Learning designer

The learning designer partners with college faculty to support effective teaching and student learning across the curriculum of a residential liberal arts college. The designer will work proactively with diverse faculty to help identify learning goals, understand classroom contexts, design assignments and assessments, and deploy tools and practices (digital and otherwise) to support effective teaching and enhanced learning for a diverse and changing student body. The position brings broad knowledge of pedagogy together with hands-on familiarity with a wide range of digital and emerging technologies, helping faculty identify when and how particular approaches and tools can support student learning.

This is a full time, benefits eligible, salaried position with a hiring range of $67,120 - $75,522 per year.

Core Responsibilities:

• Consult with faculty on learning goals and the design and refinement of courses, assignments, assessments, classroom activities, and other learning experiences, drawing on evidence-informed approaches to teaching and learning.
• Develop sustained relationships with faculty, departments, and programs through proactive outreach, classroom visits, observation of teaching and learning contexts, and ongoing conversations about pedagogical needs and opportunities.
• Develop and maintain broad, hands-on working knowledge of digital and emerging technologies, including AI tools, and explore their capabilities, limitations, and potential applications to teaching and student learning.
• Partner with faculty to identify and implement pedagogical approaches, resources, and technologies appropriate to specific learning goals, collaborating with Educational Technology and Academic Computing and other specialists when deeper technical expertise or implementation support is required.
• Develop and lead faculty development programs, including workshops, institutes, faculty learning communities, and other sustained opportunities for faculty to develop, test, reflect on, and refine their teaching practices.
• Support faculty in designing inclusive and accessible learning experiences that respond to differences in students’ backgrounds, preparation, abilities, and approaches to learning.
• Develop and maintain clear, accessible guides, examples, models, and other resources that help faculty understand and independently use effective teaching practices and relevant digital tools.
• Work with academic leadership to ensure that new skills and capacities for faculty are developed in alignment with strategic priorities.

Master’s degree required; Ph.D. or other terminal degree preferred.

At least two years of relevant experience in higher education teaching and learning, faculty development, learning or instructional design, or a related field as well as experience working directly with faculty in academic settings is required.

Knowledge of evidence-informed approaches to college teaching and learning, including course and assignment design, assessment of student learning, paths to student engagement, and inclusive and accessible teaching practices.

Demonstrated initiative and strong service orientation, including the ability to develop relationships with faculty, seek out and understand teaching and learning needs, work effectively across academic disciplines and programs, and follow through on consultations and projects.

Broad working knowledge of digital and emerging technologies used in teaching and learning, including generative AI, and demonstrated ability to independently explore, learn, and evaluate new tools. Familiarity with multiple categories of tools for collaborative learning, scholarly research, multimedia projects, and student engagement is expected; deep technical expertise in individual platforms is not required.

Demonstrated ability to evaluate teaching practices and technologies in relation to specific learning goals, with attention to both pedagogical benefits and limitations.

Professional-level communication and project-management skills to enable effective work with faculty across disciplines and career stages. Ability to listen carefully, understand faculty needs, communicate clearly, and work collaboratively.

Ability to create clear, accessible resources and documentation that help faculty develop their teaching practices and use relevant tools independently.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

Work is performed in an office environment and requires the ability to operate standard office equipment and keyboards.

Other:

An offer for this position is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check and references.

As an employee of Middlebury College in Vermont, you will enjoy being part of a vibrant supportive community.

Middlebury offers its employees excellent compensation and competitive health, dental, life, disability, generous retirement matching, and vision benefits, and a generous time-away program - up to 34 days per year, increasing as the term of service lengthens. Employees are eligible for robust educational assistance programs. The result is a very high quality-of-life in a gorgeous setting. Middlebury College offers its employees excellent compensation and other perks of employment including:

• MiddCard Privileges: access to athletic facilities, discounts at the college store, library privileges, and cultural and sporting events. Spouses or domestic partners are eligible to receive a card with the same privileges.
• Discounts on season passes at Middlebury College's Snow Bowl, the Ralph Myhre Golf Course and the Rikert Outdoor Center.
• Access to our Partner Inclusion Program that provides comprehensive support services to the spouses and partners of Middlebury employees.

A full listing of our benefit offerings can be found on our website or click to see some of the other fun perks of working at Middlebury, whether in Middlebury, VT or Monterey, CA!

Middlebury College is an equal-opportunity employer where diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values. To this end, the College recruits talented and diverse faculty, staff, and students from across the United States and around the world. Middlebury College encourages applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of other protected classes and historically underrepresented communities. The College also invites applications from individuals who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.