Position Title: Instructional Designer for Online Higher Education

Division: Teaching & Learning, Academic Affairs

Employment Type: Full-Time Contractor

Reports To: Dean of Faculty

Location: Remote

Period: Six months with possible extension

Salary: As per AUAF Budget

About the University

The American University of Afghanistan is Afghanistan’s only nationally accredited, private,

not-for-profit, non-partisan, and coeducational institution of higher education. It opened its

doors in 2006 with an initial enrollment of 50 students, and since that time has grown to

enroll more than 1,700 full- and part- time students across undergraduate, graduate, and

professional training programs. Despite a changing political and security climate in

Afghanistan, AUAF has successfully lived up to its mission to provide equal access to high-

quality higher education across gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds. More

than half of our undergraduate students are female. Generous support from the U.S.

government and other funding partners has allowed us to support a secure, inclusive,

residential campus environment in Kabul. Our professional community comprises a diverse,

talented Afghan and international faculty and staff who work together in support of our

students and toward a sustainable, ambitious future for the provision of American-style

education in Afghanistan.

Position Summary

The Instructional Designer partners with faculty across Liberal Arts, Computer Science, and

Business to design high-quality online courses that are accessible, inclusive, and outcomes-

driven. The role blends pedagogy, learning analytics, educational technology, and flipped-

classroom methods to craft engaging learning experiences aligned to program outcomes

and industry expectations. The Instructional Designer serves as both a pedagogical

consultant and a project manager, guiding courses from concept to launch and continuous

Improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Cross-Program Responsibilities

Apply instructional design models (Backward Design, ADDIE, SAM) to align learning outcomes, assessments, content, and activities.
Design for a flipped-classroom model:
Curate/create concise pre-class microlearning (short video, readings, interactives) with embedded checks for understanding.
Structure synchronous or in-class sessions around active learning (case analysis, coding labs, debates, simulations, problem-based learning).
Use pre-work analytics to adapt sessions (just-in-time teaching) and address misconceptions.
Provide accountability structures (low-stakes quizzes, reflection prompts, readiness assurance tests) and transparent rubrics.
Translate seminar-style and project-based learning into effective online modalities (discussion, peer review, collaborative annotation, simulations, labs, role-play).
Guide the creation and organizing courses in the LMS (e.g., Canvas, Moodle) with consistent navigation, templates, and rubrics.
Ensure accessibility and inclusivity (WCAG 2.1, ADA/Section 508) and apply Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.
Create and maintain multimedia assets (storyboards, scripts, <8–10 minute video segments, captions/transcripts, interactive modules, job aids) to support pre-work and in-class activities.
Coach faculty in online pedagogy, flipped design, engagement strategies, and assessment; deliver workshops, documentation, and 1:1 consultations.
Leverage learning analytics, student feedback, and A/B testing to iterate course designs; conduct quality reviews (e.g., Quality Matters-aligned rubrics).
Manage multiple concurrent course builds with project plans, milestones, and stakeholder communications.

Liberal Arts Focus

Preserve seminar rigor through structured discourse (Socratic prompts, dialogic discussion rubrics, collaborative text annotation, ePortfolios).
Implement flipped approaches: assign close readings, mini-lectures, and guided notes with quick quizzes; use live time for facilitated discussion, peer-led seminars, and text explication.
Design writing-intensive and media analysis activities with scaffolded drafts, targeted feedback, and revision cycles.
Integrate inclusive pedagogy, global perspectives, and research methods; scaffold citation practices and academic integrity.

Computer Science Focus

Design project- and lab-based learning (coding exercises, autograded assessments, test-driven projects, code reviews, algorithm walkthroughs).
Implement flipped approaches: pre-work with concise concept videos, worked examples, and autograded warmups; live sessions focus on pair programming, debugging studios, code walkthroughs, and design critiques.
Incorporate sandbox environments, IDE integrations, and version control workflows (e.g., Git/GitHub/GitLab) with clear academic integrity safeguards.
Align to program outcomes and industry skills (algorithms, systems, data, security, software engineering); generate authentic artifacts (repos, demos, technical documentation).

Business Focus

Develop case-based, data-informed learning (mini-cases, simulations, dashboards) tied to functional areas (marketing, finance, operations, strategy, analytics).
Implement flipped approaches: pre-class executive briefs, short concept videos, and data preparation tasks; live sessions center on case debates, negotiations, role-plays, and analytics sprints.
Integrate collaborative consulting-style projects culminating in stakeholder presentations and reflective practice.
Emphasize ethical decision-making, professional communication, and quantitative analysis aligned to business competencies and accreditation expectations.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Instructional Design, Learning Sciences, Educational Technology, Curriculum & Instruction, or a related field.
3+ years of experience designing online or hybrid courses in higher education.
Proficiency with LMS platforms and authoring tools (e.g., Canvas, Blackboard, D2L; Articulate 360/Rise/Storyline, Captivate, Miro, H5P); basic HTML/CSS.
Demonstrated expertise in online pedagogy, flipped-classroom design, assessment design, accessibility (WCAG/ADA/Section 508), and UDL.
Portfolio showcasing representative course designs, microlearning assets, and evidence of learning impact (engagement, outcomes, or evaluation data).

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in Instructional Design, Learning Technologies, or a related field; Quality Matters (QM) certification preferred.
Experience across at least two of the three domains (Liberal Arts, Computer Science, Business).
Familiarity with CS tooling (coding/auto-grading platforms, containerized labs) and business analytics tools (e.g., Excel/Power BI/Tableau; basic SQL).
Experience with learning analytics, AI-enabled learning tools, and media production; comfort with data-informed iteration.

Core Competencies

Pedagogical Partnership: Collaborates respectfully with faculty; translates goals into effective online and flipped experiences.
Liberal Arts Mindset: Values critical inquiry, inclusive dialogue, and interdisciplinary connections.
Technical Fluency: Selects, implements, and supports tools purposefully; ensures reliability, scalability, and data privacy.
Assessment Literacy: Designs authentic, valid, and efficient assessments; uses data to inform continuous improvement.
Project Management: Plans, scopes, and delivers multiple builds on time; communicates risks, dependencies, and mitigations.
Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Course quality scores (e.g., QM-aligned reviews) and accessibility compliance.
Pre-work completion/readiness metrics and in-class engagement indicators; demonstrated learning gains.
Learner success, satisfaction, and completion metrics; equity gaps closed.
Faculty satisfaction, adoption of recommended practices, and repeat collaborations.
On-time delivery against development milestones and scope.

Work Conditions

Full-time role; remote
Flexibility for some evening and early morning availability to support faculty across time zones.

How to Apply:

All Interested & eligible individuals should drop their cover letter and CV in one PDF file to tender@auaf.edu.af with a subject line of (AUAF-CFA-26-001 - Consultant, Instructional Designer) before the deadline.

For Questions, please send an email to procurement@auaf.edu.af and copy mshahid@auaf.edu.af with the above-mentioned subject line.

Disclaimer:

This solicitation in no way obligates AUAF to award a contract, nor does it commit AUAF to pay any costs incurred in preparing and submitting a proposal in response to the call for application. Furthermore, AUAF reserves the right to reject any or all offers if such action is in the best interest of AUAF.

If any company or individual submitting a quotation/proposal/application in response to this RFQ/RFP/Call for application is found to have offered anything of value to any member of AUAF staff, they will be disqualified from participation in this procurement and may be disqualified from any future procurements with AUAF. AUAF staff is instructed not to request or accept anything of value from companies or individuals receiving RFQ’s/RFP’s and or call for applications. If an AUAF representative asks you for any incentive payment or another gift, please report it to the following email address: auafhotline@auaf.edu.af

Jobs

Instructional Designer for Online Higher Education