Instructional Design Specialist Jobs in California
Instructional Design Specialist jobs in California represent one of the most active markets in the country, with demand concentrated in higher education, enterprise technology, healthcare systems, and state government agencies at levels from entry-level associate through senior learning architect. The largest hiring metros are Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, where employers like Kaiser Permanente, UC system campuses, and Salesforce maintain substantial learning and development teams. The most in-demand specialties in California listings are eLearning development, learning management system administration, and compliance training design. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 8+ Instructional Design Specialist jobs
- Shift: Full-Time, Summer 2027
- Hourly Pay Rate: $23
- Targeted Graduation Date: Between December 2027 - May/June 2028
The Leadership Instructional Design Internship is a full-time opportunity for a current undergraduate or graduate student pursuing a degree in Learning & Development, Instructional Design, Organizational Psychology, Human Resources, Communications, Education, Sociology, Social Psychology or a related field. This internship will support the Leadership Capabilities team at Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling for approximately 12 weeks during Summer 2027. Interns will gain hands-on experience working on various aspects of leadership development solutions that support business priorities and help build leadership capability across the organization.
The Leadership Instructional Design Intern will support initiatives focused on leadership development, learning design, stakeholder engagement, and learner communications. Responsibilities may include interviewing business leaders and subject matter experts, analyzing data to identify organizational needs and performance gaps, and helping develop learning content rooted in real business challenges. The intern will partner with the Leadership Capabilities team to create and enhance learning materials, participant resources, and communications while supporting learner engagement and reinforcement initiatives. This role offers hands-on experience in instructional design, organizational development, and leadership development and is ideal for students interested in learning and development, talent management, organizational effectiveness, or human resources.
Position Responsibilities:
- Perform and accomplish tasks, activities, and projects with guidance from Intern Manager
- Meet and/or exceed project deliverables and deadlines
- Develop technical expertise as needed for functional area
- Develop business acumen by seizing opportunities to learn
- Apply functional academic knowledge and skills to the specific internship position with a professional approach
- Collaborates with members of their designated team and builds relationships with customers, leaders, and peers within the company
- Other duties as assigned
Required Education and Experience:
- High School Diploma/General Education Diploma and currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree with 0 to 2 years of related work experience
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States. The Company will not sponsor applicants for work visas
- Shift: Full-Time, Summer 2027
- Hourly Pay Rate: $23
- Targeted Graduation Date: Between December 2027 - May/June 2028
The Leadership Instructional Design Internship is a full-time opportunity for a current undergraduate or graduate student pursuing a degree in Learning & Development, Instructional Design, Organizational Psychology, Human Resources, Communications, Education, Sociology, Social Psychology or a related field. This internship will support the Leadership Capabilities team at Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling for approximately 12 weeks during Summer 2027. Interns will gain hands-on experience working on various aspects of leadership development solutions that support business priorities and help build leadership capability across the organization.
The Leadership Instructional Design Intern will support initiatives focused on leadership development, learning design, stakeholder engagement, and learner communications. Responsibilities may include interviewing business leaders and subject matter experts, analyzing data to identify organizational needs and performance gaps, and helping develop learning content rooted in real business challenges. The intern will partner with the Leadership Capabilities team to create and enhance learning materials, participant resources, and communications while supporting learner engagement and reinforcement initiatives. This role offers hands-on experience in instructional design, organizational development, and leadership development and is ideal for students interested in learning and development, talent management, organizational effectiveness, or human resources.
Position Responsibilities:
- Perform and accomplish tasks, activities, and projects with guidance from Intern Manager
- Meet and/or exceed project deliverables and deadlines
- Develop technical expertise as needed for functional area
- Develop business acumen by seizing opportunities to learn
- Apply functional academic knowledge and skills to the specific internship position with a professional approach
- Collaborates with members of their designated team and builds relationships with customers, leaders, and peers within the company
- Other duties as assigned
Required Education and Experience:
- High School Diploma/General Education Diploma and currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree with 0 to 2 years of related work experience
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States. The Company will not sponsor applicants for work visas
See All 8 Instructional Design Specialist Jobs in California
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Find JobsInstructional Design Specialist Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Instructional Design Specialist Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Science & Research
- Consulting & Professional Services
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in instructional design specialist jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in instructional design, education technology, or a closely related field
- Proficiency with eLearning authoring tools such as Articulate Storyline or Adobe Captivate
- Experience administering or building content within a learning management system
- Portfolio demonstrating completed eLearning modules, job aids, or instructor-led curriculum
- Familiarity with ADDIE, SAM, or another recognized instructional design methodology
- Strong written communication skills for storyboarding, scripting, and stakeholder documentation
Instructional Design Specialist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become an instructional design specialist in California?
California has no state-issued license required to work as an instructional design specialist, so the path runs through education and portfolio development. Most California employers expect a bachelor's degree in instructional design, education technology, curriculum development, or a closely related discipline. A master's degree strengthens candidacy for senior and corporate roles. Completing a recognized credential such as the ATD Certified Professional in Talent Development or building a portfolio of published eLearning modules significantly improves competitiveness in the California market.
How much do instructional design specialists make in California?
Instructional design specialists in California earn a median of about $75,790 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $43,320 for the lowest 10% to over $134,270 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire instructional design specialists in California?
Employers hiring instructional design specialists in California right now include ICF, Amgen, and Kaiser Permanente, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. California's concentration of large healthcare networks, UC and CSU campuses, and enterprise technology headquarters means in-house learning and development teams are consistently staffed and active.
Which California cities have the most instructional design specialist jobs?
Compton, Los Angeles, and Irvine have the most instructional design specialist openings in California. Los Angeles and San Francisco dominate because of their density of large healthcare systems, corporate headquarters, and research universities, while San Diego's concentration of biotech firms, defense contractors, and UC San Diego drives consistent demand for compliance and technical training specialists in that market.
Are there remote instructional design specialist jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. Instructional design work is highly compatible with remote arrangements because the core outputs are digital, documentation-heavy, and deliverable without an on-site presence. About 100% of instructional design specialist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, reflecting how broadly employers have adopted flexible arrangements for this role. eLearning development and LMS administration positions are the most consistently remote, while facilitation-heavy or onboarding-focused roles more often require hybrid attendance.
How can I get hired as an instructional design specialist in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is building a portfolio of sample projects while applying to junior or associate instructional designer roles at large California institutions. UC and CSU campuses regularly post entry-level learning design positions and often welcome candidates transitioning from teaching, academic advising, or curriculum coordination. Kaiser Permanente and other large California health systems run learning and development associate programs that accept candidates from training coordinator or clinical educator backgrounds. Completing a recognized course in Articulate Storyline or Canvas LMS and publishing two or three sample modules gives a concrete edge in screening.
Where can I find and apply to instructional design specialist jobs in California?
You can find and apply to instructional design specialist jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings updated regularly. Search the listings, find roles that match your experience and target location, and apply directly to each one. No signup is needed to see open positions.
See All 8 Instructional Design Specialist Jobs in California
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