Instructional Systems Designer – Manufacturing
Location: Michigan – Hybrid
Schedule: Monday and Friday remote; Tuesday through Thursday onsite. Occasional Monday onsite work may be required.
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Instructional Systems Designer – Manufacturing to develop learning solutions that strengthen workforce capability and operational performance within a complex manufacturing environment.
This role will partner with manufacturing stakeholders, subject matter experts, frontline employees, and leadership to identify performance gaps and create practical learning solutions that improve safety, quality, standardized work, launch readiness, productivity, and overall manufacturing performance.
The ideal candidate combines strong instructional design expertise with direct experience supporting manufacturing, plant operations, manufacturing engineering, quality, safety, technical upskilling, or similar operational environments. This person should be comfortable translating complex technical and manufacturing information into effective, engaging training for a variety of audiences.
Key Responsibilities
Learning Strategy & Consulting
- Partner with manufacturing leaders, plant stakeholders, and subject matter experts to identify learning and performance needs.
- Conduct needs analyses to identify performance gaps, determine root causes, and recommend appropriate learning or performance-support solutions.
- Apply adult learning principles and performance-based learning strategies to manufacturing challenges.
- Interview and collaborate with SMEs, frontline representatives, and business leaders to understand operational requirements.
- Align learning strategies with manufacturing objectives related to safety, quality, productivity, standardized work, and launch readiness.
Instructional Design & Development
- Design and develop learning experiences using methodologies such as ADDIE, SAM, rapid prototyping, action-based learning, and scenario-based learning.
- Develop web-based training (WBT), instructor-led training (ILT), virtual instructor-led training (VILT), eLearning, videos, workshops, simulations, and job aids.
- Create practice-based learning activities that reflect real manufacturing scenarios involving equipment, processes, quality, safety, troubleshooting, and vehicle or product launches.
- Develop learning objectives, assessments, design documents, and measures of success.
- Write and refine instructional materials, facilitator guides, scripts, standard-work resources, and other learning content.
- Translate complex technical and operational information into clear, practical content that can be applied in manufacturing environments.
The formal description emphasizes blended learning rather than someone who only builds eLearning modules; the role includes WBT, ILT/VILT, videos, simulations, workshops, and performance-support materials.
Collaboration & Project Management
- Partner with SMEs, content writers, learning program managers, coordinators, project sponsors, and manufacturing stakeholders to gather and validate technical content.
- Support learning program managers with project scope, timelines, resources, dependencies, and development expectations.
- Manage multiple instructional design projects while adapting to changing manufacturing priorities, launches, and process updates.
- Apply agile design approaches to accelerate development and continuously improve learning solutions.
- Support LMS setup and integration of curricula, learning materials, job aids, and related assets.
- Work independently within the assigned functional area while collaborating with a broader Learning & Development organization.
Required Qualifications
- 4+ years of experience in instructional design, curriculum development, eLearning, or a related learning and development discipline.
- Direct instructional design experience supporting manufacturing, manufacturing engineering, operations, quality, safety, or a comparable technical environment.
- 2+ years of experience supporting plant operations, manufacturing launches, technical upskilling, or shop-floor capability development.
- Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent professional experience.
- Demonstrated experience designing and developing both web-based training (WBT) and instructor-led training (ILT).
- Experience developing blended learning solutions utilizing eLearning, VILT, job aids, and other delivery methods.
- Strong knowledge of instructional design methodologies, adult learning theory, and modern learning strategies.
- Experience with Articulate Storyline and Rise.
- Experience with Vyond, video-development tools, and/or design software.
- Strong ability to translate technical and operational information into clear and effective learning content.
- Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Strong project-management, consulting, communication, and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining accuracy, quality, and attention to detail.
These requirements are spelled out pretty clearly in both documents, particularly the need for actual plant/manufacturing exposure rather than merely transferable instructional-design experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Portfolio demonstrating instructional design work such as eLearning, WBT, ILT/VILT materials, scenario-based learning, action-based learning, or performance-support tools.
- Experience developing training related to manufacturing safety, quality processes, troubleshooting, ergonomics, throughput, standardized work, or lean/continuous improvement.
- Knowledge of manufacturing operating systems, workplace safety requirements, or regulated operational environments.
- Experience with Action Mapping, Design Thinking, scenario-based learning, or branching learning design.
- Graphic design, visual storytelling, or user-centered design experience.
- Strong facilitation skills for ILT/VILT sessions, stakeholder workshops, and technical content reviews.
- Experience working within a large, matrixed organization with cross-functional stakeholders.
Work Environment
This position follows a hybrid schedule, with Tuesday through Thursday generally onsite and Monday and Friday remote. Occasional Monday onsite work may be required based on business needs. Travel is expected to be rare and limited to local destinations within Michigan. The initial assignment is 52 weeks, with potential for extension based on business needs and performance.
A portfolio is preferred, but the hiring manager is willing to consider candidates without one when their experience is exceptional and clearly demonstrated on the resume.
EOE (including Disability/Veterans)
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