How to hire a senior instructional designer

How to hire a senior instructional designer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior instructional designer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior instructional designer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior instructional designer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior instructional designer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your senior instructional designer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a senior instructional designer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A senior instructional designer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior instructional designers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of senior instructional designers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Senior Instructional Designer	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Instructional Designer	Instructional coordinators oversee school curriculums and teaching standards. They develop instructional material, coordinate its implementation with teachers and principals, and assess its effectiveness.	$23-44
   Curriculum Developer	A curriculum developer is responsible for managing instructional materials, providing recommendations to the teachers, and making adjustments to the current student's curriculum to adhere to the highest educational standards and policies. Curriculum developers also facilitate and offer assistance for any implemented procedures... Show more	$17-37
   Designer	A designer is someone who creates a master plan of the look or workings of something before it will be made. It could be tangible or intangible objects, products, procedures, laws, events, games, graphics, services, and even experiences... Show more	$21-46

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Instructional Design
   • Subject Matter Experts
   • Project Management
   • Blended Learning
   • PowerPoint
   • ELearning
   • SMEs
   • Learning Solutions
   • Training Programs
   • Articulate Storyline
   • Learning Objectives
   • Photoshop
   • Training Materials
   • Addie

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage intranet sites, using Dreamweaver, for accessing e-Learning courses.
   • Coach internal trainers on effective instructional design and PowerPoint presentation design.
   • Have extensive experience communicating with SMEs to accurately capture and incorporate their expertise in course design.
   • Edit and design images and graphics in Photoshop.
   • Create web base training using Lectora and Camtasia authoring software.
   • Design, develop, and create lessons for a web base instructional program for the FAA.

   More senior instructional designer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior instructional designer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A senior instructional designer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, senior instructional designers' average salary in west virginia is 53% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior instructional designers earn 47% less than senior-level senior instructional designers.
   • Certifications. A senior instructional designer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a senior instructional designer's salary.

   Average senior instructional designer salary

   $68,140yearly

   $32.76 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior instructional designer salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average senior instructional designer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$94,142	$45
   2	New York	$85,375	$41
   3	California	$83,848	$40
   4	Maryland	$83,474	$40
   5	District of Columbia	$83,306	$40
   6	Virginia	$81,528	$39
   7	Washington	$76,384	$37
   8	Massachusetts	$75,492	$36
   9	Nevada	$74,280	$36
   10	Oregon	$73,977	$36
   11	Pennsylvania	$72,924	$35
   12	Nebraska	$70,748	$34
   13	Illinois	$70,420	$34
   14	Minnesota	$69,500	$33
   15	Colorado	$68,204	$33
   16	Texas	$67,773	$33
   17	North Carolina	$66,951	$32
   18	Georgia	$65,883	$32
   19	Arizona	$65,244	$31
   20	Ohio	$63,993	$31

   Average senior instructional designer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Algolia	$95,488	$45.91
   2	Zuora	$94,185	$45.28
   3	Autodesk	$93,874	$45.13	14
   4	Amgen	$88,157	$42.38
   5	Booz Allen Hamilton	$87,381	$42.01	5
   6	Lucid Motors	$87,113	$41.88	3
   7	Amazon	$85,996	$41.34	229
   8	Franklin Templeton	$85,744	$41.22
   9	Cottage Health	$84,904	$40.82	3
   10	American Express	$84,615	$40.68	61
   11	Saint Xavier University	$84,262	$40.51
   12	SAIC	$84,205	$40.48	9
   13	University of California-Berkeley	$83,768	$40.27	2
   14	Arch Capital Group	$83,037	$39.92
   15	PitchBook Data	$83,003	$39.91	1
   16	EPAM Systems	$82,741	$39.78	3
   17	Chubb	$82,703	$39.76	1
   18	Informatica	$82,428	$39.63
   19	Buchanan & Edwards	$82,167	$39.50
   20	M&T Bank	$80,765	$38.83	19

4. Writing a senior instructional designer job description

   A job description for a senior instructional designer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a senior instructional designer job description:

   Senior instructional designer job description example

   The Rock Family of Companies is made up of nearly 100 separate businesses spanning fintech, sports, entertainment, real estate, startups and more. We're united by our culture - a drive to find a better way that fuels our commitment to our clients, our community and our team members. We believe in and build inclusive workplaces, where every voice is heard and diverse perspectives are welcomed. Working for a company in the Family is about more than just a job - it's about having the opportunity to become the best version of yourself.
   
   Rocket Central is a centralized hub that delivers thoughtful and innovative solutions for Rocket Companies . We are the center of operations, technology, marketing, HR, legal, strategy and more that propels our companies forward. Here, we'll give you the opportunity to launch your career and work with various companies, spanning multiple industries from fintech, to auto and real estate. We offer you the tools you'll need to succeed, no matter what stage you're at in your career. You'll be able to master your craft here by working on complex problems in a collaborative culture and challenging yourself to make a real impact.
   Apply today to see all that Rocket Central has to offer!
   
   Preferred Qualifications
   Bachelor's degree in instructional design, educational technology or a related field 1 year of instructional design experience 2 years of relevant business experience
   
   Job Summary
   As a Senior Instructional Designer, you'll use learning and instructional theory to analyze learning needs and goals, create instructional content and develop a delivery system to meet those needs.
   
   Responsibilities
   Create and modify computer-based training (CBT) storyboards Create and modify unique and interactive CBTs, both collaboratively and independently Effectively incorporate client feedback into CBTs Assess and modify existing training programs to meet instructional design standards Conduct research and analyze data to determine training needs Design evaluation tools administered to participants and analyze training effectiveness Create custom code and interface elements for digital media projects Use discretion and independent judgement to evaluate complex requirements and provide instructional design recommendations and deliverables to support clients and the overall impact of training Lead in-person and/or web-based training by applying facilitation techniques, training, methodology development and evaluation Stay abreast of new and emerging instructional design and adult learning theories Take leadership and full ownership of tasks within the span of control Manage special projects as specified by leadership Serve as a point of accountability for SLAs for programs and/or projects as necessary Identify, adopt and support evolving digital media technologies Act as a peer mentor for fellow trainers that are developing in the craft
   
   Who We Are
   Rocket Companies is a Detroit-based company made up of businesses that provide simple, fast and trusted digital solutions for complex transactions. The name comes from our flagship business, now known as Rocket Mortgage , which was founded in 1985. Today, we're a publicly traded company involved in many different industries, including mortgages, fintech, real estate, automotive and more. We're insistently different in how we look at the world and are committed to an inclusive workplace where every voice is heard. We're passionate about the work we do, and it shows. We've been ranked #7 on Fortune's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2022, as well as ranking #1 for Fortune's Best Large Workplaces in Financial Services and Insurance List in 2021.
   
   Disclaimer
   This is an outline of the primary responsibilities of this position. As with everything in life, things change. The tasks and responsibilities can be changed, added to, removed, amended, deleted and modified at any time by the leadership group.
   
   We are proud equal opportunity employers and committed to providing an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all candidates and team members. Employment decisions, including hiring decisions, are not based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, military or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. We also provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with state and federal law.
   
   The Company is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and does not discriminate in any hiring or employment practices. The Company provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with state and federal law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation in completing the application and/or participating in the employment application process should notify a representative of the Human Resources Team, The Pulse, at 1-800-411-JOBS.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right senior instructional designer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with senior instructional designers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit senior instructional designers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior instructional designer job on Zippia to find and recruit senior instructional designer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with senior instructional designer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior instructional designer

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior instructional designer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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