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Position Title:

Job Category:

Employment Type:

Job Profile:

Job Duties:

The Instructional Designer (Assoc. or No prefix) will work in close collaboration with senior instructional design staff to assist with or support the design, development, and enhancement of instructional activities, programs, and curricula. The Instructional Designer works in close collaboration with various stakeholders to obtain content, apply learning theories and instructional design models, employ sound project management practices, and appropriately engage internal and external resources to meet learner and organizational needs.  

The Instructional Designer is responsible for creating courses in the learning management system (LMS) and ensuring the content of those courses meets high quality standards. Title placement will be dependent on the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. 

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Under the supervision of senior instructional design staff, meet with faculty members and/or subject matter experts to create and manage a curriculum development plan for online courses  

• Build strong, collaborative relationships with constituents through face-to-face and remote interactions (e.g., emails, webinars, conference calls) 

• Assist with the development of training materials and provide professional development to faculty regarding current research related to best practices for the development and teaching of online courses 

• Assist with the selection, review, and integration of educational technologies to support pedagogical aims  

• Provide training to faculty on the use of the learning management system and other associated educational technologies  

• Coordinate with media staff on the creation of a media plan and associated content 

• Assist with the identification and communication of opportunities to improve the learning experience for all students, especially those related to accessibility, and collaboratively work with faculty to carry out this work 

• Aid faculty in locating and evaluating educational resources, and provide guidance on issues related to copyright and fair use guidelines 

• Maintain a commitment to practitioner scholarship by keeping abreast of emerging theories and practices 

• Perform other duties as requested 

Department:

The Office of Online & Professional Learning Resources is committed to providing service and support to the Universities of Wisconsin Administration and all 13 UW universities in online and continuing education, teaching, learning, and workforce skills training and resources. 

OPLR works in partnership with all 13 UW universities to develop and deliver online semester- and competency-based degrees and a broad array of credit and non-credit certificates, courses, and other credentials to help adult and professional learners achieve their academic and professional development goals and to develop the workforce of Wisconsin. 

Compensation:

The Instructional Designer (Assoc. or no-prefix) is a full-time salaried (exempt) academic staff position.  

Well-qualified candidates can expect a starting annual salary within a range of $50,000 - $67,000 commensurate with the candidate’s education, related experience, and qualifications. 

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree  

• Demonstrated knowledge of learning theory and instructional design models 

• Experience working with learning management systems and related educational technologies 

• Experience establishing professional relationships with stakeholders/clients to help meet their objectives while providing excellent customer service 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

• Experience applying project management strategies to meet project goals and deadlines 
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in instructional design, curriculum and instruction, educational technology, adult learning, continuing education, or a related field 

• Knowledge of current learning/instructional design theories pertaining to online education  

• Proficiency in the Canvas learning management system  

• Proficiency in the use of basic programming related to online learning (e.g., HTML, XML, ActionScript, JAVA or JavaScript) 

• Experience working collaboratively with other instructional designers 

• Experience working in higher education on instructional design projects for others
  

Work Location:

The office is located at 780 Regent Street, Madison, WI. Telecommuting or hybrid work options may be available, with a minimum in-office expectation of two days per month. However, depending on business needs, there may be occasions when additional in-office presence is requested. Residency in/relocation to the state of Wisconsin is required. Telecommuting agreements are subject to change at any time.  

How to Apply:

Applicant screening will begin immediately and be ongoing through November 8, 2026. However, applications may be accepted until the position has been filled.  
 

To receive full consideration, interested applicants are required to apply online and provide:  

• Resume (PDF Format)  

• Cover letter addressing your experience and education as it applies to all minimum and preferred qualifications (PDF Format)  

 
Failing to submit the required application documents may disqualify your application. 

Contact Information:

Questions may be addressed to Kristina Williston, HR Generalist at [email protected]. 

Accommodation Request

If you need to request an accommodation because of a disability, you can find information about how to make a request by contacting [email protected]. 

Criminal Background Check and Reference Check Policy

This offer of employment is conditional pending the results of a criminal background check and a reference check process that includes questions regarding employee misconduct, sexual violence, and sexual harassment. If you have prior work history within the past 7 years with the Universities of Wisconsin, your personnel file will also be reviewed for employee misconduct. If the results are unacceptable, the offer will be withdrawn or, if you have started employment, your employment will be terminated.

Employment Authorization

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of employer sponsorship) on, before, or after the effective date of appointment.   

Confidentiality

The Universities of Wisconsin will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. §. 19.36(7). 

Benefits Information

Universities of Wisconsin employees receive an excellent benefits package. To learn more about the benefits package, review the Faculty, Academic Staff & Limited Appointees  or University Staff   Please see this link for total compensation information: Universities of Wisconsin Health & Retirement Contributions Estimator to provide you with total compensation information. 

Clery Act information 

The Universities of Wisconsin provides statistics on campus crime in its Annual Security Report.  For more information on university campus statistics see https://www.wisconsin.edu/compliance/clery/.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.