NOTE: MasterClass is seeking to engage individuals to provide these project-based services as a 1099 / independent contractor only. This is not an employment opportunity.
We are seeking an experienced Learning Designer to provide independent contractor services that will help MasterClass build a groundbreaking educational program that combines world-class faculty, AI-powered personalization, and evidence-based learning science to deliver transformative career outcomes. As an independent contractor, you will deliver project-based work, maintain control over your methods, and operate your own business, all while collaborating closely with our team to achieve high-impact results.
What You Will Provide:
- Research and synthesize best practices in accelerated learning, working with leading academics and practitioners who are reimagining how adults acquire high-value skills.
- Designing curriculum and learning experiences that blend compelling storytelling with AI personalization and rigorous pedagogy—making challenging material both engaging and effective.
- Collaborate with relevant internal MasterClass teams as an external contractor to translate learning science into product features, using AI tools to rapidly test and iterate on learning approaches.
- Interview employers, industry leaders, and professionals to ensure curriculum directly addresses real business needs—focusing on immediately applicable skills rather than theoretical knowledge.
- Conduct surveys and user research to validate that learners achieve measurable career outcomes: promotions, salary increases, and new opportunities.
- Extract and codify expertise from high-profile subject matter experts, shaping learning content according to project specifications and timelines.
- Deliver all agreed project outcomes on time and in accordance with the scope defined in your independent contractor agreement.
Contractor Profile:
- Deep expertise in instructional design, learning science, or curriculum development
- Passion for helping people learn business topics
- Comfort using AI as a research and synthesis accelerator
- Experience conducting user research, surveys, and stakeholder interviews
- Ability to work at high speed with incomplete information
- Passion for transforming how people learn and advance their careers
We need individuals who can provide independent contractor services at a fast-pace, in high-impact situations. Speed over perfection. Assume great intent. If you’re stuck, say it.
$70-$80 / hour
The rate listed is for NYC/CA/WA. As a company, we have a location based strategy, which means the disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for any applicable geographic differential associated with the location where the position may be filled. MasterClass’s ranges are based on paying competitively for our size and industry.
MasterClass Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about MasterClass and has not been reviewed or approved by MasterClass.
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Healthcare Strength — Feedback suggests premium medical, dental, and vision coverage augmented by One Medical and robust mental-health support are part of the package. Wellness-oriented additions like a Peloton subscription further reinforce the emphasis on health.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Feedback suggests flexible PTO combined with company-wide winter and summer recharge breaks and half-day Fridays offers meaningful time away from work. These options provide multiple avenues for rest and recovery.
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Parental & Family Support — Feedback suggests competitive parental leave, fertility benefits via Carrot, and leave administration through Cocoon support a range of family planning needs. This breadth signals attention to different family situations.
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What We Do
Launched in 2015, MasterClass is the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s best. With an annual membership, subscribers get unlimited access to 90+ instructors and classes across a wide range of subjects, including Arts & Entertainment, Business, Design & Style, Sports & Gaming, Writing and more. Step into Anna Wintour’s office, Ron Finley’s garden and Neil Gaiman’s writing retreat. Get inspired by RuPaul, perfect your pitch with Shonda Rhimes, and discover your inner negotiator with Chris Voss. Each class features about 20 video lessons, at an average of 10 minutes per lesson. You can learn on your own terms—in bite-size pieces or in a single binge. Cinematic visuals and close-up, hands-on demonstrations make you feel like you’re one-on-one with the instructors, while the downloadable instructor guides help reinforce your learning. Stream thousands of lessons anywhere, anytime, on mobile, tablet, desktop, Apple TV®, Android™ TV, Amazon Fire TV® and Roku® players and devices.
Why Work With Us
MasterClass is at the intersection of learning, entertainment and tech. That means that our team has a very diverse background. Whether you are a creative director or a product engineer, the team is driven by the same mission — to unlock human potential by inspiring a learning lifestyle in everyone.
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