Instructional Designer

About the role

UC Scout is a division of the UC Santa Cruz Extension. This position works under the supervision of the Instructional Design Supervisor and in collaboration with the Instructional Design team, the Media team, and the Academic department.

Responsibilities

• Designs, develops, and maintains asynchronous and hybrid online middle/high school courses by applying sound instructional design principles.
• Selects and applies appropriate educational technologies to create engaging, standards-aligned learning experiences.
• Collaborates with the instructional design team, subject matter experts, and cross-functional partners to determine effective delivery methods, promote learner engagement, and ensure alignment with established procedures and timelines.
• Manages assigned course development deliverables using defined tools and workflows, tracking progress, addressing obstacles, and communicating proactively to ensure timely and high-quality outcomes.
• Tests instructional content and tools to ensure compliance with ADA/WCAG accessibility standards.
• Operates under supervision to carry out ongoing course maintenance, revision, and development tasks, receiving detailed guidance for new or complex projects.
• Contributes to team productivity by collaboratively prioritizing assignments, analyzing needs or bottlenecks, and developing practical recommendations that support departmental goals and instructional design operations.
• Identifies, initiates, and otherwise participates in continuous improvement efforts to enhance instructional quality and student experience catalog-wide.
• Engages in professional development, including self-directed as well as guided learning, to build instructional design expertise.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
• Sound knowledge of instructional design principles and learning strategies, including needs analysis, backward design, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), learning outcomes and assessment alignment, and instructional approaches suited for the online environment.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, analytical thinking skills, and the ability to organize, conduct, and synthesize analysis to inform decisions and develop recommendations.
• Strong problem-solving and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in verbal, written, and interpersonal communication; ability to collaborate effectively across teams and negotiate shared solutions when needed.
• Working knowledge of learning management systems (e.g., Canvas), video and multimedia tools (e.g., Kaltura), course design tools (e.g., DesignPLUS, HTML), and productivity and project management software (e.g., Asana, Google Workspace).
• Demonstrates awareness of trends in educational technology and its role in delivering engaging, media-rich online learning experiences.
• Working knowledge of copyright law, ADA/WCAG accessibility standards in digital environments, and related regulations and guidelines for online course development and distribution.
• Master's degree in instructional design, educational technology, curriculum and instruction, learning design and technology, or a closely related field preferred.
• Familiarity with institutional policies and procedures that impact online course development, including academic integrity, accessibility, quality assurance frameworks, and instructional quality standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
• Teaching Credential, ID degree and/or certification, or other/equivalent experience or training.

Skills

• Strong problem-solving and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in verbal, written, and interpersonal communication.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across teams and negotiate shared solutions when needed.
• Working knowledge of learning management systems (e.g., Canvas), video and multimedia tools (e.g., Kaltura), course design tools (e.g., DesignPLUS, HTML), and productivity and project management software (e.g., Asana, Google Workspace).
• Demonstrates awareness of trends in educational technology and its role in delivering engaging, media-rich online learning experiences.
• Working knowledge of copyright law, ADA/WCAG accessibility standards in digital environments, and related regulations and guidelines for online course development and distribution.
• Master's degree in instructional design, educational technology, curriculum and instruction, learning design and technology, or a closely related field preferred.
• Familiarity with institutional policies and procedures that impact online course development, including academic integrity, accessibility, quality assurance frameworks, and instructional quality standards.

Benefits

Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience. Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The salary shown above is the budgeted amount the University reasonably expects to pay and the salary extended should not exceed this posted amount.

Pay

Budgeted Salary: $33.52 - $41.90/hour.

Schedule

Full-time, FixedPercentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week

Employee Classification

Career appointment

Union Representation

TX Union

Job Code Classification

006149 (INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER 2)

Travel

Never or Rarely