$66K - 99K a year
The Instructional Designer will apply evidence-based principles to design and develop new and revised courses that optimize learning and retention. They will collaborate with academic partners and project teams to create impactful learning solutions for a diverse range of learners.
Candidates must have demonstrated experience in instructional design and familiarity with learning science principles. A Bachelor’s degree is required, with a Master’s degree preferred, along with at least 1 year of instructional design experience or 3 years of related teaching experience.
Capella University is hiring an Instructional Designer to join our innovative, fast-paced course design and development team. The Instructional Designer (ID) is a design position on an innovative, fast-paced course design and development team, leveraging explicit learning science principles, such as Cognitive Load Theory and Constructivism, emerging technologies like Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), and rigorous quality assurance practices. As a key member of this team, the ID collaborates with academic partners and other team members such as project managers, editors, and multimedia developers to revise and create new courses at the Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral levels that are effective, engaging, and meet the highest quality standards. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Applies evidence-based principles like Cognitive Load Theory, Retrieval Practice, and Constructivism to design and develop new and revised courses that optimize learning and retention. Ensures strong alignment between program outcomes, course competencies, assessments, and learning activities, using methodologies such as Backward Design. Collaborates with academic partners and project teams to translate complex content into impactful and intuitive learning solutions for a diverse range of learners. Explores, evaluates, and integrates Generative AI tools to enhance course content, create personalized learning paths, and build adaptive assessments. Stays current on learning technology, UX design, and AI innovations, including prompt engineering, to provide guidance and recommendations to the team. Manages end-to-end quality assurance processes for all learning materials, ensuring they are accurate, consistent, and adhere to design guidelines. Conducts rigorous reviews and testing to ensure all course components function flawlessly across platforms and devices. Upholds accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) to ensure all courses are inclusive for all learners. Job Skills Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to make complex information understandable for various audiences. Demonstrated aptitude for and agility with new technology, including Generative AI tools and platforms. Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, and maintain high standards in a fast-paced, agile environment. A collaborative spirit with excellent professional, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills. Exceptional attention to detail, crucial for quality assurance and content accuracy. A learner-centered mindset with a background in user experience (UX) design and methodology. Ability to work both independently with little supervision and as a contributing member of a cross-functional team. Work Experience & Qualifications Demonstrated experience in instructional design, including copywriting and course development from concept to completion. Proven experience applying learning science (e.g., Cognitive Load Theory, Adult Learning Principles) to practical design challenges. Familiarity with leveraging Generative AI tools in an educational or content design context. Experience with quality assurance methodologies and accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG). Experience working with authoring tools (e.g., Articulate Storyline/Rise), the Adobe Creative Suite, and Learning Management Systems (LMS), particularly Canvas, is highly desirable. Experience designing for higher education (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctoral levels) is a plus. Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in any related field required. Master’s degree preferred. Minimum of 1 year of instructional design experience OR at least 3 years of related teaching experience with responsibility in your own curriculum required. Other: Must be able to travel 0-10% of time. Must be able to lift 10 lbs. Typical office setting. Mobility within the office including movement from floor to floor. Access information using a computer. Effectively communicate, both up and down the leadership chain. Effectively and respectfully cope with stressful situations and when working with others. Strong mental acuity. Regular, dependable attendance and punctuality are essential functions of this job. Other essential functions and marginal job functions are subject to modification. SEI offers a comprehensive package of benefits to employees scheduled 30 hours or more per week. In addition to medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans, SEI employees may take advantage of well-being incentives, parental leave, paid time off, certain paid holidays, tax saving accounts (FSA, HSA), 401(k) retirement benefit, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, tuition assistance as well as entertainment and retail discounts. Non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime pay, if applicable. Careers - Our Benefits, Strategic Education, Inc SEI is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture where individuals can grow their careers and contribute fully. We strive to attract talent with broad experiences, skills and perspectives. We welcome applications from all. While it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top end of the pay range at SEI, we offer a competitive salary. The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate may vary depending on multiple factors including, but not limited to, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, geographical location, and internal pay equity. Our Talent Acquisition Team is ready to discuss your interest in joining SEI. The expected salary range for this position is below. $66,000.00 - $99,000.00 - Salary If you require reasonable accommodations to complete our application process, please contact our Human Resources Department at Careers@strategiced.com.
This job posting was last updated on 9/30/2025