Location: Hickory, North Carolina
Position Summary
The Learning Experience/Instructional Designer in the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) provides instructional design, pedagogical and learning technology support for undergraduate and graduate courses and programs across all modalities, including online (synchronous and asynchronous), hybrid, HyFlex, and face-to-face. The position partners closely with full-time and adjunct faculty to design engaging, inclusive, accessible and learner-centered experiences that support student engagement and persistence aligned with program outcomes, student success goals, workforce relevance, and institutional priorities. This role supports course and program development across all modalities and contributes to the development of new academic programs through instructional design, course and curriculum development, multimedia and digital learning development, faculty support and the integration of AI into course design and teaching.
As part of the Center for Teaching and Learning and in support of LR Online, the Learning Experience Designer will join a new team being set up under the Dean of LR Online and Associate Provost to advance a regionally focused online and hybrid strategy in western North Carolina. Reporting to the Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, the learning experience designer will be expected to provide expert consultative support to the LR faculty community based in Hickory, NC, as well as partner with faculty to develop new online programs, engaging in a regular cadence of course development projects throughout the year.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Course and Learning Experience Design and Development (40%)
- Partner with faculty to design and revise undergraduate and graduate courses across all modalities
- Support the development of new academic programs, including online and hybrid offerings, with attention to applied and workforce-aligned learning outcomes where appropriate
- Guide course development using backward design to align learning outcomes, assessments and instructional activities.
- Support the development and integration of multimedia materials, including videos and podcasts, to enhance teaching and learning across all modalities
- Partner with faculty to design digital learning experiences, including interactive content, simulations, games and other technology-enhanced content and activities.
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and accessibility standards in course design
- Conduct internal course quality reviews using Quality Matters or comparable frameworks
- Use learning analytics, student engagement data and course performance indicators to support continuous course and program improvement.
Project Management for Online Courses & Programs (10%)
- Manage and prioritize multiple concurrent course and program development projects, tracking timelines, resources and deliverables to ensure on-time, quality delivery
- Communicate regularly with the CTL Director and the Dean of LR Online and Associate Provost on project status, priorities and emerging needs.
Canvas and Digital Learning Environment Support (15%)
- Provide advanced support for Canvas, including course shell setup, gradebook configuration, content organization and troubleshooting.
- Design accessible, engaging course content and pages using DesignPLUS or similar tools
- Help ensure compliance with ADA, WCAG, and institutional accessibility standards
- Evaluate, procure and deploy new tools, APIs and LMS features, coordinating with vendors and external teams as needed.
Faculty Professional Development and Resources (35%)
- Develop synchronous and asynchronous onboarding resources for faculty, including materials for new faculty orientation
- Assist the CTL Director in planning and facilitating faculty development days and new faculty orientation programs
- Develop just-in-time, scalable resources in the areas of pedagogy, instructional technology, and AI
- Assist in developing workshops and learning communities focused on effective teaching practices
- Advise faculty on educational, pedagogical and technology issues.
- Support the responsible integration of AI into teaching and learning
- Assist faculty in redesigning assignments to strengthen AI literacy, ethical use and academic integrity.
- Help create and maintain an online AI resource hub with guidelines, tools, examples and showcases for faculty, staff, and students
- Evaluate emerging AI-enabled learning technologies and contribute to institutional guidance and best practices for their responsible instructional use
Required Qualifications
- Master's degree in Instructional Design, Learning Experience Design, Educational Technology, or related field and a minimum of two years of experience in instructional design or a related field
- Experience supporting undergraduate or graduate online programs through course and learning experience design and development
- Expertise in LMS platforms, preferably Canvas
- Demonstrated expertise with integration of AI tools in course design, assessments, and day-to-day workflows
- Knowledge of UDL, accessibility standards and inclusive teaching.
- Demonstrated experience designing application-based assessments to effectively measure progress and mastery
- Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to engage effectively with faculty, academic leadership and cross-functional teams such as IT and instructional technology.
- Ability to learn new tools quickly
- Strong attention to detail
- Excellent time-management, organizational and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience collaborating with external educational technology providers, workforce partners or third-party vendors supporting digital learning initiatives.
- Experience working with new and adjunct faculty from clinical and industrial backgrounds who have limited teaching experience.
- Experience working in startup organizations or new divisions.
Application Process
While completing the application, candidates will be prompted to submit:
- Three professional references
The university’s mission, vision, and values statements may be reviewed using About LR.
Lenoir-Rhyne University promotes a welcoming campus environment that is integral to the university's commitment to excellence in engagement and education. We are particularly interested in candidates who have demonstrated experience nurturing a welcoming community, working with faculty, staff and/or students from all walks of life and/or incorporating varied perspectives and traditions in their current or previous positions. This commitment is rooted in our Lutheran tradition of fostering wisdom, nurturing vocation and preparing students for lives of purpose while serving the common good.
Review of applications will begin on July 20
About Lenoir-Rhyne University
Lenoir-Rhyne University is a co-educational, private, comprehensive institution founded in 1891, with its traditional campus located in Hickory, North Carolina, a city of more than 40,000. The university has additional graduate centers in Asheville, N.C., and Columbia, S.C. Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lenoir- Rhyne is less than an hour’s drive from Charlotte, and the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of about 365,000. The university now offers more than 45 undergraduate and 20 graduate degree programs to approximately 2,400 students. Lenoir-Rhyne University seeks to liberate mind and spirit, clarify personal faith, foster physical wholeness, build community, and promote responsible leadership for service to the world. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Lenoir-Rhyne is open to people from all religious and non-religious backgrounds.
Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy
Lenoir-Rhyne University is committed to providing a workplace and educational environment, as well as other benefits, programs, and activities that are free from discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
LR is committed to creating a safe campus environment for all members of the LR community, including, but not limited to, those who identify as transgender and gender non-conforming. To that end, LR does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex (including sex stereotypes and sex characteristics), ethnicity, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable law.
To ensure compliance with federal and state civil rights laws and regulations and to affirm its commitment to promoting the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the educational program, activity and employment, LR has developed internal policies and procedures that provide a prompt, fair and impartial process for those involved in an allegation of discrimination or harassment, and for allegations of retaliation.
LR values and upholds the equal dignity of all members of its community and strives to balance the rights of the parties in the grievance process during what is often a difficult time for all those involved.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
