Instructional Designer (Training Specialist III) - Violence Prevention & Applied Learning Unit

State of Colorado; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Colorado, Office of the Attorney General, VPAL unit, seeks an experienced Training Specialist to lead development of the Unified Curriculum for POST-approved law enforcement academies in Colorado.

The role oversees a large team of volunteer SMEs, pilots curriculum components, and manages the Blackboard LMS statewide, focusing on adult and active learning and backward-design principles. Residency is required for Colorado residents.

Qualifications

• Six years of professional experience in law enforcement; three years in curriculum for adult-focused learning environments.
• Education and experience total six years; must include law enforcement and curriculum work.
• Submit transcripts if qualifying under Education and Experience option.
• Foreign degrees require translation/evaluation for credit.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of the Unified Curriculum for POST-approved LETAs in Colorado.
• Manage Curriculum Development Teams of SMEs for draft material.

Skills

Curriculum development

Adult learning

Instructional design

Law enforcement experience

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Transcript submission if Education & Experience option

Tools

Blackboard

MS Office

Job description

This position is open only to Colorado state residents.

Find a rewarding career making a difference: Join the Office of the Attorney General!

The Violence Prevention and Applied Learning (VPAL) Unit is looking for an experienced Introductional Designer to join their team! In this role, you will help support, improve, and elevate law enforcement throughout the State of Colorado through a critical project to redesign law enforcement academy training. If you have strong communication skills and want to use your curriculum development experience to better law enforcement training at the State of Colorado, this position is for you!

WHO WE ARE

The Office of the Attorney General/Department of Law is the "People's Lawyer." The Attorney General, Phil Weiser, was elected by the people of Colorado and is the State's chief lawyer and law enforcement official. Our vision for the Department of Law is: "Together, we serve Colorado and its people, advancing the rule of law, protecting our democracy and promoting justice for all." Our core values and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, drive our actions and demonstrate our focus on being principled public servants who are innovative and better together.

Learn more about the Colorado Attorney General’s Office here.

The Violence Prevention and Applied Learning (VPAL) unit, within the Criminal Justice Section of the Department of Law, carries out the Attorney General's responsibilities for violence prevention and law enforcement training. VPAL develops tools, training, and resources that help first responders and communities prevent violence, including work on Extreme Risk Protection Orders and the Lethality Assessment Program. VPAL also develops evidence-based law enforcement curriculum grounded in adult and active learning science. Under HB26-1312, the Attorney General is responsible for leading the redesign of Colorado's basic law enforcement academy curriculum and submitting a proposal to the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board “to update current Basic, Reserve, and Refresher Law Enforcement Training Academy programs and improve the peace officer performance of future academy graduates” by December 31, 2030. VPAL leads the effort through the Academy Redesign Project and the related Instructor Methodology Program in partnership with the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board, which remains the certifying body for Colorado peace officers. VPAL is also responsible for developing law enforcement curriculum required by other legislation.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

This position leads the development of the Unified Curriculum, the standardized, competency-based curriculum, that all POST-approved law enforcement academies (LETAs) in Colorado will use after 2030. The Unified Curriculum emphasizes scenario-based, experiential learning grounded in the best practices of adult and active learning. It followed a backward design model to ensure proper focus on the foundational, practical application, and cohesive integration of topics necessary for new peace officers entering the profession. When complete, it will contain the baseline curriculum that all LETAs will be required to use in the state. The curriculum will involve over 800 hours of direct student learning time.

The position manages the Curriculum Development Teams made up of more than 40 subject matter expert volunteers who provide the drafts for Unified Curriculum material. The position will review the curriculum produced by the teams, provide feedback, and structure further curriculum development processes. They will also manage all work required to pilot components of the curriculum as they build towards statewide rollout of the curriculum. It will be required to manage the project's learning management system (Blackboard) and create the infrastructure for the use of the system statewide. Leads other informal groups of volunteers, development and validation of a new POST certification exam, program evaluation research, and the statewide scheduling and sequencing work needed for academies to adopt the curriculum. It serves as the main point of contact for Colorado's law enforcement training academies (LETAs) on the Unified Curriculum. The position requires both law enforcement experience (preferably with experience at a Law Enforcement Training Academy) and curriculum development expertise.

This recruitment may be used to fill other Training Specialist positions within the Criminal Justice section at the Department of Law.

Salary note:Although a salary range is listed, salary will be set commensurate with the successful candidate's qualifications and in compliance with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. Salary will be paid on a biweekly basis.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Residency Requirement:

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Class Code & Classification Description:

H4I3XX TRAINING SPECIALIST III

Minimum Qualifications and Substitutions

Please document all relevant experience in detail on your application. Experience will not be inferred or assumed. Any part-time experience listed will be prorated.

Experience Only

Six (6) years of professional experience working in the law enforcement profession; three of those years must include creating, developing, and assessing curriculum for adult-focused learning environments.

Education and Experience

A combination of relevant education (including associate, bachelor, master, or similar degrees) AND professional experience equal to six (6) years. Professional experience must include working in the law enforcement profession and creating, developing, and assessing curriculum for adult-focused learning environments.

• Please note, relevant education may substitute for four (4) years; qualified candidates must demonstrate at least two (2) years of related professional experience.

If you are qualifying under the Education and Experience option listed above, you must submit a copy of your transcripts at the time of application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.

Note: Candidates possessing a foreign degree must submit a translation (evaluation) of their degree from an accredited institution, such as The National Association of Credential Evaluations Services in order to be given credit for the degree.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience teaching, coordinating, or developing curriculum in a law enforcement setting.
• Experience as a sworn peace officer in patrol and other similar field work.
• Over 10 years of law enforcement experience in a variety of roles.
• Experience as a Field Training Officer.
• IM Basic or IM Course Design completed (Certified Basic Instructor or Course Designer) or ability to obtain it within first 6 months of employment.
• Experience with active learning, scenario-based, competency-based, or backward-design curriculum work, including writing intended learning outcomes and assessments.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate volunteer teams or Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) as part of curriculum development.
• Experience building courses in a learning management system (such as Blackboard), writing test items, and exam validation.
• Experience designing curriculum pilots or doing program evaluation, especially qualitative or mixed methods.

Required Competencies

• Proficiency in MS Office programs such as Word and Excel;
• Excellent writing and editing skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively work with a wide range of stakeholders;
• Conflict resolution skills.

Conditions of Employment

• Applicants must pass a thorough background investigation prior to appointment.
• Colorado Department of Law participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.
• This position offers flexible work arrangements. Position is expected to work in office a minimum of 2 days a week. Flexible work arrangements may change at any time based on business needs.
• Requires statewide travel up to 30% of the time, including occasional overnight travel. Applicants must possess a valid Colorado Driver's license.

WHY WORK FOR US

We Embrace Flexibility

We aim to produce outstanding work product for our clients, be efficient with our time, and support each other as team members – which also means we embrace flexible working arrangements when and where possible.

We Are Committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At the DOL, our commitment to DEI is thriving. We know that we are better together when our differences are valued and everyone is inspired and empowered to contribute. As such, we strive to provide a safe environment where individuals feel valued and respected for who they are; demonstrate a behavior and mindset where differences are welcomed, and individuals are treated equally and empowered to do their best work; and promote growth and innovation through a diverse workforce. We empower an active Diversity Equity & Inclusion Impact Team that creates approaches to ensure safe spaces and a culture supportive of people being their authentic selves, hosts events and programs on DEI areas important to our employees, enables development and sustainability of resource groups that give a voice to historically marginalized populations, focuses on retaining our incredible talent, and more! If your professional goals include promoting growth and innovation with colleagues who recognize that we are better together when our differences are valued and respected, then DOL is your place to be!

We Have Strong Core Values

Our core values drive our actions. At the Department of Law, we are: 1) principled, maintaining the highest ethical standards, rigorous legal analysis, and careful evaluation of facts; 2) public servants, who are always ensuring our work is not about us, but instead is about the people of Colorado; 3) innovative, by seeking to identify the best approach, make deliberate decisions, and look to improve; and 4) "better together," by working to support each other and collaborate.

We are Committed to Developing our Employees

We are deeply invested in our talent and regularly provide meaningful opportunities for personal and professional growth through training and coaching. Further, our professional development and performance goal setting process is collaborative and ongoing, and aimed at helping our employees grow and succeed.

We Offer Excellent Benefits

In addition to the comprehensive State of Colorado benefits package including competitive medical, dental and vision health plans, employer-paid life insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans with Colorado PERA, and vacation and sick leave earned each month, there are many other unique benefits that we offer, including:

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: As a state government employee, you might be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. A borrower may qualify for forgiveness by making 120 on-time payments while employed full-time in public service, if they have certain kinds of federal loans in a qualifying repayment plan
• Free access to an on-site fitness center
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible work schedules, professional development opportunities, and an employee discount program
• Employer-paid mental health and counseling services through Colorado State Employee Assistance Program
• Employer-paid annual attorney registrationdues
• Employer-provided access to professional development training and CLE through PLI, Department of Law University and other entities.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

ADAAA Requests

The Department of Law is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, Julie Christopher at [e-mail].

Appeal Rights

An applicant who has been removed from an employment list or removed from consideration during the selection process may request a review by the State Personnel Director.

As an applicant directly affected by the results of the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file a written appeal with the State Personnel Director.

Review of the completed, signed, and submitted appeal will be timely on the basis of written material submitted by you, using the official appeal form signed by you or your representative. This form must be completed and delivered to the State Personnel Board by email at [e-mail] within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgment of the Department’s action.

For further information on the Board Rules, you can refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov/board-rules.