Job Description

Position Description

The Harvard University Division of Continuing Education (DCE) seeks a creative, energetic, innovative, driven, and technically-capable person who is passionate about working with Harvard faculty to create highly engaging and effective learning experiences that model for the world what online and blended education can be. The Learning Experience Designer reports to the Manager of Learning Experience Design within the Course Design team in the Department of Teaching and Learning. Among the responsibilities of the Course Design team are:

• to work closely with instructors teaching in a variety of course formats including in-person, online only, and in-person with online students;
• to design courses and/or specific course elements that effectively support a very broad audience of adult part-time students with widely varying academic preparation, significant time constraints, and demanding learning goals;
• to use the advantages of the online environment to offer course material and support in ways that cannot be done in a brick-and-mortar classroom;
• to collaborate with technology, software, and media production teams to develop new tools, methods, and practices for online education;
• and to develop a social and academic community for DCE students to enrich their experience and connection to Harvard and each other.

The course design team is supported by talented video production and software development teams, a vibrant online course delivery platform, visionary leadership, and outstanding Harvard faculty and their teaching assistants.

Duties & Responsibilities Include:

• Participation in the design and development of engaging learning experiences from inception to completion. This will require working with faculty members and others on the application of instructional design and backwards design principles, learning theories, multimedia development, and simulation technologies in the development of creative solutions that support active learning.
• Collaboration with faculty members and teaching staff to build and implement exemplary learning objects, modules, assessments and activities, along with associated educational materials, for both synchronous and asynchronous learning.
• Collaboration with faculty members and teaching staff to develop project charters, design and implement course websites, create formats for digital materials, and produce course design documents and interaction plans.
• Project management of complex projects with multiple deliverables and deadlines, including establishment of timelines and workflows, creation and tracking of project documentation, and coordination amongst individual collaborators across teams.
• Designing individualized interventions for courses in need of remediation to meet DCE quality standards.
• Consulting with faculty on pedagogical and technological questions; Making recommendations for best practices in online education and identifying content and technology resources for online teaching and learning.

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum of two years? post-secondary education or relevant work experience

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• 3 plus years of work experience in one of the following: online course development, instructional design, instructional technology, project management, preferred.

• Experience teaching in an online environment as a primary instructor or TA.??

• Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) preferred.?

• Demonstrated strong project management skills with several examples of projects managed from start to conclusion.? Ability to independently manage quality and timeliness of project assets.

• Demonstrated understanding and execution of UX/UI principles. Professional or educational background in instructional design and/or UI/UX design is a plus.??

• Strong technical skills/fluency. You need not be a programmer, but you should be a tinkerer who feels comfortable exploring new platforms, software and web environments and getting the most out of them.?

• Demonstrated expertise in an area/s of multimedia or audio visual production (e.g. graphic design, photography, animation, video editing, etc.)

• Strong analytical skills. Ability to creatively problem-solve and think outside the box.??

• Growth mindset and commitment to learning; ability to take initiative to learn new tools and methodologies, and proactively seek opportunities to develop skills.

• Ability to work well with others. Experience with lateral management (managing peers, coordinating projects across teams and individuals) is crucial.

• Knowledge of information technology applications, processes, software and equipment.

• Canvas or other modern LMS experience

Working Conditions

The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Additional Information

• We will not provide visa sponsorship for this position.
• A cover letter is highly encouraged for consideration.
• All formal offers will be made by FAS Human Resources.

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website ( ) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Work Format

Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)





Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.



EEO Statement
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

About Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Harvard University is devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, and to developing leaders in many disciplines who make a difference globally. The University, which is based in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, has an enrollment of over 20,000 degree candidates, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Harvard has more than 360,000 alumni around the world. The University has twelve degree-granting Schools in addition to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, offering a truly global education. Established in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States.

Connections working at Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Job Tags

Holiday work, Part time, Work experience placement, Remote job,

Similar Jobs