Instructional Designer, Trauma Education

About the American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is a professional and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 90,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit

Summary:

The Instructional Designer plays a key role in the design, technical development, and deployment of training and education for participants in ACS Programs. 

• Collaborating with program managers, subject matter experts, internal teams, and external partners to create and revise learner-centered content for live, hybrid, and/or web-based courses and tools. 

• Utilize Learning Management System (LMS) expertise to build out and test courses and assess learner reports.

• Contributing to strategic planning of education programming.

• This role emphasizes strong instructional design skills, with an expectation of reaching an intermediate level in Articulate Storyline within the first 6 months through dedicated development time, hands-on practice, and supported production work while contributing to other projects.

This exempt position will report to the Manager, Instructional Design-Trauma Education Programs in the Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care. It is based in our Chicago office and is a hybrid role: 3 days per week in the office/2 days per week remote.

The anticipated salary range for this position is $73,700 - $80,000 (commensurate with related experience).
 

Responsibilities:

Instructional Design Planning
• Participate in instructional design planning, including needs assessments and the development of design documents, storyboards and/or scripts that outline instructional objectives and methods.
• Coordinate subject matter experts and facilitate intervention/assessment design.
• Collaborate with staff and leadership to ensure timely, high-quality project delivery.
• Track communication, time, and milestones.
• Support the pertinent stakeholders in prioritizing and executing training initiatives.

Content Development and Execution
• Collaborate with the internal and external design team to develop and implement technical content and interactive learning experiences. Utilize strong visual and multimedia development skills, as well as proficiency in instructional design tools, in accordance with design specifications to create engaging and effective learning experiences.
• Manage quality assurance, user testing, and course implementation in the ACS Learning Management System.
• Collaborate with surgeon leaders and senior staff to assess needs and execute committee goals.
• Ensure stakeholder expectations are met through high-quality, timely deliverables within established budgets.

Stakeholder Collaboration
• Provide professional, informed support to subject matter experts.
• Serve as a point person in instructional design and facilitate the development and implementation of training for internal and external stakeholders.

Continuous Improvement
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and service aligned with ACS values.
• Contribute to standardizing education design processes and measuring training effectiveness. Identify areas for improvement and growth.
• Explore innovative technologies for learning experience development and deployment.
• Create and maintain organized documentation of processes and procedures for all education design and development activities.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university is required. Master's degree and/or training in Instructional Design required
• At least 2+ years of Instructional Design experience is required
• Experience designing end-to-end learning solutions, including needs assessment, content development, media production, and evaluation
• Significant experience collaborating with subject matter experts (medical SME experience preferred)
• Experience using major authoring tools (e.g., Storyline, Rise) and LMS platforms
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously in a structured design workflow
• Experience creating multimedia-enhanced courses (graphics, audio, video, interactivity)
• Experience applying adult learning principles in real-world training environments, ideally with measurable outcomes

Required Skills:

• Strong grasp of instructional design principles and adult learning theory
• Ability to translate complex SME content into clear, structured learning materials
• Project management skills: organizing timelines, tracking revisions, coordinating stakeholders
• Proficiency with LMS platforms and common authoring tools (e.g., Storyline, Rise)
• Clear technical writing and content editing
• Basic video and audio editing skills for preparing instructional media
• Commitment to quality, usability, and accessibility standards

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with scenario-based or simulation-focused learning
• Ability to analyze learner data and apply findings to course improvements
• Multimedia or basic graphic design skills
• Familiarity with evaluation models (e.g., Kirkpatrick, Moore, etc.)
• Healthcare education experience

Comprehensive Benefits:
We’re committed to attracting and retaining top talent via valuable benefits!

• Vacation, personal, and sick hours including 13 paid holidays per year
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Medical—comprehensive coverage through BlueCross BlueShield
• Dental, Vision, and Prescription drug program
• 403(b) Matching Program
• Pension Plan
• Flexible Spending Medical/Dependent Care
• Employee Assistance Program
• Short Term/Long Term Disability
• Life Insurance
• Domestic Partner Coverage

 

The American College of Surgeons is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call (312) 202-5000 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

 

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities


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