Instructional Designer

Sonoran Desert Institute; North Carolina; Remote; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

Full medical coverage for employee

Employee Assistance Program

Life insurance

14 paid holidays

Job summary

Sonoran Desert Institute is seeking an experienced Instructional Designer to join our team and help shape career-focused online education. This remote role collaborates with subject matter experts, QA staff and the Curriculum Team to design engaging online courses, updates, and assessments that meet higher-ed standards.

You will develop course shells in Canvas, script multimedia, source resources, ensure accessibility, and align content with learning objectives.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instructional Design or related field.
• If your degree is in another subject, a certificate/evidence of formal training in instructional design/eLearning or related subject (at least 16 credit hours / 720 clock hours).
• Minimum three years of professional experience in instructional design.
• Minimum one year of instructional design experience at a higher education institution.
• Advanced knowledge of adult learning principles and distance instruction.
• Practical experience with learning management systems and course-authoring software.
• Willingness to travel up to 10%.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with subject matter experts to analyze learning needs and identify objectives/outcomes for new and revised distance learning courses.
• Create course and program documentation (blueprints, design documents, project plans, curriculum maps).
• Design and develop engaging online course materials, including multimedia elements and assessments.
• Develop course shells, syllabi, modules and lessons in Canvas using authoring tools like native Canvas tools, CidiLabs, Design Plus, and Canva.
• Source and secure licenses for external media with proper attribution.
• Support QA processes to ensure accuracy and alignment with learning objectives.
• Stay current with instructional design and distance education trends.
• Troubleshoot faculty and student course access and functionality issues.
• Participate in meetings, trainings, and professional development; help publish SOPs.

Skills

Adult learning principles

Time management

Project management

SME collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instructional Design or related subject

Certificate/equivalent education in instructional design (16-credit hours)

Tools

Canvas LMS

CidiLabs

Design Plus

Canva

Job description

Description Please note this remote position is limited to residing in the following states: Help Shape Career-Focused Online Education Through Innovative Instructional Design We’re Sonoran Desert Institute and we are seeking an experienced Instructional Designer to join our amazing team.

As a DEAC accredited school, our mission is to provide students with current, industry-driven, quality education, delivered through online distance education and practical applications. SDI is an employee-owned company creating a culture with an ownership mentality at the foundation. As a key member of the SDI Curriculum Team, the Instructional Designer will collaborate with other Instructional Designers, subject matter experts, quality assurance staff and other members of the curriculum team to create engaging and effective online courses, which meet the evolving needs of higher education students and faculty. The scope of the Instructional Designer includes four major areas of production: new course design, course updates, content development and assessment creation and development of other instructional materials.

Collaborate with subject matter experts to analyze learning needs and identify appropriate learning objectives / student outcomes for new and revised distance learning courses; create course and program documentation, including course blueprints, course and program design documents, project plans, curriculum maps, and other documents; identify and secure digital textbooks and other student resources; identify, storyboard and script video or other multimedia resources

Apply instructional design principles, adult learning theories and accessibility standards to create student-centered content that promotes active engagement and knowledge retention among all learners

Design and develop engaging and interactive online course materials, including multimedia elements, authentic assessments, fixed and constructed response exams, discussions, and other instructional activities which measure evidence of student learning

Develop course shells, syllabi, home pages, modules, interactives and lessons in the LMS (Canvas) using course authoring software, such as native Canvas tools, CidiLabs, Design Plus, and Canva

Source and secure the license for external media, such as images, video clips, and text-based resources, citing such resources appropriately

Assist with and/or support the Academic Quality Assurance process to ensure accuracy, consistency, and alignment with learning objectives

Stay current with emerging trends and technologies in instructional design and distance education to contribute to continuous improvement efforts

Assist in troubleshooting and resolving faculty and student course access and course functionality issues

Participate in team meetings, training sessions, and professional development opportunities to enhance skills and knowledge.

Collaborate with all members of the Curriculum Staff to develop, update and publish standard operating procedures for departmental and institutional understanding and consistent application

Award winning culture

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Comprehensive benefits package with 100% company-paid medical option for employee
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Company-paid Life insurance
• 14 Paid holidays
• Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instructional Design or a related subject.

If college degree is in a subject other than curriculum and instructional design, a certificate or other evidence of formal training in instructional design, eLearning, or a related subject, at least equivalent to 16-credit hours (720 clock hours) of education is required.

• Minimum three years of professional experience in instructional design
• Minimum of one year of professional instructional design experience at a higher education institution
• Advanced knowledge of adult learning principles and distance instruction
• Practical experience with learning management systems and course-authoring software
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and time management skills with the ability to independently follow through to successful completion of projects within a deadline

Some travel required (up to 10%)

It recruits and hires without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran or disability status, sexual orientation, gender expression, or any factors prohibited by law and affirms in policy and practice to support equal opportunity in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

**We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

***All benefits not available immediately upon hire. Some eligibility requirements may need to be met to be eligible for some benefits based on company policy.