Course Design Lead (AI Pedagogy)

Macmillan Learning is seeking an enthusiastic and experienced Course Design Lead to join our Pedagogical Design Group. A key pillar of Macmillan Learning's mission is to lead transformation of learning strategies by empowering educators and learners through digital resources and tools. If you are dedicated to advancing learning through digital pedagogy and have a deep understanding of evidence-based teaching strategies, especially in online learning, this role offers a unique opportunity to drive positive change in education.

We encourage individuals with academic teaching experience (high school or higher education), ed-tech experience from start-ups to larger organizations, and those with direct experience in educational publishing to apply, among others whose creativity and/or expertise will lead to success in working with a team to develop teaching and learning strategies for digital learning with an initial focus on AI-supported pedagogical tools.

In this key role, you will be at the forefront of educational innovation, ensuring that our digital courses are designed with pedagogical excellence, inclusivity, and effectiveness in mind. You will collaborate closely with partners in editorial, product, sales, and implementation to inform the development of engaging digital learning experiences, considering the potential of generative AI. You will champion evidence-based teaching methods, envision equitable digital solutions, and continuously iterate and improve our products based on insights from data and user feedback. Join us in our mission to empower learners and shape the future of education.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including women and people of color, to apply for this role. We're eager to meet people that believe in our mission and can contribute to our team in a variety of ways - not just candidates who check all the boxes. We believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we recognize that unique perspectives and experiences contribute to the strength of our team. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role. We value your potential, and we are committed to providing a supportive and inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive and contribute their best.

Major responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Lead research and collaboration on the testing and development of generative AI-supported pedagogical tools that empower learners across course areas and that apply pedagogical best practices to ensure that features effectively support student skill development, such as writing and critical thinking, in courseware and other applications.

• Collaborate with subject matter experts and internal content, product, and technology teams to design, develop, and continuously improve learning design in our resources.

• Design evaluation methods, including success criteria, to assess the effectiveness of AI-supported learning experiences and student outcomes. Propose and advocate for improvements.

• Evaluate potential partners and business opportunities related to GAI-supported tools.

• Keep abreast of the latest trends in generative AI in educational contexts.

• Contribute to Macmillan Learning's professional development support for instructors teaching in a variety of course areas.

Promote the implementation of Macmillan's standards and guidelines on creating accessible, diverse, equitable, and inclusive content and learning experiences to ensure learners of all backgrounds can achieve equitable outcomes.

• Participate in internal and external events to promote products, gather market information, and meet with potential and current subject matter experts and reviewers.

At Macmillan Learning, we value experience, but we recognize experience can be hard to come by; we also value skills and competencies. To help prospective candidates evaluate the expectations of the position, we've aligned competencies that are used to develop employees at Macmillan Learning to the core responsibilities of the position.

• Business perspective: Ability to understand the "big picture" of how the company operates (goals, strategies, issues, and processes), the products we offer, and the outcomes we strive to achieve to enhance performance in the context of our marketplace.

• Drives Outcomes and Impact: A results-oriented mindset with a focus on outcomes, not activity.

• Nurtures Innovation: Thinking "big" and into the future, creates new and better ways for the organization to be successful; adapts to change and engages in continuous learning and critical thinking to promote growth for yourself and the organization to amplify results and achieve ML's short and long term goals.

• Resiliency: Ability to stay energized, productive and focused in the face of change, adversity, challenge, setbacks, or strenuous demands, while creating an environment that is supportive of others become more resilient and productive.

• Analytical Thinking: Analyzes and synthesizes information to understand issues, identify options and benefits and risks to support sound decision making.

• Data Literacy: Understands or is willing to learn available technology and software to complete tasks.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree.

• Experience working with digital educational content or designing learning experiences as an instructional designer, a learning experience designer, a creative role in ed tech, in educational publishing, or with experimental pedagogical approaches in the classroom.

• Strong understanding of evidence-based teaching practices, learning theories, and best practices for teaching writing in the context of digital education.

• Proven familiarity with generative AI technologies.

• Adaptable to change, and quick to internalize technology, systems, and practices relevant to the role.

• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret and apply data-driven insights.

• Ability to set priorities, meet deadlines, and work independently.

• Strong interest in identifying and solving problems.

• Proven ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing to exhibit influence and impact.

• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to form productive working relationships with subject matter experts and in-house teams.

• Ability to travel for in-person meetings, less than 10% of the time.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certificate or graduate work in educational technology, writing in the disciplines, technical or scientific communication, or instructional design is a plus.

• Background in teaching in course areas highly impacted by the emergence of generative AI.

• Experience with authentic assessment, project-based learning, or self-regulated learning.

• Knowledge of learning management systems, JIRA, PowerBI, Pendo, and Amplitude.

Salary: $80,000 - $95,000/year

Exemption Status: Exempt

Physical Requirements:

Requires periods of close concentration. Must be able to multi-task. Must be able to concentrate in noisy/busy environment. Must be able to travel less than 10% of the year.

This position can be based in our New York, NY office, Boston, MA, office, Austin, TX office, or a fully remote U.S.-based location, excluding the following locations: Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming.

Benefits

Regular full-time and qualifying part-time employees and their dependents are eligible for Macmillan benefits, effective on the employee's date of hire. Macmillan also offers health benefits coverage to qualifying same-sex and opposite-sex domestic partners (may require additional documentation) of active employees.

• Competitive pay and bonus plan

• Generous Health Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision)

• Contributions to your 401k retirement account through Fidelity

• Generous paid time off, sick time, floating holidays, and paid holidays (Spring Reset Day , Juneteenth, Indigenous People's Day, Election Day, and more!)

• Employee Assistance Program, Education Assistance Program

• 100% employer-paid life and AD&D insurance

• And much more!

Macmillan Learning is a privately-held, family-owned company that inspires what's possible for every learner. We envision a world in which every learner succeeds. Through our content, tools and services, we aim to make that a reality. To learn more, please visit macmillanlearning.com, join our Macmillan Community, stay connected to our Learning Stories blogs, or see us on LinkedIn, Facebook, or X. Macmillan Learning is a division of the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, a global media company headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are actively seeking job applicants who reflect a broad representation of differences, including race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, physical ability, neurodiversity, age, veteran, family and economic status and background, geographical background and status, and perspective. We believe that the best companies reflect the incredible diversity in viewpoints, backgrounds, and identities of the world in their staffs, and are committed to inclusive hiring across departments and levels. You can read more about our Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion initiatives here.

The successful candidate for this position will be an employee of Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishing Group, LLC d/b/a Macmillan Learning. Bedford Freeman & Worth Publishing Group, LLC has developed an affirmative action program in compliance with the NY Department of Education's guidance. Portions of the affirmative action program are available for review by applicants and employees by contacting Human Resources at Macmillan Learning.