Golden Gate University · eLearning
Instructional Designer
Course Design
Department
eLearning
Reports to
Director, eLearning
Schedule
Full time, Pacific Time (PT) hours
Location
Remote (U.S.)
Pay range
$74,000 to $78,000 per year, based on experience
About GGUGolden Gate University is the world's first AI-native, global, multilingual university: built for working adults, anchored in San Francisco at the heart of the AI economy. GGU was founded for working adults 125 years ago. Today every program teaches AI inside the discipline, so graduates use it as a tool of their trade.
About the roleYou design and redevelop GGU courses and programs in D2L Brightspace and Edvisor.ai. Many are AI-graded and some are uncapped, so they need real interaction and depth.
Your focus is active learning and regular and substantive interaction (RSI). When AI handles the grading, you work out where the instructor shows up, embed RSI into each course and design interactive content that is accessible from the start.
You’ll join a collaborative remote team that brings a “yes, let’s figure out how” approach to solving problems. We draw on our skills, experience and creativity to work with faculty and university leadership to improve online learning and shape its future in the age of AI.
This role calls for initiative, flexibility and persistence. Our team is growing, our processes are evolving, and responsibilities may shift as new needs emerge. You’ll contribute your expertise, support shared priorities and help develop how we work. If you enjoy turning ideas into action and building solutions with others, you’ll have a voice in what we create and how we get there.
Key responsibilitiesDesign and redevelop courses- Design new courses and redevelop existing ones across D2L Brightspace and Edvisor.ai.
- Review existing courses and decide what to keep, revise, replace or retire.
- Develop new content, activities, assessments and faculty materials, even from limited sources.
- Write course and weekly outcomes and topics, and align them with assessments and activities.
- Organize content into a clear, consistent weekly or modular structure.
- Design interactive content: discussions, live sessions, case work and peer activities.
- Apply WCAG 2.1 AA and UDL so every student has equitable access and more than one way to engage.
- Embed RSI in every course, even when AI handles the grading.
- Find and test new ways for faculty to interact with students in AI-graded and uncapped courses.
- Give faculty presence tools, such as feedback templates, weekly touchpoints and office hours plans.
- Use generative AI in design and development, and validate every AI draft.
- Build and maintain courses in Brightspace and Edvisor.ai using GGU templates and design standards.
- Review courses for usability, accessibility and quality before launch.
- Troubleshoot course-level issues and coordinate with LMS support when needed.
- Partner with faculty and subject matter experts on course goals, content and priorities.
- Evaluate courses with student, assessment and engagement data, and recommend improvements.
- Manage multiple projects and deadlines, and help write and update our SOPs.
- Other related duties as assigned.
- Five or more years of instructional design experience, preferably in higher education.
- Teaching experience, ideally at the college level.
- Experience designing aligned online courses with active learning and interactive content.
- Working knowledge of RSI, accessibility standards including WCAG 2.1 AA, and UDL.
- Hands-on D2L Brightspace experience, including building courses on your own.
- Demonstrated use of generative AI in design, and the judgment to validate its output.
- Strong collaboration, writing and visual communication skills.
- Strong organization and project management across multiple courses and deadlines.
- Works well on a small remote team, sharing what you learn and pitching in where needed.
- Flexible as a new team learns together and builds its processes as it goes.
- Master’s degree in instructional design, educational technology, education or a related field.
- A second graduate degree or a doctorate.
- Edvisor.ai or other AI platform experience, and large or uncapped online courses.
- Quality Matters or formal QA experience, and online programs for working adults.
Skills Required
- Five or more years of instructional design experience, preferably in higher education
- Teaching experience, ideally at the college level
- Experience designing aligned online courses with active learning and interactive content
- Working knowledge of regular and substantive interaction, WCAG 2.1 AA, and UDL
- Hands-on D2L Brightspace experience, including independently building courses
- Demonstrated use of generative AI in instructional design and ability to validate its output
- Strong collaboration, writing, and visual communication skills
- Strong organization and project management across multiple courses and deadlines
- Ability to work collaboratively on a small remote team
- Flexibility in an evolving team and process environment
- Master's degree in instructional design, educational technology, education, or a related field
- Second graduate degree or doctorate
- Edvisor.ai or other AI platform experience and experience with large or uncapped online courses
- Quality Matters or formal quality assurance experience
- Experience developing online programs for working adults
What We Do
Golden Gate University is a private, nonprofit university founded in 1901, located in San Francisco's financial and high-tech district. It empowers working adults with practical, career-focused undergraduate and graduate education.
