Instructional Designer, College Liberal Arts

POSITION SPECIFICS

The Learning Design team within the College of the Liberal Arts is seeking an Instructional Designer to oversee all aspects of designing, developing, and managing online course portfolios.

This position is not focused on technical support. Instead, the key responsibilities of the Instructional Designer are centered on collaborating closely with faculty authors to ensure course content and assessments enhance learning and support student success.

This involves the evaluation of online lesson content and assessments using knowledge of online pedagogy, interdisciplinary research, and evidence-based best practices.

• Meeting with faculty authors to design and develop content for asynchronous online courses, including those that enroll adult learners.
• Providing guidance to faculty authors based on established learning frameworks.
• Reviewing faculty‑created course content and assessments and providing research‑based recommendations to enhance student learning.
• Acting as the project manager for courses in development to monitor progress; determine, set, and ensure others on the team adhere to schedules and deadlines.
• Collaborating with multimedia specialists in the creation of course‑related multimedia elements (animations, illustrations, videos, virtual environments) and managing the completion of these elements within an established timeframe.
• Overseeing the work of Instructional Design Assistants for the setup and maintenance of approximately 35 courses each semester.
• Ensuring that all course content follows copyright and accessibility standards.
• Researching and promoting innovative trends and technologies that impact online learning in higher education.

• Advanced knowledge of learning theories, best practices for online learning, and current research in the field.
• Ability to draw from the above knowledge in their course design, reviews, and recommendations.
• Outstanding project management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication (written and verbal) skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with team members and faculty partners, as well as being comfortable delegating work to others.
• Experience with Canvas or another learning management system.

Master's Degree, 3+ years of relevant experience. Required

Certifications:

None.

The College of the Liberal Arts is supportive of flexible work arrangements when aligned with the ability to meet the needs of the unit and the essential duties of the position. Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.

This is not a fully remote position. In accordance with College guidelines, this position requires a minimum of three days per week of on-site work at the designated work location.

The Instructional Designer will join the team at the Filippelli Institute of e‑Education and Outreach. More information on the Institute can be found on our website.

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $56,200.00 - $81,500.00.

Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure.

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full‑time employees designed to support both personal and professional well‑being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.

For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact .

Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university's teaching, research, and service mission.