Instructional Designer (47033)

Golden Gate University; San Francisco (CA); Remote; USD 70,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Golden Gate University is seeking an experienced Instructional Designer to design and redevelop engaging online courses for diverse learners in a university setting. You will partner with faculty to align outcomes, activities, and assessments, ensuring effective RSI and inclusive design.

The role requires mastery of Brightspace, strong writing, and the ability to collaborate across teams on technology integration, accessibility, and quality assurance for large courses.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of instructional design experience and a master’s degree in instructional design, education, educational technology, or a related field.
• Higher education teaching experience with direct instruction of college or university students.
• Demonstrated ability to design online courses with aligned outcomes, assessments, and active learning.

Responsibilities

• Design and redevelop engaging online courses and curricula in Brightspace and other supported environments.
• Align outcomes, activities, assessments, and RSI to ensure meaningful faculty-student interaction.
• Collaborate with faculty and teams on multimedia, accessibility, and quality assurance for launches.

Skills

Instructional design

Higher education teaching

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Writing and editing

Education

Master's degree in instructional design, education, educational technology, or related field

Five+ years of instructional design experience

Doctorate or additional graduate degree (preferred)

Tools

D2L Brightspace

RSI / UDL / WCAG accessibility standards

Job description

Job Details: Job Location: San Francisco - San Francisco, CA 94105, Salary Range: $70,304.00 - $78,000.00 Salary/year, Instructional Designer

Course Design & Learning Effectiveness

• Department
• eLearning
• Salary range
• $70,304–$78,000 annually
• Reports to
• Director of Learning Design, Assessment, and Emerging Technology
• Schedule
• Full time, Pacific Time working hours
• Location
• Remote (U.S.)

Compensation: Placement within the posted salary range is based on relevant experience, demonstrated skills, evidence of work quality, and alignment with the position's responsibilities. Candidates who demonstrate exceptional proficiency in advanced course design, assessment alignment, higher education teaching, faculty collaboration, and development of engaging online learning experiences may be considered for the upper end of the range. Meeting preferred qualifications does not automatically guarantee maximum pay.

About the role

Design and redevelop engaging, academically rigorous online courses and related curricula in Brightspace, Edvisor.ai, and other supported environments. Partner with faculty to align outcomes, activities, assessments, and regular and substantive interaction (RSI), including in AI-supported and large-enrollment courses.

How we work

Our instructional designers work closely with faculty and colleagues from initial course concepts through launch and improvement. We share responsibility for problem-solving, step into emerging program and curriculum projects, and make thoughtful design decisions even when source materials or processes are still evolving.

Key responsibilities

Course and assessment design

• Partner with faculty to design or revise courses, translating source materials into clear, coherent course design documents.
• Align outcomes, weekly topics, content, activities, and assessments; identify what existing material to retain or improve.
• Create active-learning experiences, including discussions, cases, and collaborative or peer activities.

Faculty presence and learning quality

• Design regular and substantive interaction (RSI) and practical faculty-presence strategies, including in AI-graded courses.
• Apply Universal Design for Learning, accessibility, and inclusive teaching practices throughout course design.
• Evaluate course effectiveness using learner feedback, assessment results, engagement data, and quality reviews.

Course development and collaboration

• Build, update, and test courses in Brightspace, Edvisor.ai, and other tools; critically review AI-generated content.
• Collaborate with teammates on multimedia, technology integration, accessibility, quality assurance, and launches.
• Provide one-off faculty assistance, including activity testing and support for instructional challenges.
• Contribute to parallel programs, coordinated curriculum, reusable learning resources, and other shared projects.

Qualifications: What you bring

Required

• Five or more years of instructional design experience and a master's degree in instructional design, education, educational technology, or a related field.
• Higher education teaching experience, including direct responsibility for instruction of college or university students.
• Demonstrated ability to design online courses with aligned outcomes, assessments, active learning, and meaningful faculty-student interaction.
• Hands-on D2L Brightspace course-building experience and working knowledge of RSI, UDL, and WCAG accessibility standards.
• Effective use of generative AI in course development, including critical review of accuracy and instructional quality.
• Strong writing, faculty collaboration, project management, and judgment across concurrent deadlines.

Preferred

• Doctorate or second graduate degree; Edvisor.ai or similar AI learning-platform experience.
• Experience with adult learners, high-enrollment courses, Quality Matters, or formal course quality assurance.
• Experience with parallel programs, curriculum mapping, or coordinated program pathways.
• Professional proficiency in written Spanish.

In applying for a position, candidates sign a consent authorizing a broader inquiry which may include reference checks, a motor vehicle check, and a third-party background check.

Golden Gate University is an equal employment opportunity employer. We support inclusive excellence and are committed to creating a safe and welcoming community for all.

University policy prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion/creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex/gender, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, gender stereotyping, and gender identity, gender expression, military or veteran status, taking a protected leave (e.g., family medical or pregnancy leave), or on any other basis protected by applicable laws.

The University has a strong commitment to the principles of diversity and inclusion, and to maintaining working and learning environments that reinforces these practices. The University welcomes and encourages applications from all demographics.

Circa