Senior Instructional Designer

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Job Description

Job Profile Summary

The Senior Instructional Designer is a faculty learning design expert who develops high-quality, engaging educational experiences that align with program outcomes, instructional best practices, and each course's intended scope and sequence. In conjunction with key stakeholders, this role manages the course development process and evaluates curricular materials, providing expertise in instructional design and learning science. Incorporates proven and emerging learning strategies into curriculum design and consistently applies quality standards across projects. Passionate about learner success, this individual collaborates across teams to research, design, and refine impactful learning experiences. Manages multiple concurrent projects, assesses risk, tracks progress, and communicates effectively with stakeholders to promote accountability and continuous improvement.

Location: This position requires you to work at our headquarters, 4001 South 700 East Salt Lake City, UT 84107. You would work a hybrid schedule in the office 4 days a week with one day remote.

Responsibilities

• Leads the course design and development process for new and existing courses, ensuring alignment with instructional best practices, scope and sequence, and defined learning outcomes.
• Drives and design and develop engaging, contextually rich, and objective-driven learning experiences that reflect real-world application and support diverse learner needs.
• Applies evidence-based instructional and learning experience design strategies, including best practices in UX/UI and accessibility, to create high-quality educational experiences.
• Advises and collaborates with faculty, internal teams, and external stakeholders to ensure instructional alignment, technical feasibility, and consistency in course design.
• Evaluates, develops, and revises curricular materials, learning resources, and assessments to ensure alignment with program objectives and learner competencies.
• Conducts quality assurance reviews and implement continuous improvement processes to maintain high standards of academic and instructional quality.
• Mentors and coaches junior and career-level instructional designers, sharing expertise and supporting peers in applying best-practice design principles and solving complex learning design challenges.
• Ensures timely completion of course development projects within established timelines and budget parameters.
• Stays at the forefront of learning science research, digital learning trends, and emerging instructional technologies, and actively apply this knowledge to enhance course design and delivery.
• Leverages system capabilities and emerging tools to enhance the overall learning experience and contribute to innovation in design and delivery.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

This job description includes a general representation of job requirements rather than a comprehensive inventory of all required responsibilities or work activities. The contents of this document or related job requirements may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong understanding of instructional design principles, curriculum development, and adult learning theory, emphasizing scope and sequence, real-world application, and measurable learning outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to design and develop engaging, inclusive, and objective-aligned learning experiences for diverse adult learners.
• Experience applying evidence-based design strategies informed by learning science and behavioral research.
• Working knowledge of assessment design, learning resource integration, and alignment to program and course competencies.
• Skilled in project management, risk assessment, and meeting deadlines across multiple concurrent projects.
• Excellent technical writing, editing, and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear, actionable content.
• Proven ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment of instructional design initiatives with institutional priorities and learner outcomes.
• Advanced skills in critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, and problem-solving with a learner-first mindset.
• Demonstrate adaptability, resilience, and sound judgment in navigating ambiguity and change.
• Comfortable leveraging technology and digital tools to enhance instructional design and learning delivery.
• Committed to continuous learning and applying innovations that enhance instructional quality and student experience.
• Expertise in balancing innovation with operational feasibility, risk management, and institutional compliance.
• Strong interest in exploring human-centered uses of emerging technologies, including AI, to improve learning experiences.

Education

• Master's degree in Instructional Design, Learning Sciences, Educational Technology, Curriculum and Instruction, or a related field; highly related experience may substitute in lieu of education.

Experience

• 5 years of professional experience designing and developing instructional materials or learning experiences in higher education, corporate training, or a similar environment. Experience should include curriculum development, course design, and collaboration with subject matter experts and cross-functional teams.

Experience in lieu of education

Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements. Generally, equivalent relevant experience is defined as 1 year of experience for 1 year of education and is the discretion of the hiring manager.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing for adult learners, online learning environments, or competency-based education models.
• Familiarity with learning management systems, digital authoring tools, or UX principles in learning environments.
• Experience working in agile or iterative development processes.

Position & Application Details

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.