Senior Instructional Designer - AZ -College of Veterinary Medicine

Summary

Passionate about educational excellence and eager to help advance the future of veterinary medical education? Midwestern University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Glendale, Arizona, invites applications for a Senior Instructional Designer to play a key role in the design, enhancement, and continuous improvement of selected courses within the veterinary curriculum. This is an exciting opportunity for an accomplished instructional design professional to join a mission-driven college that values innovation, collaboration, and student-centered learning.

We seek a highly collaborative and experienced professional who excels at partnering with faculty to create thoughtful, engaging, and well-aligned learning experiences. The Senior Instructional Designer will work closely with selected instructors to take a deep dive into one to two courses per quarter, with an initial emphasis on distance education. This role is well suited for a professional who enjoys translating educational best practices into practical solutions, building strong faculty partnerships, and making a visible impact through focused, high-quality course design.

Rather than serving as a general instructional design resource for the entire curriculum, this position will provide targeted, high-value support for strategically selected courses and faculty.

 Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Partner individually with selected faculty members to design, revise, and improve one to two pre-clinical courses per quarter.
• Provide expert consultation in instructional design, including course planning, backward design, alignment of learning objectives and assessments, and selection of effective teaching strategies.
• Support the design, development, implementation, and refinement of distance education, hybrid, and other strategically prioritized courses.
• Assist faculty in organizing course content, learning activities, assessments, and instructional materials in a clear, student-centered, and pedagogically sound format.
• Review selected courses for quality, consistency, usability, accessibility, and alignment with college and university expectations.
• Advise faculty on evidence-based instructional practices and approaches that support adult learners.
• Support the creation and refinement of assessments, rubrics, learning activities, and instructional resources that promote meaningful student learning and enhanced engagement.
• Assist with implementation, review, and quality control of course materials within the learning management system and related educational technologies.
• Recommend and support appropriate use of digital tools, instructional technologies, and emerging AI-enabled tools to enhance teaching and learning.
• Guide faculty in the thoughtful, ethical, and effective use of artificial intelligence in course design, learning activities, assessment, and feedback, with attention to adult learners, academic integrity, accessibility, and sound andragogy.
• Develop templates, guides, best practices, and other practical resources to support efficient and effective course design for selected courses.
• Provide limited faculty development, consultation, or coaching related to course design, online teaching, instructional best practices, and practical uses of AI in instruction.
• Collaborate with academic leadership and other relevant personnel to identify priorities, scope projects, and support strategic educational initiatives.
• Maintain documentation related to project timelines, course design activities, and outcomes.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple financial processes while delivering excellent customer service. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  This individual must have the ability to work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner and must have regular, predictable, in-person attendance.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience                                            

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in instructional design, education, educational technology, or a related field.
• Minimum of four years of relevant experience in instructional design, course development, curriculum support, teaching and learning support, or a closely related area.
• Demonstrated knowledge of instructional design principles, including backward design and alignment of learning objectives, instructional activities, and assessment.
• Experience collaborating with faculty, subject matter experts, or other professional educators.
• Experience supporting synchronous and asynchronous online, hybrid, or technology-enhanced learning.
• Strong written, verbal, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize effectively, and meet deadlines.
• Experience working with learning management systems and common instructional technology tools.
• Ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively with faculty, staff, and administrators.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five or more years of experience in instructional design or course development in higher education or professional education.
• Experience in veterinary, medical, health professions, or other science-based professional education.
• Experience providing faculty development, coaching, or consultation.
• Experience with course quality review, accessibility, and universal design for learning principles.
• Experience developing synchronous distance education courses from initial concept through implementation.
• Familiarity with multimedia learning principles and engaging interactive educational content development.
• Experience using data, course feedback, or student outcomes to inform course improvement.
• Working knowledge of artificial intelligence as it relates to instructional design, adult learning, course development, assessment design, and faculty support.

Computer Skills                                          

Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office; Outlook, Word, and Excel required. Knowledge of instructional technologies such as canvas or other LMS exam soft products. 

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand. The employee is regularly required to walk; reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to sit, Use hands to finger, handle, or feel; talk and hear. The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close and distance vision.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. ,

If you would like to learn more about this position, please submit your application through Midwestern University’s online job board at https://www.midwestern.edu/employment-mwu.  Your online application should include a letter of intent and a curriculum vitae with the names and contact information (including email addresses) of at least three professional references. 

Midwestern University is a private, not-for-profit organization that provides graduate and post-graduate education in the health sciences. The University has two campuses, one in Downers Grove, Illinois and the other in Glendale, Arizona. More than 6,000 full-time students are enrolled in graduate programs in osteopathic medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nurse anesthesia, cardiovascular perfusion, podiatry, optometry, clinical psychology, speech language pathology, biomedical sciences and veterinary medicine. Over 500 full-time faculty members and 400 staff members are dedicated to the education and development of our students in an environment that encourages learning, respect for all members of the health care team, service, interdisciplinary scholarly activity, and personal growth.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance plans as well as life insurance, short/long term disability and pet insurance.  We offer flexible spending accounts including healthcare reimbursement and child/dependent care account.  We offer a work life balance with competitive time off package including paid holiday’s, sick/flex days, personal days and vacation days.  We offer a 403(b) retirement plan, tuition reimbursement, child care subsidy reimbursement program, identity theft protection and an employee assistance program.  Wellness is important to us and we offer a wellness facility on-site with a fully equipped fitness facility. 

Midwestern University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that does not discriminate against an employee or applicant based upon race; color; religion; creed; national origin or ancestry; ethnicity; sex (including pregnancy); gender (including gender expressions, gender identity; and sexual orientation); marital status; age; disability; citizenship; past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services; genetic information; or any other protected class, in accord with all federal, state and local laws, and regulation. Midwestern University complies with the Smoke-Free Arizona Act (A.R.S. 36-601.01) and the Smoke Free Illinois Act (410 ILCS 82/).  Midwestern University complies with the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003 and Arizona Equal Pay Acts.