Instructional Designer

American University; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

American University is seeking an Instructional Designer at the Spring Valley Campus in Washington, DC. The role focuses on AI integration to create adaptive and personalized learning across traditional, online, and hybrid programs.

You will collaborate with faculty, staff, and graduate assistants to implement innovative AI solutions, design engaging curricula, and ensure accessibility and pedagogical soundness across courses.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Graduate Degree in Learning Design, Instructional Systems, Educational Psychology, or related field with at least 12 semester hours in instructional design topics.
• 2-4 years of relevant experience in instructional design and course development.
• Working knowledge of instructional design for online and blended learning, including AI-enabled workflows and learner engagement.
• Experience executing full ISD life cycle with storyboarding for developers and designers.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and revise online and hybrid courses; align activities and assessments with course objectives.
• Update courses in Canvas; assist faculty in preparing courses for launch.
• Lead course readiness meetings with faculty for online and hybrid delivery.
• Train adjunct faculty on Canvas setup and course templates; ensure consistency across courses.
• Leverage AI tools to support course design, generation of outlines, assessments, and adaptive content.
• Stay informed on AI, pedagogy, and edtech trends; translate research into practice.
• Provide faculty guidance on HyFlex classroom tech and resources.
• Advise on sequencing of learning elements and media for active learning.

Skills

Instructional design

AI in education

Course development

Educational technology

Faculty communication

Education

Bachelor's or Graduate Degree in Learning Design / Instructional Systems / Educational Psychology

Master's degree or equivalent (preferred)

Tools

HTML

CSS

Adobe Photoshop

Illustrator

Articulate

Captivate

Job description

Instructional Designer

Spring Valley Campus (Washington, DC)

Full time

American University is a student-centered research institution located in Washington, DC, with highly-ranked schools and colleges, internationally-renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world. Learn more about American University.

Department: Kogod School of Business

Time Type: Full time

Job Type: Regular

FLSA Status: Exempt

Work Modality: Hybrid 02 (On Campus 2 days/Week)

Union: SEIU Local 500 - Provost & Enrollment DivisionThis position is part of a collective bargaining unit represented by SEIU Local 500 - Provost & Enrollment Division. That means the terms and conditions of your employment are governed by university policy (including the Staff Personnel Policies Manual) and any collective bargaining agreement entered into between American University and SEIU Local 500 - Provost & Enrollment Division.

Job Description

Summary

The Instructional Designer for The Kogod School of Business will serve as an AI integration specialist, leading the adoption and application of artificial intelligence tools and approaches in the design and delivery of courses for residential and graduate online programs on approximately a 50/50 basis. This role centers on leveraging AI-driven technologies and data insights to create engaging, adaptive, and personalized learning experiences across traditional, online, and hybrid formats. The Instructional Designer collaborates closely with graduate assistants, staff members, and faculty to identify, recommend, and implement innovative AI solutions that optimize pedagogical effectiveness and student outcomes. Expertise in instructional theory, educational technology, and faculty communication is required to ensure the successful integration of AI-powered methodologies within sound instructional frameworks and evolving learning environments.

Essential Functions

• Support the design, development, and revision of online and hybrid courses, including new course creation and updates ranging from minor adjustments to major redesigns. Collaborate with faculty to ensure that assignments, activities, and assessments align with their course objectives and promote meaningful learning. Provide guidance in reviewing, editing, and reorganizing course content, while identifying opportunities to incorporate multimedia elements that enhance engagement. Additionally, assist and advise faculty in thoughtfully integrating artificial intelligence tools and strategies into their courses, ensuring alignment with instructional goals and fostering innovation in teaching and learning.
• Perform course updates in AU’s Learning Management System (Canvas), supporting the setup, maintenance, organization, and revision of course-related content. Proactively identify upcoming courses for the next semester and reach out to assigned faculty to offer timely assistance in preparing their courses for launch. Collaborate with faculty to explore and implement artificial intelligence tools in the redesign of assignments and assessments, thereby enhancing instructional effectiveness and learning outcomes.
• Support and conduct the course readiness meetings with faculty before delivery of an online and/or hybrid course. The meeting serves as a readiness checklist to coordinate the many online moving components to ensure all parties are aligned before delivery.
• Assist new adjunct faculty in becoming familiar with course setup in Canvas, including navigation, content organization, and instructional tools. Share Kogod’s standardized syllabus and KSB course template to ensure consistency across all courses and provide ongoing support throughout the semester to address instructional needs and promote a smooth teaching experience.
• Assist the Online Le, ensuring that learning outcomes are translated and aligned with appropriate coursework and assessments. Contribute to the development of syllabi, assessment options, and course evaluation methods providing feedback throughout the online course development process. Leverage artificial intelligence tools to support course design and maintenance—such as generating outlines, assessments, and multimedia content; personalizing learning paths; enhancing accessibility; and analyzing performance data to improve instructional effectiveness and learning outcomes.
• Stay informed on emerging research, trends, and innovations in pedagogy, educational technologies, and artificial intelligence as they relate to online and hybrid course design. This includes actively engaging with scholarly articles, professional development opportunities, seminars, and conferences. Apply this knowledge — particularly in the context of Artificial Intelligence driven tools, analytic methods, and adaptive learning systems — to recommend and collaborate with faculty and course authors in adopting and implementing effective, current strategies and technologies. Ensure instructional approaches remain pedagogically sound, technologically and AI-relevant, and responsive to evolving online and hybrid learning environments.
• Provide faculty training on using HyFlex equipment in the classroom and develop targeted resources to support effective engagement with both in-person and remote learners.
• Provide consultation to faculty in the sequencing of educational elements, selection of media, pedagogical strategies, and other components for active and collaborative educational events. Ensures that the educational events meet learning objectives and are appropriate for the intended audience.

Competencies

• Displaying Creativity.
• Prioritizing and Organizing.
• Championing Customer Needs.
• Serving Customers.
• Supporting Coworkers.
• Acquiring and Analyzing Information.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Full-time.
• 35 hours per week.
• Union eligible position.

Salary Range

• $69,938.00 - $75,744.00 annually.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelors or Graduate Degree in Learning Design, Instructional Systems, Educational Psychology OR a related training field that included at least 12 semester hours of course work in the following areas: 1) Instructional design practices: Study of the principles and techniques used in designing training programs, developing design strategy and models, and applying design methods to the improvement of instructional effectiveness. 2) Instructional product development: Study of the techniques appropriate for developing training materials, including identifying learner characteristics, specifying objectives, applying training strategy, validating training materials, and evaluating training.
• 2 - 4 years of relevant experience.
• Working knowledge of instructional design, course development, and technology associated with creating online and blended learning solutions, including experience with artificial intelligence tools that enhance instructional workflows and learner engagement.
• Demonstrated through at least 2 years of experience executing the full life cycle of the instructional systems design (ISD) process including developing linear and non-linear technology-based storyboards for programmers and web developers, including graphics concepts, audio scripts, user interactions, navigation, and other related elements.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Master's degree or equivalent.
• Program of study in Learning Design, Instructional Systems, Educational Psychology or closely related field.
• 3 - 5 years of relevant experience.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

• Demonstrated through at least 2 years of experience executing the full life cycle of the instructional systems design (ISD) process including developing linear and non-linear technology-based storyboards for programmers and web developers, including graphics concepts, audio scripts, user interactions, navigation, and other related elements.
• Experience developing instructional content in compliance with Section 508 accessibility standards.
• Basic knowledge of HTML, CSS and visual design skills (Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat); visualizing instructional graphics, the user interface, and final deliverables.
• Skill in using software for curriculum development including word processing, presentation tools and learning technologies (e.g., Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Connect Pro, Photoshop, Articulate, and Captivate).
• Strong technical writing and storyboarding abilities, including the creation of effective instructional text, audio scripts, and video narratives.
• Highly effective verbal and written communication skills, adaptable to diverse audiences and instructional contexts.
• Proven ability to build relationships and trust, fostering collaboration with faculty, staff, and stakeholders.
• Familiarity with artificial intelligence tools and their application in instructional design, including identifying appropriate use cases and supporting faculty in integrating AI into course delivery.

Other Duties