OPT Instructional Designer Jobs
Instructional Designer jobs on OPT span corporate L&D teams, edtech companies, and higher education. Most roles require portfolio work and proficiency in tools like Articulate Storyline or Adobe Captivate. STEM OPT extension eligibility depends on your degree field, so confirm your classification before applying.
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Get Access To All JobsDepartment: Online Learning
Office: Remote/Online
Location:
Job ID: 1154
An instructional designer at Cornerstone University is a full-time and can work onsite in Grand Rapids, Michigan, or fully remote, or hybrid, and is responsible for aiding in the creation, review, and revision of curriculum for various schools and online platforms within the University. The Designers report to the Assistant Vice President for Online Learning in Academics. Designers will consult with subject matter experts like faculty, and applying design and learning theory, will craft course designs appropriate for an online platform, instructor manuals, student guides, and other materials required for online courses. In addition, successful instructional designers will utilize generative AI tools to help in the content creation of the unique SOAR mobile platform. Cornerstone University employs a subject-matter centric focus for its modular online curricula and designers are expected to be aligned with that focus. The core of Cornerstone University is defined and driven by its Christ-centered mission and Biblical confession.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develops and designs courses and curriculum according to CU design practices
- Edits and develops online learning materials
- Creates learning experiences and environments in the CU LMS, Brightspace and SOAR platform
- Designs learning activities, assignments, and assessments
- Creates computer-based training (CBT) modules and storyboards
- Develops instructor’s aids, rubrics, and other teaching tools
- Collaborates with subject matter experts to develop course content
- Manages online learning communities and collects student performance data
- Analyzes, updates, and refines existing online content
- Trains instructors, students, and employees in how to use learning technologies
- Communicates effectively and frequently with a variety of constituencies
- If remote, attends important events on campus such as graduation and faculty retreats, up to four times per year
- All Cornerstone University employees will regularly interact with students in a variety of projects, activities, and settings. As such all employees are expected to serve as Christian leaders and mentors by effectively living a gospel-centered lifestyle, ministering and discipling through a biblical worldview.
- Utilizes Generative AI tools to help facilitate the creation of instructional assets.
- Other duties may be assigned.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES:
- Master’s degree in instructional design or a related field
- Five years of related experience
- Communication Proficiency
- Initiative
- Personal effectiveness/credibility
- Results driven
- Stress management/composure
- Performance management
- Operational knowledge of Brightspace a plus
- Operational knowledge of Generative AI tools include Gemini, ChatGPT and other LLM’s
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Proficiency in Microsoft Teams is essential
- Data collection and organization
-
Skills and Characteristics:
-
Strong organizational skills, well disciplined, able to work under pressure of many priorities and meet deadlines
- Capable of long-range planning processes
- Results driven
- Proficient written and verbal communicator
- Possesses personal initiative and is a self-starter
- Collaborative
- Creative problem solver
-
Empathetic and student centered
-
Additional Qualifications:
-
This job operates in a remote or hybrid work environment. Successful candidates will have the ability to collaborate through technology and be available during work hours for meetings, collaboration and synchronous chat sessions to facilitate projects to a successful end.
- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:
- A personal relationship with Jesus Christ and an active Christian commitment.
- A theology that supports the values and mission of Cornerstone University core commitments evidenced by an ability to affirm and sign the university’s doctrinal statement, “The Cornerstone Confession.”
-
Four other foundational pillars, along with the university’s mission and confession, form Cornerstone’s Core Commitments.
-
The Cornerstone Christian World View
- The Cornerstone Academic Vision
- The Cornerstone Beautiful Christian Community
- The Marriage and Human Sexuality Position Statement
These core commitments convey who we are, what we believe and how we live and work together in community. Employees are expected to faithfully attend an evangelical and biblical church whose core beliefs and practices are consistent with Cornerstone’s confession and core commitments.
Department: Online Learning
Office: Remote/Online
Location:
Job ID: 1154
An instructional designer at Cornerstone University is a full-time and can work onsite in Grand Rapids, Michigan, or fully remote, or hybrid, and is responsible for aiding in the creation, review, and revision of curriculum for various schools and online platforms within the University. The Designers report to the Assistant Vice President for Online Learning in Academics. Designers will consult with subject matter experts like faculty, and applying design and learning theory, will craft course designs appropriate for an online platform, instructor manuals, student guides, and other materials required for online courses. In addition, successful instructional designers will utilize generative AI tools to help in the content creation of the unique SOAR mobile platform. Cornerstone University employs a subject-matter centric focus for its modular online curricula and designers are expected to be aligned with that focus. The core of Cornerstone University is defined and driven by its Christ-centered mission and Biblical confession.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develops and designs courses and curriculum according to CU design practices
- Edits and develops online learning materials
- Creates learning experiences and environments in the CU LMS, Brightspace and SOAR platform
- Designs learning activities, assignments, and assessments
- Creates computer-based training (CBT) modules and storyboards
- Develops instructor’s aids, rubrics, and other teaching tools
- Collaborates with subject matter experts to develop course content
- Manages online learning communities and collects student performance data
- Analyzes, updates, and refines existing online content
- Trains instructors, students, and employees in how to use learning technologies
- Communicates effectively and frequently with a variety of constituencies
- If remote, attends important events on campus such as graduation and faculty retreats, up to four times per year
- All Cornerstone University employees will regularly interact with students in a variety of projects, activities, and settings. As such all employees are expected to serve as Christian leaders and mentors by effectively living a gospel-centered lifestyle, ministering and discipling through a biblical worldview.
- Utilizes Generative AI tools to help facilitate the creation of instructional assets.
- Other duties may be assigned.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES:
- Master’s degree in instructional design or a related field
- Five years of related experience
- Communication Proficiency
- Initiative
- Personal effectiveness/credibility
- Results driven
- Stress management/composure
- Performance management
- Operational knowledge of Brightspace a plus
- Operational knowledge of Generative AI tools include Gemini, ChatGPT and other LLM’s
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Proficiency in Microsoft Teams is essential
- Data collection and organization
-
Skills and Characteristics:
-
Strong organizational skills, well disciplined, able to work under pressure of many priorities and meet deadlines
- Capable of long-range planning processes
- Results driven
- Proficient written and verbal communicator
- Possesses personal initiative and is a self-starter
- Collaborative
- Creative problem solver
-
Empathetic and student centered
-
Additional Qualifications:
-
This job operates in a remote or hybrid work environment. Successful candidates will have the ability to collaborate through technology and be available during work hours for meetings, collaboration and synchronous chat sessions to facilitate projects to a successful end.
- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:
- A personal relationship with Jesus Christ and an active Christian commitment.
- A theology that supports the values and mission of Cornerstone University core commitments evidenced by an ability to affirm and sign the university’s doctrinal statement, “The Cornerstone Confession.”
-
Four other foundational pillars, along with the university’s mission and confession, form Cornerstone’s Core Commitments.
-
The Cornerstone Christian World View
- The Cornerstone Academic Vision
- The Cornerstone Beautiful Christian Community
- The Marriage and Human Sexuality Position Statement
These core commitments convey who we are, what we believe and how we live and work together in community. Employees are expected to faithfully attend an evangelical and biblical church whose core beliefs and practices are consistent with Cornerstone’s confession and core commitments.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as an Instructional Designer
Lead with your portfolio, not your resume
Instructional designers are hired on the strength of their work samples. Before applying, build a portfolio with two or three complete eLearning modules. Employers make faster sponsorship decisions when they can see your output quality upfront.
Target edtech and corporate L&D teams first
Large edtech companies and Fortune 500 L&D departments file OPT work authorization more routinely than small training agencies. Prioritizing these employers reduces friction in the hiring process and improves your chances of a smooth authorization experience.
Clarify your STEM OPT eligibility early
Instructional design degrees vary. If yours falls under educational technology or information systems, you may qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirm your CIP code with your DSO before conversations with employers turn to timeline concerns.
Highlight authoring tool certifications
Articulate 360 and Adobe Captivate offer recognized certifications. Earning one before your job search signals technical readiness to employers who otherwise see OPT authorization as a risk. It gives hiring managers a concrete reason to move forward with you.
Address your OPT timeline proactively with employers
Many hiring managers assume OPT authorization is more complicated than it is. Prepare a clear, one-paragraph explanation of your OPT start date, end date, and what the employer actually needs to do. Removing ambiguity early prevents unnecessary hesitation in the process.
Align your application to the employer's LMS stack
Instructional designer job descriptions usually list a specific LMS such as Workday Learning, Cornerstone, or Canvas. Tailoring your resume and portfolio to mirror the employer's tools demonstrates immediate value and reduces the perceived cost of sponsoring your work authorization.
Instructional Designer OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as an Instructional Designer on OPT?
Yes. Instructional designer roles qualify as OPT-eligible employment as long as the work is directly related to your degree field. A degree in instructional design, educational technology, or a related discipline supports authorization. Confirm the connection between your specific degree and the job description with your DSO before accepting an offer.
Do Instructional Designer roles qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Some do. Instructional design programs housed under educational technology, learning systems, or information science departments often carry STEM-designated CIP codes. If your degree qualifies, you're eligible for a 24-month extension beyond your initial 12 months of OPT. Check your degree's CIP code with your DSO to confirm before applying to roles that require longer authorization periods.
What do employers actually need to do to hire an Instructional Designer on OPT?
Employers are not required to file any petition or pay government fees to hire OPT students. They need a valid E-Verify enrollment, which most mid-size and large companies already have. The student handles the EAD card and authorization reporting through their DSO. For employers unfamiliar with OPT, this distinction from H-1B visa sponsorship often resolves their hesitation quickly.
Where can I find Instructional Designer jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters jobs by visa sponsorship compatibility. Searching for instructional designer roles on Migrate Mate surfaces positions at employers who have an established track record of hiring international students, which significantly reduces the time spent on employers who will decline at the authorization stage.
Does my internship or practicum experience count toward OPT employment for an Instructional Designer role?
It can, but the connection must be documented. If your internship involved curriculum development, eLearning production, or training design directly tied to your degree program, it supports your OPT employment record. Keep documentation from your DSO and employer confirming the relationship between the work and your field of study, as this may be reviewed during a STEM extension application.