Senior Instructional Designer - Remote Eligible

Senior Instructional Designer

The Senior Instructional Designer will be a key member of the Curriculum and Learning Team. The Senior Instructional Designer plays a critical role in advancing high-quality, learner-centered course design across MedCerts healthcare and IT programs. This role is responsible for leading the design and development of asynchronous, instructor-led, and microlearning experiences that improve learner persistence, course completion, and certification outcomes. As a senior member of the Curriculum & Learning team, this individual serves as a strategic thought partner to leadership, mentors others through best practices, refines instructional design standards, and collaborates cross-functionally to ensure learning solutions align with learner, partner, and organizational, partner needs.

General duties and responsibilities:

• Lead the end-to-end design and development of new and redesigned online courses, with a focus on asynchronous learning experiences.
• Apply evidence-based instructional design principles, including adult learning theory, Cognitive Load Theory, and the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning.
• Design assessments and learning activities that support mastery, certification readiness, and applied skill development.
• Integrate digital tools and AI-enhanced strategies thoughtfully to improve learner outcomes, not for novelty, but for instructional impact.
• Align course materials with accessibility and usability best practices (WCAG familiarity a plus).
• Partner with subject matter experts (SMEs) to analyze complex content, ensure accuracy and relevance, and translate specialized knowledge into clear, instructionally sound learning experiences aligned to program outcomes.
• Collaborate with contracted resources and third-party vendors to support instructional design and development efforts, including course builds, multimedia production, and learning asset creation, ensuring deliverables meet established standards for quality, consistency, and timelines.
• Collaborate cross functionally with internal teams including Curriculum & Learning, Student Success, Operations, Career Services, and Sales to support interorganizational goals, understand partner needs (e.g., hospital systems and universities), and provide instructional design insight to inform course build and customization decisions.

Senior level contributions:

• Serve as a trusted thought partner to Curriculum & Learning leadership.
• Lead instructional design initiatives that span multiple projects or organizational priorities.
• Refine and strengthen instructional design standards, templates, and processes.
• Model best practices in learning science, digital pedagogy, and UX/UI for learning environments.
• Inform continuous improvement efforts through learner data, feedback, and performance trends.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred in Instructional Design, Education, Learning Sciences, or a closely related field.
• 3+ years of professional instructional design experience, preferably supporting higher education and/or workforce-aligned programs.
• Demonstrated expertise in needs analysis and learning solution design, assessment and evaluation design, adult learning theory and learning science, and LMS-based course development with strong attention to UX/UI and learner experience.
• Strong working knowledge of instructional theory and assessment practices with the ability to apply theory to real-world learning challenges.
• Proven proficiency with Learning Management Systems (LMS) and digital course delivery environments.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly articulate instructional rationale and provide actionable feedback.
• High attention to accuracy, consistency, and detail across instructional content and documentation.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities while delivering high-quality work within established timelines.
• Strong commitment to Quality Assurance, including embedding QA best practices throughout the instructional design and development lifecycle.
• Ability to think strategically and holistically, considering instructional, operational, technological, and business implications when designing learning content.
• Strong collaboration skills with experience partnering effectively with SMEs, cross-functional teams, and external stakeholders.
• High comfort level with technology for communication, collaboration, and task completion in a remote work environment.
• Demonstrated passion for continuous learning and professional growth, with a commitment to pursuing new knowledge, credentials, and certifications over time.

Preferred skills & experience:

• Experience designing academically grounded courses for healthcare and/or IT programs, including credit-aligned, outcomes-based, or university-partnered learning experiences (strongly preferred, not required).
• Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG).
• Experience with tools such as Articulate 360, Canvas, Moodle, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft tools, and project management or workflow platforms (e.g., Trello) to support course planning, development tracking, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Comfort working in fast-paced, project-driven environments with multiple stakeholders.
• Certifications (e.g., ATD, CPTD) are a plus.

Success in this role (6-12 months):

• On-time, high-quality launch of redesigned and new course builds.
• Measurable improvements in learner persistence, course completion, and certification pass rates.
• Reduced student support tickets stemming from curriculum or instructional design issues.
• Visible progress toward a scalable, digital- and AI-first content strategy grounded in sound instructional design theory.
• Strong partnerships across teams, vendors, and external partners that support learner success and organizational growth.