Learning Experience Designer – Design Innovation

Org Marketing Statement

The University of Texas at San Antonio is a Tier One research university and a Hispanic Serving Institution specializing in cybersecurity, health, fundamental futures, and social-economic transformation. With more than 34,300 students, it is the largest university in the San Antonio region. UTSA advances knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service, and with an intentional focus on career readiness the university produces more graduates for the workforce than any other institution in the region. It is a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property — for Texas, the nation and the world. UTSA has been recognized as a Top Employer in Texas by Forbes Magazine. Learn more online, on UTSA Today or on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or LinkedIn.

Posting End Date:

Applications will be accepted through 11:59 PM CDT on 4/30/2024. At the discretion of the hiring department, this position posting may close once a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.

Salary Range:

$44,075- $72,715/Annualized, commensurate with education, experience and qualifications.

Hours: 40 hours per week, exempt.

Required Application Materials:

• Resume is required.
• Cover letter is required.

Essential Functions

Job Summary

Introduction:

The University of Texas at San Antonio Academic Innovation is seeking a highly motivated individual who employs a learner-centric, holistic approach to improving learning experiences for all modalities as a Learning Experience Designer (LXD). The LXD is passionate about working with a team to prototype, design, and develop high-quality digital teaching and learning experiences. The job requires a unique combination of skills in experiential learning, data analysis, responsive education, hands-on learning, curriculum, and instructional design, instructional technology, and course assessment for designing high-quality education courses or programs.

The LXD considers the perspective and varied experiences of students and ensures the student’s voice is represented in decisions that impact flexible learning experiences. This individual will work closely with our world-class faculty, graduate students, colleagues in Academic Innovation, and staff at UTSA to design learning activities for all modalities, create online courses and programs, consult on instructional design, learning science, interface and graphic design, and collaborate on innovative uses of digital learning in higher education. The ideal candidate has experience designing innovative online, hybrid, and professional education courses or programs that support effective, engaging, and innovative teaching and learning practices.

Function:

This individual partners closely with our world-class faculty and works as a critical team member, aligned to a cohesive vision for flexible, creative, and high-quality learning experiences. The LXD fuses instructional design skills with course development and user interface skill sets to create a student-centric, contemporary and engaging learning experience.

Scope:

The Learning Experience Designer works collaboratively with faculty and staff to drive, design and produce flexible, creative, innovative and high-quality learning experiences for all students in all modalities. The LXD will also guide course development by promoting and implementing a student-centric, holistic approach to learning design informed by evidence-based teaching and learning best practices.

Core Responsibilities

Typical:

• Employs a student-centric, holistic approach to improving the digital learning experience for learners and promotes effective and authentic learning.
• Collaborates with subject matter experts to design and develop engaging digital learning activities and compelling learning experiences that enhance retention and knowledge transfer for students in new and emerging learning models.
• Identifies target personas, develops learning experience wireframes, designs storyboards, and prototypes in alignment with best practices in pedagogical innovation and user experience design, and defines content development plans and frameworks.
• Designs and develops interactive elements for prototyping, testing, and supporting new learning strategies/models.
• Designs and develops online courses using contemporary development tools and adheres to style guides and quality standards for unified and consistent learning experiences.
• Ensures learning design and content development are completed on time and meet standards of quality and good practices in learning experience design.
• Analyzes learning metrics to assess the effectiveness of learning solutions and make changes to keep up with the emerging needs of learners.
• Creates and supports the maintenance of internal style and design documentation for new learning models.
• Offers technical, creative, and logistical recommendations, both within the team and externally to other stakeholders, on the design and production of learning content.
• Facilitates faculty professional development opportunities on design, building, and teaching online and hybrid courses.
• Applies universal design for learning principles and accessibility standards to learning experience design.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Periodic:

• Supports direct training, learning experiences, and activities related to the implementation of new LMS.
• Participates in university-wide task forces.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Bachelor’s degree and two years of experience in instructional design, instructional technology, or a similar role within a higher education setting will substitute for the Master’s degree.
• One year of experience working in the field of education and applying UDL principles.
• Knowledgeable with Universal Design for Learning principles.
• Demonstrated knowledge of best practices for pedagogy that ensures access to all.
• Advanced knowledge of learning management and content management systems.
• Passion for innovation in teaching and learning experiences and the role of pedagogy in higher education.
• Demonstrated excellent communication skills.
• Strong commitment to quality, organization, and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated willingness to learn new skills.
• Flexible and open to change with the ability to balance and prioritize multiple projects.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with others in an academic community remotely and in person.
• Use of standard office equipment, standard audio/visual equipment, and common accessibility tools.
• Utilize accessibility tools, such as screen readers and keyboard navigation, to test software and digital content for accessibility.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctoral degree from an accredited institution.
• Three to five years of experience working in an online, higher education environment as an instructional designer or a similar role.
• Editorial experience, design, user experience, or related field in a higher education setting.
• Functional experience in building multimedia assets.
• Expertise in instructional technology and multimedia authoring tools.
• Ability to maintain a positive work atmosphere by acting and communicating in a manner that fosters teamwork and collaboration.
• Experience in designing long-term and short-term content and learning experiences for online programs and non-credit courses for continuous education.
• Experience with pedagogy and curriculum design for online adult education, including a deep understanding of best practices related to adult/cognitive learning theory, assessment design, interactivity, and measuring the efficacy of learning outcomes.
• Experience leveraging data to improve learning design and processes – a data-driven mindset for course design.

Additional Information

• UTSA is a tobacco-free campus.
• This is a security-sensitive position. Employment is contingent upon a successful background check.
• Applicants selected must be able to show proof of eligibility to work in the United States by time of hire.

Working Conditions

Working Environment: 

• Remote and on campus.
• Occasional evening and weekend work.
• Occasional travel to state and national conventions and workshops.
• May be required to travel between campuses.

Physical Demands:     

• Sedentary work; sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary, if walking and standing are required, only occasionally.
• Exerts up to 10 lbs. of force occasionally.

This position will be primarily located on campus. Travel and parking expenses are the employee’s responsibility.

Equal Employment Opportunity

As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, it is the policy of The University of Texas at San Antonio to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or genetic information, and veteran status. The University is committed to the Affirmative Action Program in compliance with all government requirements to ensure nondiscrimination. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. UTSA campuses are accessible to persons with disabilities.