Posting Title

Instructional Design & Developer - Learning & Organizational Development

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Location

CO - Golden

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Position Type

Regular

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Hours Per Week

40

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Working at NLR

NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Job Description

NLR's Learning & Organizational Development (L&OD) team is seeking an Instructional Design & Developer to design, develop, and continuously improve engaging learning experiences. This role combines learning consulting, creative instructional design, and content development utilizing modern development tools with a growing use of AI-enhanced workflows.

The role is led by the Manager of L&OD, will involve close collaboration with members across the L&OD team, key stakeholders and leaders, and external development partners to deliver high-quality engaging, effective, and scalable learning experiences. The position will serve as the primary design and development partner for leadership and professional development programs, manager enablement resources, and other L&OD initiatives.

This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of two days per week onsite at the Golden, CO campus.

Key Responsibilities

Instructional Design & Development

• Design and develop engaging, learner-centered experiences across multiple modalities including e-learning, virtual and live instructor-led, blended, and on-demand formats
• Serve as the primary development partner for leadership and professional development programs, working closely with the Leadership Development Strategist & Facilitator to translate strategy into polished learning experiences
• Build and maintain e-learning modules, animations, and video-based content using Articulate (Storyline/Rise) and Vyond
• Incorporate AI tools and emerging technologies into the design and development workflow to increase quality, efficiency, and scalability
• Apply adult learning principles, sound instructional design models (ADDIE, SAM, backward design), and evidence-based practices
• Develop supporting materials including facilitator guides, participant workbooks, job aids, toolkits, and manager resources

Collaboration & Consultation

• Partner with subject matter experts and stakeholders across the lab to conduct needs analysis, define learning objectives, and design appropriate end-to-end learning experiences that meet lab objectives. Types of projects include but are not limited to: management and leadership development, new employee orientation and onboarding program, and online policy/procedure training modules.
• Partner with external vendors and content providers to evaluate, customize, and integrate third-party resources into NLR's learning experiences.
• Co-create with the L&OD team to ensure design decisions align with the broader L&OD strategy, Leadership Competencies, and organizational priorities

Quality, Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Stay current with trends in instructional design, learning technology, and AI applications in L&D — proposing and piloting enhancements that improve effectiveness and scale
• In partnership with our Institutional Training Team, establish and maintain design and accessibility standards, quality review processes, and the ability to incorporate feedback and data to ensure consistency, continuous improvement, and excellence across all L&OD deliverables
• Build and maintain shared templates, asset libraries, and design standards that enable the L&OD team to work more efficiently and consistently.
• Iterate based on learner feedback, data, and evaluation results to continuously improve programs and resources

Success in the First Year

• Serve as a strong design and development partner to the Leadership Development Strategist & Facilitator, contributing to our leadership development programming and manager enablement resources
• Build and maintain a consistent, high-quality design standard across L&OD deliverables
• Integrate AI tools meaningfully into the team's development workflow
• Embed leadership competency language into learning experiences across appropriate programs
• Build strong working relationships across the L&OD team and with key stakeholders

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Basic Qualifications

Relevant Bachelor's Degree and 5 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience. Or, relevant Master's Degree and 3 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience. Or, relevant PhD or equivalent relevant education/experience. Or, relevant JD or equivalent relevant education/experience.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Proficiency in Articulate Storyline and/or Rise
• Proficiency in Vyond or comparable animation/video development tool
• Experience applying adult learning principles, instructional design models, and accessibility standards in learning and visual design.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex content into clear, engaging learning experiences
• Experience designing for blended and cohort-based leadership development programs, manager enablement resources, toolkits, or job aids
• Experience and ability to step in and facilitate as needed
• Comfort incorporating AI tools into design and development workflows
• Strong project management, communication, and collaboration skills
• LMS experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of graphic design principles; experience with Adobe Creative Suite or Canva
• Change management awareness or experience

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: Professional III / Annual Salary Range: $83,600 - $150,500

NLR takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits Summary

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short*- and long-term disability insurance; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement*. NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Limited-term positions are not eligible for long-term disability or tuition reimbursement.

* Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

Drug Free Workplace

NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations

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