Associate Instructional Designer

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

Job summary

WGU in Salt Lake City, UT seeks an Associate Instructional Designer to develop high-quality, engaging educational experiences aligned with program outcomes and instructional best practices.

Working with stakeholders, you will design course content, ensure accessibility and UX/UI quality, and help evaluate curricular materials across multiple projects. This onsite role supports learner success and the university's mission to expand access to higher education.

Qualifications

• Basic understanding of instructional design and curriculum development with adult learning theory.
• Ability to design engaging learning experiences for diverse adult learners.
• Experience using generative AI and emerging technologies appropriately.
• Knowledge of aligning resources to program and course competencies.
• Strong technical writing, editing, and communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in fast-paced environments.

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 create high-quality experiences.
• Collaborates with faculty and internal teams for instructional alignment and feasibility.
• Evaluates and revises curricular materials to meet program objectives and learner needs.
• Performs quality assurance reviews and supports continuous improvement.
• Ensures timely completion of course development within timelines and budget.

Skills

Instructional design principles

Adult learning theory

AI / generative AI usage

Technical writing

Collaboration

Critical thinking

Stakeholder communication

Independent work

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 dem