Senior Instructional Systems Designer (ISD) Specialist

DarkStar Intelligence; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 130,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

DarkStar Intelligence seeks a Senior Instructional Systems Designer (ISD) Specialist to provide expert e-learning design support for government training initiatives in Washington, DC. The role focuses on blended and online courseware for virtual classrooms, applying ADDIE, adult learning principles, and advanced instructional design practices to deliver effective training solutions.

Responsibilities span full development lifecycle, from analysis to evaluation.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in ID or related field with at least 6 years of experience.
• Or extensive instructional design experience in lieu of a degree.
• Active TS/SCI clearance is required for the role.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop blended and online courseware for virtual classrooms.
• Apply adult learning principles and ADDIE to create instructional solutions.
• Analyze training requirements and define objectives and delivery media.
• Develop storyboards and final courseware; test in LMS.
• Create engaging e-learning content aligned to objectives.
• Test courseware in LMS test environment for functionality.
• Use Blackboard, Adobe Captivate, and other tools to deploy content.
• Stay updated on learning technologies to improve delivery.

Skills

Instructional design

Learning theory

Adult learning

E-learning development

LMS experience

Education

Master’s degree in Instructional Design or related field

Extensive instructional design experience in lieu of a degree

Tools

Blackboard

Adobe Captivate

Articulate

Job description

Senior Instructional Systems Designer (ISD) Specialist

Washington, DC

Mission overview

DarkStar Intelligence seeks a talented Senior Instructional Systems Designer (ISD) Specialist to provide expert e-learning instructional systems design support for government training initiatives. This position focuses on developing blended and online courseware tailored for virtual classroom environments. The selected candidate will apply advanced instructional design methodologies, adult learning principles, and e-learning technologies to develop effective training solutions aligned with customer requirements. This role supports the full instructional development lifecycle, including analysis, design, development, testing, and evaluation of digital learning products.

Type

Full-Time

Clearance

TS/SCI (CI Polygraph Preferred)

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop blended and online courseware or instructional templates for virtual classroom environments.
• Apply adult learning principles, distance learning concepts, graphic design fundamentals, and electronic teaching techniques to develop effective instructional solutions.
• Analyze training requirements to determine course objectives, instructional approach, content scope, duration, and delivery media.
• Apply the ADDIE instructional systems design methodology to produce instructional design plans, storyboards, and final courseware products.
• Develop engaging e-learning content that aligns with learning objectives and customer requirements.
• Test courseware within the Learning Management System (LMS) test environment to ensure functionality and instructional effectiveness.
• Utilize instructional development tools such as Blackboard, Adobe Captivate, and other e-learning platforms to build and deploy training content.
• Monitor developments in learning technologies, LMS platforms, and adult education methodologies to continuously improve course delivery and instructional effectiveness.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $130,000 – $140,000 annually. Final compensation is based on experience, qualifications, internal equity, and market data alignment. DarkStar Intelligence offers a competitive benefits package designed to support long-term professional success.

Additional Details

Travel: No routine travel required.

Work Environment: Full-time on-site support in Washington, DC.

Security Note

All applicants must be U.S. citizens and maintain eligibility for a U.S. government TS/SCI clearance.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

Clearance: Active Top Secret / SCI

Polygraph: Counterintelligence Polygraph preferred

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in Instructional Design, Instructional Technology, Adult Learning/Andragogy, or a related field from an accredited institution and at least 6 years of relevant experience

OR

• Extensive relevant instructional design experience in lieu of a degree

Required Experience

• Demonstrated experience applying instructional design processes and terminology
• Strong knowledge of learning theory, educational psychology, and adult learning principles
• Experience with instructional product development and training evaluation
• Practical experience developing e-learning solutions using LMS platforms
• Experience applying computer-based technologies for education and training delivery

Desired Qualifications

• Experience developing courseware for government or intelligence community training programs
• Proficiency with Blackboard, Adobe Captivate, Articulate, or similar e-learning development tools
• Experience supporting virtual classroom or distributed learning environments
• Familiarity with instructional graphics and multimedia learning design

Salary Description

$130,000 – $140,000 annually