Instructional Designer

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

Job summary

Sonoran Desert Institute is seeking an experienced Instructional Designer to join our curriculum team and help develop engaging online courses for higher education. This remote role is limited to the states listed in the posting.

You will collaborate with subject matter experts, design course shells in Canvas, ensure accessibility, and align materials with learning objectives while supporting continuous improvement and student success. Travel up to 10% may be required.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Curriculum and Instructional Design or equivalent program.
• Certificate or equivalent training in instructional design/eLearning (16-credit hours) if not a related degree.
• Minimum 3 years of professional experience in instructional design.
• At least 1 year of instructional design experience in higher education.
• Strong knowledge of adult learning principles and distance instruction.
• Experience with LMS and course-authoring tools.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with subject matter experts to define objectives and create course documentation.
• Apply instructional design principles and accessibility standards for student-centered content.
• Design and develop online course materials with assessments and interactive activities.
• Develop course shells and modules in Canvas using tools like native Canvas tools, CidiLabs, Design Plus, and Canva.
• Source external media and cite resources properly.
• Support Academic Quality Assurance and continuous improvement efforts.
• Stay current with trends in instructional design and distance education.
• Troubleshoot course access and functionality issues.
• Participate in team meetings and professional development.
• Develop SOPs with Curriculum Staff and collaborate across the department.

Skills

Instructional Design

eLearning

Canvas LMS

Course development

Project management

Communication

Time management

Education

Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instructional Design

Certificate/training in instructional design/eLearning (16 credit hours)

Tools

Canvas

CidiLabs

Design Plus

Canva

Job description

Please note this remote position is limited to residing in the following states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, or Virginia.

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

OUR STORY

Sonoran Desert Institute (SDI) has been changing lives since 2000. 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. We believe in rewarding our employees through the success of the institution. We’re proud to be recognized by the Great Place to Work Institute as a Great Place to Work for four consecutive years 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. Come be a part of our dynamic organization where you will have the ability to impact the lives of others as they pursue their educational journey with us.

What you will be doing:

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
• Other work as assigned

What we offer:

• Highly competitive compensation
• Award winning culture
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Comprehensive benefits package with 100% company-paid medical option for employee
• 401(k) with generous company match
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Pet Insurance
• Company-paid Life insurance
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick, and Volunteer time off!)
• 14 Paid holidaysReferral program
• Education Tuition Benefit program
• Career development opportunities with a growing company
• And perhaps most importantly, a team who is dedicated to your success!

Requirements

What we are looking for:

• 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
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• 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%)

Sonoran Desert Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 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.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. 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.