Instructional Technology Designer

University of Chicago; United States; Hybrid; USD 81,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The Instructional Technology Designer at the University of Chicago IT Services (ITS) supports teaching and learning through instructional design and technology. You will partner with faculty on curriculum design, develop trainings, and maintain academic tools like Canvas, PrairieLearn, and Gradescope, while exploring innovations in educational technology and AI-enabled teaching.

With 2–5 years of related experience and a Master’s in instructional design or similar, you will help scale

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent combination.
• 2-5 years of related work experience.
• Master’s degree in instructional design or related field preferred.
• Experience with Canvas, PrairieLearn, and Gradescope.

Responsibilities

• Supports effective use of technology in teaching and learning.
• Collaborates with faculty on IT needs for teaching, research, and scholarship.
• Conducts consultations and workshops on instructional design.
• Develops events and trainings to promote innovative tech use.
• Creates user materials and supports e-learning environments.
• Assesses emerging technologies for teaching and learning, including AI tools.

Skills

Instructional design

Faculty support

Training & workshops

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Canvas

PrairieLearn

Gradescope

Microsoft 365

Job description

Department OPS ITS - Learning Design

About the Department IT Services (ITS) collaborates with campus partners to support the mission of the University of Chicago through the consistent delivery of high-quality solutions and services. We provide secure, stable, and reliable infrastructure and applications that support the mission of the University. ITS supports and enables faculty research and teaching with the effective use of technology, simplifies the technology experience for all users, identifies, manages, and mitigates technology risks for the University.

Job Summary

The Instructional Technology Designer develops and supports technology used in teaching and learning. Partners with faculty on curriculum design, course development, and instructional technology strategies grounded in accepted instructional theories and principles. Creates training programs, documentation, and online reference materials to help instructors, students, and staff use academic tools effectively. Supports the campus learning management system (Canvas) and related systems. Monitors trends in educational technology and explores innovative approaches to teaching and learning needs. Works with other units across campus to aggregate services in an academic context. Increasingly, this includes supporting the responsible use of generative AI in teaching, learning, and academic integrity contexts. The Instructional Technology Designer (ITD) supports the integration of technology in teaching and learning, research and other scholarly endeavors. The successful candidate for the ITD position thinks creatively about using technology in an educational setting and works well in a dynamic, collaborative team, often including staff from the Library, Chicago Center for Teaching, or academic units. With some direction from others, the ITD provides professional support to faculty and solves straightforward problems in the development, deployment, and support of technology used in teaching and learning.

Responsibilities

• Supports the effective use of technology in a variety of academic activities.
• Works closely with faculty to understand their IT needs with regard to teaching, research, and scholarship.
• Conducts individual faculty consultations and group workshops on instructional design methods and using technology in teaching.
• Assists in organizing, planning, and publicizing events that excite faculty and students and encourage innovative uses of technology in academic pursuits.
• Develops working relationships with administrators, librarians, museum educators, research specialists, teaching center staff, and other colleagues across campus who support faculty.
• Collaborates with other units across campus to continually improve academic platforms, tools, services, and processes.
• Provides ongoing support to faculty on the effective use of existing academic tools and platforms.
• Evaluates, supports, and helps faculty responsibly adopt emerging technologies for teaching and learning, including generative AI tools, exam security software, such as Respondus, and AI-content detection tools, such as Pangram.
• Monitors and analyzes emerging trends in educational technology and online learning, identifies opportunities, and explores innovative approaches to teaching and learning problems.
• Partners with faculty developing AI-assisted applications, projects, or course materials, helping refine and scale them.
• With some direction from others, performs a variety of IT activities supporting an e-learning environment, such as designing curriculum content.
• Identifies existing content and converts it into an e-learning environment, then creates user support materials.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Work Experience: 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
• Certifications: --- Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree in instructional design, instructional technology or related field.
• Experience: Minimum three years of experience in instructional technology and/or working with university instructors in support of their teaching with technology.
• Supporting the use of technology for teaching and learning such as blogging tools, communication tools, assessment tools, including PrairieLearn, Gradescope, etc., and learning management systems, such as Canvas.
• Developing or supporting online courses or blended/hybrid courses.
• Developing training materials and documentation.
• Communicating with users of greatly varying technical knowledge, including senior administration, faculty, staff, or students.
• Supporting or evaluating generative AI tools in a teaching and learning context.
• Supporting or evaluating academic integrity and exam security platforms, such as Respondus and Pangram, in an academic setting.

Technical Skills or Knowledge

• Knowledge of instructional design methods and theory.
• Demonstrated understanding of emerging trends in education and technology, including digital learning, learning management systems, generative AI, and social technologies.
• Demonstrated understanding of web technologies and digital media.
• Demonstrated proficiency in M365 apps, including Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong written and oral communication skills for internal and external seminars, colloquia, presentations, and workshops.
• Resourceful in partnering with colleagues in ITS and around the University.
• Flexible in performing an array of duties critical to the success of projects and services.
• Demonstrated record of working successfully in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.
• Show initiative, take feedback and some direction from others.
• Demonstrated curiosity and enthusiasm for learning new technologies, with an adaptable, good-humored approach to challenges and working with others.

Working Conditions

Hybrid work schedule, onsite and remote as determined by business needs.

Job Family Information Technology Role Impact Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours 37.5

Pay

Drug Test Required

Health Screen Required

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No Pay Rate Type Salary FLSA Status Exempt

Pay Range $81,000.00 - $85,000.00

Benefits

Eligible Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.