HIGHER EDUCATION - Instructional Designer
Job Classification Salaried Full-time 75-100
Position Summary The Instructional Designer for the Center for Digital Learning and Instructional Technology (DLiT) will provide highly skilled professional service to meet the instructional design needs primarily of faculty who are teaching online and blended courses. Provide service in the areas of online teaching professional development and support for faculty, instructional design for online and blended courses, and research and oversee the implementation of emerging technologies in online courses. The Instructional Designer is a full-time salaried position that reports to the DLiT Director.
Qualifications Summary Masters degree required; instructional design certification preferred. Requires teaching experience with online teaching preferred. Expertise in instructional design, instructional technology, and project management is essential. Must demonstrate advanced skills in educational technologies, including video production, LMS platforms (Moodle preferred), and emerging digital tools. Strong background in adult learning theory, needs assessment, and professional development delivery required. Exceptional communication, presentation, and customer service abilities are necessary. Experience supporting higher education course development preferred. K-12 teaching background is a plus. Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.
Duties and Responsibilities
Provide instructional design and online teaching support to faculty in departments teaching online and blended courses as assigned by the DLiT Director.
Partner with subject-matter experts on the processes and tasks associated with program and course design development and delivery.
Consult with the DLiT Director on the strategic direction of courses and programs in the pipeline, their status, and activities during their design development and delivery.
Collaboratively support the technologies and problem-solve their implementation in online courses.
Guide the implementation of Andrews Universitys online course development model and quality standards in online and blended courses.
Support review and document the use of learning resources, publisher materials, and technology tools in all online courses to ensure clear instructions for students, smooth implementation, and appropriate connection to the learning goals.
Collaboratively shape online teaching and learning guidelines.
Collaborate with the other Instructional Designers in new course development and online delivery problem-solving.
Collaborate with the Online Quality Assurance Specialist to problem-solve quality-related issues.
Review trends regarding online learning and make recommendations on how to expand and improve instruction.
Research and support the continuous quality improvement of online courses.
Plan and offer workshops and training sessions on university-supported educational technology tools for a variety of audiences, including on-campus and off-campus faculty, adjunct faculty, DLiT staff, and student workers, graduate assistants, and university staff.
Collaborate with the other Instructional Designers to plan and offer professional development in online, blended, and digital teaching.
Keep up-to-date on current developments in instructional technology, software, and hardware as they relate to online, blended, and digital learning.
Participate in DLiT meetings and university committees as appropriate.
Attend professional conferences, research new trends, and report back to relevant audiences.
Teach occasionally for other Andrews departments as needed.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Provide team supervision to student workers supporting online faculty through the course development process and online teaching experience.
Qualifications
Skills
• Thorough understanding of instructional design and instructional technology. • Thorough understanding of project management, needs assessment, and risk management. • Superior critical thinking, problem-solving, and research skills. • Curiosity about and commitment to learning cutting-edge technologies for support of online, blended, and digital education. • Knowledge of instructional design principles. • Knowledge of online course development standards and procedures. • Intermediate to advanced skill in using current technologies for education, such as video recording and editing, GoogleDrive, conferencing software, and other emerging tools to support blended and online learning. • Experience providing professional development in group and individualized sessions. • Knowledge of educational applications of social media. • Knowledge of educational theories, including instructional systems design and adult learning theory. • Quick learner, specifically as it relates to computers and computer applications. • Knowledge of Moodle LMS is preferred; other LMS experience is a plus. • Absolute dedication to ongoing client communication, providing frequent updates on deliverables, milestones, known issues, and timelines. • Excellent people skills with a passion for customer service. • Excellent presentation skills. • Excellent oral and written communication skills. • Ability to work in a fast-paced technical environment with tight deadlines.
Education and Experience
• Minimum Masters degree required. • Instructional design certification or degree preferred. • Teaching experience required. • Online teaching experience preferred. • North American K-12 teaching experience a plus. • Evidence of courses or training in instructional technology and digital pedagogies. • Experience in higher education instructional design support preferred.
Location Berrien Springs preferred.
Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.
Technical Competencies
• Learning Management Systems: Moodle LMS preferred; other LMS platforms experience valued. • Content Development Tools: GoogleDrive and cloud-based collaboration tools. • Conferencing software: Zoom, Teams, etc. • Project Management: Course development workflow management, timeline and milestone tracking, risk assessment and mitigation.
Additional Competencies
• Rapid learning of new educational technologies. • Ability to evaluate and recommend new tools. • Technical training and workshop facilitation. • Student and faculty technical support coordination.
Interpersonal Interactions
• Excellent people skills with a passion for customer service. • Excellent presentation skills. • Excellent oral and written communication skills. • Ability to work in a fast-paced technical environment with tight deadlines.
Physical Demands
• Must be able to focus on a computer screen for length of time.
Work Environment The Center for Digital Learning and Instructional Technology is a fast-paced collaborative work environment. We are always learning from each other, sharing ideas, giving feedback, and celebrating successes. The DLiT office is a semi-open space with moderate noise. Customers come and go, receiving assistance from multiple team members. Multiple meetings with customers may occur in a semi-open space at the same time. Location: Berrien Springs preferred.