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Instructional Systems Design (ISD) Specialist

Carney

Quantico, VAFull-timeSeen 1w agoSeen in employer's feed 5 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
No compensation found
Location
Quantico, VA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Professional Certificate Or Bachelor's DegreeTS/SCI clearance

Job overview

Carney seeks an Instructional Systems Design Specialist to develop classroom, eLearning, and blended-learning materials for the JCITA curriculum at Quantico. The role is performed on-site in a secure SCIF and applies instructional design models and adult learning theory to training in Counterintelligence and Security Operations. Candidates must meet one of two education-and-experience paths and hold an active TS/SCI clearance; several domain and technology qualifications are preferred.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Instructional DesignAdult Learning TheoryEducational EvaluationWritten CommunicationVerbal CommunicationDoD Counterintelligence CurriculumHUMINT CurriculumSpecial Operations CurriculumCOE AccreditationSCORMDoD Learning Management Systems

Qualifications

Active TS/SCI ClearanceBachelor's in Listed Field or EquivalentProfessional Certificate or Bachelor's Degree5+ Years DoD Course Development or 7+ Years With CertificateInstructional Design Portfolio

Full job description

Instructional Systems Design (ISD) Specialist

Quantico, VA

Full Time

Experienced

Position Title:Instructional Systems Design (ISD) Specialist

Location:Quantico, VA (Russell Knox Building)

Work Modality:100% On-Site (SCIF Environment)

Security Clearance:Active Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI)

About Team Carney

Carney is an industry leader in human performance, adult learning, and knowledge architecture across the federal defense sector. We empower national defense professionals by designing scenario-driven, rigorous instructional programs that reflect real-world operational challenges.

Position Overview

Carney is looking for a talentedInstructional Systems Design (ISD) Specialistto develop cutting-edge classroom, eLearning, and blended learning course materials for the JCITA curriculum at Quantico, VA. Operating inside a secure SCIF environment, the ISD Specialist applies recognized instructional systems design models (e.g., ADDIE) and adult learning theory to analyze, design, and evaluate training that addresses field-driven performance gaps in Counterintelligence (CI) and Security Operations (SECOPs).

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

  • Design and develop instructor-led training (ILT), virtual classroom materials, interactive practical exercises, scenario props, narrative scripts, storyboards, and comprehensive instructor guides (CDRL A009, A010).

  • Collaborate closely with military and civilian Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), course chairpersons, and government stakeholders to translate highly complex, classified DoD intelligence topics into effective learning interventions.

  • Conduct formal needs assessments, job-task analyses, and performance gap analyses to shape terminal and enabling learning objectives.

  • Ensure all instructional designs and courseware strictly conform to Council on Occupational Education (COE) accreditation standards and JCITA instructional policies and procedures.

  • Provide rigorous quality assurance and peer review across design plans, courseware packages, assessments, and presentation materials.

  • Partner with multimedia programmers and e-Learning developers to conceptualize engaging visual aids, digital media elements, and distributed learning modules.

  • Maintain scheduled milestones to ensure course materials are finalized and submitted NLT one (1) day following completion of new course development or updates (CDRL A008/A009).

Required Minimum Qualifications (Hard Contractual Baselines)

  • Security Clearance:Must hold an active, verifiedTop Secret / SCI (TS/SCI)clearance at the time of proposal and award.

  • Education & Experience (Must meet Path A or Path B):

  • Path A:Bachelor’s degree in Curriculum Development, Instructional Design, Human Resource Development, Education, or a directly equivalent degreeANDat least five (5) years of experience developing course materials for complex DoD subject matter;OR

  • Path B:Professional certificate in Instructional DesignANDat least seven (7) years of experience developing course materials for complex DoD subject matter.

  • Domain Mastery:Expert knowledge of adult learning theory, educational evaluation principles, and standard instructional design frameworks.

  • Communication Skills:Demonstrated superior written and verbal communication skills with a proven portfolio of instructional design plans, storyboards, and student guides.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Prior experience designing curriculum for DoD Counterintelligence, HUMINT, or Special Operations communities.

  • Demonstrated familiarity with COE accreditation self-studies and compliance documentation.

  • Experience integrating SCORM-compliant distributed learning courseware into enterprise DoD Learning Management Systems.

How this job compares

Set against the 633 open Instructional Designer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 6, 2026.

Pay
  • This postingNot listed
  • Virginia median$82–142K/yr31 salary ranges
  • US median$31–55/hr38 hourly ranges
Openings
Olive Jobs lists 37 open Instructional Designer jobs in Virginia and 633 across the US. 7% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Virginia
Experience
This posting asks for at least 5 years of experience; Instructional Designer postings that state a minimum ask for 4 years at the median (505 postings).
Education
216 of the 633 open Instructional Designer jobs (34%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 6, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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