Instructional Designer
Southwestern Law School seeks an Instructional Designer to join the Online Education team. The Instructional Designer supports the development of our Online J.D. Program and other future online programs. The successful candidate will work under the direction of the Senior Instructional Designer to support faculty to design and develop engaging, high-quality course materials. This position provides an excellent opportunity for an individual with a background in instructional design and a passion for online education to make a significant impact on our organization. This is a full-time, exempt and fully remote position, but with once-a-year travel to Los Angeles for an in-person team meeting.
The interviewing process for this position will begin in mid to late January 2026, with a March 2026 start date.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Support faculty in designing, developing, and implementing asynchronous law courses, ensuring the highest quality course materials and learner experience.
- Collaborate closely with faculty, the Senior Instructional Designer, and the Vice Dean, who oversees the Online Education department, to align course content with program objectives, accreditation standards, and best practices in online education.
- Serve as an expert for faculty on the best use and limitations of Canvas. Assist in finding solutions when Canvas is insufficient to support important aspects of instruction.
- Evaluate faculty teaching plans and learning objectives and implement strategies to facilitate engaging and interactive online learning experiences.
- Work as part of the instructional design team to provide faculty with information about the best practices in teaching and learning online. This may include assisting with workshops, one-on-one consultations, and creating guides and tutorials.
- Serve as the hands-on instructional designer and content creator for many courses.
- Ensure that course materials are accessible to all learners, including those with disabilities, and compliant with relevant laws and regulations, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
- Assist faculty in identifying appropriate material and course content for videos. Collaborate with our Technology Team Lead and the Instructional Media Production Support Specialists to facilitate the creation of appropriate video, animation, and H5P content for the Online J.D. program and other online programs.
- Stay current with industry trends and best practices in instructional design, online education, and legal education, and apply this knowledge to the ongoing development and refinement of the Online J.D. program.
- Perform these and other duties as assigned by the Senior Instructional Designer and the Vice Dean, who oversees the Online Education department.
Minimum Job Requirements:
- Experience working in higher education and/or law school.
- At least 3-5 years of experience in instructional design.
- Demonstrated experience in designing and developing content for online asynchronous courses, preferably in higher education or professional development settings.
- A master's degree in instructional design, educational technology, or a related field, is preferred.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:
- Ability to quickly learn and adapt new technology for use in an online classroom.
- Knowledge of best practices in online education, instructional design, and adult learning principles.
- Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize, multitask, and meet tight deadlines.
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
- Proficiency in instructional technology tools and Canvas learning management system, and familiarity with Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Microsoft Office products, PowerPoint, and H5P.
- Experience with the legal profession or legal education is a plus.
Salary: $75,000 - $85,000 (depending on experience and qualifications)
Please send a cover letter and resume to jobs2@swlaw.edu to be considered for this position.