Instructional Designer I, Education

National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN); Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 63,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) in Chicago seeks an Instructional Designer I to join its Education team. This role focuses on designing high-quality e-learning courses for regulatory professionals, applying adult learning principles and collaborating closely with subject matter experts.

The ideal candidate should have a Bachelor's degree in instructional design, at least two years of experience, and proficiency in authoring tools like Articulate. The starting salary ranges from $63,000 to $72,000 annually.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in instructional design, education, or related field required.
• Minimum of two years of experience in instructional design or curriculum development.
• Strong knowledge of adult learning theory and instructional design models.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and learner-focused.

Responsibilities

• Design e-learning courses and learning materials using instructional design principles.
• Work closely with subject matter experts to create meaningful learning experiences.
• Apply accessibility guidelines and ensure usability standards are met.
• Assist in developing assessments and feedback tools to evaluate course effectiveness.

Skills

Adult learning theory

Instructional design models (ADDIE, SAM)

Communication skills

Authoring tools (Articulate Rise/Storyline)

Organization skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in instructional design or related field

Tools

Microsoft365

Learning management systems (LMS)

Job description

Instructional Designer I, Education

Regular Full-Time — Chicago, IL, US

JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking an instructional designer to join our Education team. The ideal candidate will bring value to the team by supporting the design and development of high-quality, learner-centered e-learning courses for regulatory professionals.

Reporting to the Manager, Learning Design, the Instructional Designer I will apply adult learning principles and best practices in instructional design to create accessible, engaging, and clearly structured educational experiences. They will also work closely with subject matter experts (SMEs), developers, and delivery teams to translate content into meaningful learning outcomes and interactive experiences.

This role is an excellent opportunity for a skilled instructional designer who thrives in a collaborative, team-centered environment and is eager to continue growing their design skills while supporting an organization dedicated to advancing nursing regulation and policy worldwide.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design e-learning courses and learning materials using backward design, learning outcomes, and assessment alignment. Organize content for clarity and impact using storyboards, scripts, and course maps.
• Work closely with subject matter experts to analyze content, extract key ideas, and structure information into instructionally sound learning experiences. Facilitate working sessions and iterative feedback loops to ensure alignment with learning goals.
• Apply accessibility guidelines and adult learning principles to ensure all courses meet usability and accessibility standards. Recommend instructional strategies that support knowledge transfer, engagement, and real-world application. Stay current on trends in e-learning, instructional design, and digital learning tools. Recommend updates to templates, design standards, and workflows to improve learning outcomes and efficiency.
• Review course builds and media components for fidelity related to the instructional design plan. Provide feedback to developers and support revision cycles to ensure consistency, accuracy, and instructional integrity.
• Assist in developing formative and summative assessments, learner surveys, and feedback tools that evaluate the effectiveness of courses and inform iterative improvements.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in instructional design, education, education technology, curriculum development, or related field required.
• Minimum of two years of experience in instructional design, curriculum development, or learning experience design required.
• Strong knowledge of adult learning theory, instructional design models (ADDIE, SAM), and evaluation strategies.
• Proficiency in developing learning outcomes, assessments, and instructional scripts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of authoring tools (e.g., Articulate Rise/Storyline) and collaboration tools (e.g., Microsoft365).
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and learner-focused.
• Experience designing for e-learning platforms and learning management systems (LMS).
• Experience working with SMEs.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The anticipated starting salary for this position is $63,000 - $72,000 annually. Actual compensation will be dependent on a candidate’s relevant experience, skills, training, certifications/licenses, qualifications and geographic location.

NCSBN offers eligible employees a competitive benefits package that provides our team members with plan options to meet their individual needs. Review benefit details here: https://www.ncsbn.org/about/governance-and-staff/careers/ncsbn-benefits.page

TO BE CONSIDERED

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their resume as soon as possible.

EEO Statement

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is an equal employment opportunity employer. Decisions affecting employment are considered without regard to disability, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status or any other protected characteristic.