contents of this document or related job requirements may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Basic understanding of instructional design principles, curriculum development, and adult learning theory, emphasizing scope and sequence, real-world application, and measurable learning outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to learn design and develop engaging, inclusive, and objective-aligned learning experiences for diverse adult learners.
• Experience utilizing generative AI and other emerging technologies appropriately.
• Working knowledge of learning resource integration and alignment to program and course competencies.
• Strong technical writing, editing, and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear, actionable content.
• Adept at working both independently and collaboratively in fast-paced environments.
• Skilled in critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, and problem-solving with a learner-first mindset.
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
• Able to demonstrate adaptability, resilience, and sound judgment in navigating ambiguity and change.
• Committed to continuous learning and applying innovations that enhance instructional quality and student experience.
• Strong interest in exploring human-centered uses of emerging technologies, including AI, to improve learning experiences.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Learning Sciences, Educational Technology, Curriculum and Instruction, or a related field; related experience may be considered in lieu of education.

Experience

• 2 years of professional experience designing and developing instructional materials or learning experiences in higher education, corporate training, or a similar environment. Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements. Generally, equivalent relevant experience is defined as 1 year of experience for 1 year of education and is the discretion of the hiring manager.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree with less than 1 year of related experience. Familiarity with learning management systems, digital authoring tools, or UX principles in learning environments. Experience working in agile or iterative development processes.

This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements.

Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses;

• medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare;
• health savings account and flexible spending account;
• basic and voluntary life insurance;
• disability coverage;
• accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages;
• legal and identity theft coverage;
• retirement savings plan;
• wellbeing program;
• discounted WGU tuition;
• and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

Additional Information Disclaimer

The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail]. Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.

Accommodations

Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.

In 1997, a coalition of 19 U.S. governors founded Western Governors University with a singular vision: to make higher education more accessible by offering full degree programs online. Starting small, we quickly expanded. Today, we’re one of the largest accredited online universities in the U.S. Click on the links below to learn more: Enrollment Counselor Evaluator Field Experience Roles (Part‑time & Intermittent) Program Mentor Service Desk Technician Mexico Team