Instructional Designer - College of Applied Human Sciences

The College of Applied Human Sciences at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a (Remote) Instructional Designer.

About the Opportunity

The Instructional Designer is a professional position at the University which can exist independently or as part of an instructional design team. This role will work collaboratively with faculty and staff of the University in the production of instructional materials which are engaging and effective; assist in the development of course materials that are functional, intuitive, informative, and consistent with our instructional design principles; and develop and provide recommendations for interface design, sequencing of instruction, use of assessments, and design of course materials and activities.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week 
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6%25 employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

This role requires a positive, energetic individual with strong organization and interpersonal skills, who can make independent decisions. This role requires an individual with excellent leadership skills that can lead projects, as well as delegate tasks to individuals on the team. To be successful in this position the ideal candidate will engage in the following duties and responsibilities:

Course Shell and Learning Management System (LMS) Coordination

• Create, manage and maintain course shells within the LMS, ensuring consistency, organization, and ease of navigation for users.
• Collaborate with instructional designers, instructors, and content creators to upload, review, revise, and organize course materials.
• Troubleshoot and resolve any technical issues related to course shells and user access.
• Support and coordinate the transition process of master course shells to live sections of a course each semester.  
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including IT, training coordinators, and subject matter experts, to maintain, update and improve online course material.
• Offer ongoing support to address questions, concerns, and technical issues related to the LMS and related technology.
• Support and continuously refine accessible course delivery within the learning management system (LMS) by applying an understanding of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II Regulations and accessibility guidelines, revising existing course content to meet accessibility standards, and ensuring new materials are developed and maintained in alignment with accessible design best practices.

Online Course Design, Development, and Delivery

• Contribute to instructional design projects based on departmental needs and project demand.
• Collaborate with programs and instructional designers to ensure course quality, support continuous improvement efforts, assist with instructor training, and contribute to strategies that support student retention and program growth.
• Plan, design, develop, and deploy instructional materials in an online format, independently or as part of a collaborative design team.
• Consult with full-time and part-time faculty in the application of instructional design and the use of technology tools to support effective and engaging teaching and learning. 
• Support the development and maintenance of instructional integrity of course development projects through systematic design and continuous quality improvement efforts.
• Provide project communication for multiple projects by establishing and tracking timelines, goals, and strategies, while creating formal/ informal periodic reports and monitoring progress for successful completion.
• Support and continuously refine innovative teaching practices by designing assignments and learning activities that build AI literacy and critical evaluation skills, advising faculty on the responsible use of generative AI tools, and advancing institutional readiness for an AI-enabled teaching and learning environment.
• Support and enhance the design, development, and delivery of online courses by applying knowledge of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II r and accessibility standards, revising previously developed content to achieve compliance, and creating new course materials that are fully aligned with accessibility guidelines and inclusive design principles.

Online Program Relationship- and Capacity-Building

• Support collaboration with college leadership to develop strategies for program growth and assist with resource planning related to staffing, tools, and projects.
• Maintain relationships with other instructional support services to best serve our constituents.
• Assist in the development, distribution and enforcement of instructional design policies and procedures.
   

Other Duties as Assigned 

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience involving:
  • Instructional design, including needs analysis, development, and deployment.
  • Project management, preferably in instructional design settings. 
  • Matching online education technologies to instructional goals. 
  • Use of learning management tools and systems. 
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.

• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

   

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong oral and written communication skills. 
• Excellent organizational skills. 
• Commitment to customer service and team-oriented collaboration within a service-focused environment. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills. 
• Ability to work collaboratively within an academic community and with diverse stakeholder groups, including faculty, staff, and technical teams.
• Ability to interpret client needs and produce instructional materials. 
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines. 
• Ability to track, complete, and communicate progress on assigned tasks, including providing regular status updates to project leaders and stakeholders.
• Proven ability to continually adapt and learn new procedures and tools. 
• Effective negotiation skills. 
• Must be enterprising, diplomatic, and proactive at solving problems. 
• Ability to work independently to diagnose and solve difficult problems while following established processes and guidance.
• Ability to work as lead or member of a (project) team and effectively contribute. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of current learning and instructional theories and principles (including adult learning) applicable to E-learning. 
• Knowledge of information architecture principles and methods. 
• High level of expertise with tools that facilitate the design of instructional materials (such as storyboards, flow charts, assessments, etc.). 
• Demonstrated ability to apply creative problem-solving and instructional design strategies to develop engaging and learner-centered instructional materials.
• Experience with writing HTML, as well as familiarity with HTML editors; productivity software (such as word processors, spreadsheets, databases & presentation tools); and multimedia software such as Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva, Articulate 360, Camtasia, Google Tools and others. 
• Experience with web-based learning management systems. 
• Knowledge of emerging technologies applicable to teaching and E-learning. 
• Basic knowledge and troubleshooting of website coding and structure. 
• Basic knowledge of streaming audio and video, compression methods, file types, and formats.
• Familiarity with graphic design elements appropriate for online instruction. 
• Working knowledge of ADA Title II requirements and their application to digital learning environments.
• Knowledge of WCAG 2.2 guidelines, with the ability to apply accessibility standards to revise existing course content and develop new accessible instructional materials.
• Knowledge of how various E-learning technologies may facilitate instructional goals. 
• Familiarity with artificial intelligence technologies and their use during the instructional design and development process.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related field. 
• Teaching and/or training experience.