Learning Experience Specialist

Does the thought of preparing kids to solve the world’s greatest problems excite and empower you? Do you want to be with an organization where your knowledge and skills will help increase school engagement and student success, and extend our global reach? Do you want to be on a team that crafts opportunities and provides life changing experiences for students?

These opportunities are as strong and dynamic as ever, as FIRST^® creates the people who will change the world – today and tomorrow!

What We Offer
We promise a fast-paced, exciting, and rewarding environment where you will be part of a team that cares about each other and thrives on each other’s successes. You’ll feel good about the future of the world after doing hard work with the talented people at FIRST^® and will have a front row seat to our life changing programs.

Our extensive benefits package is highly competitive and includes:

• Healthcare Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life & AD&D Insurance 
• Supplemental life insurance
• Voluntary accident and legal plans
• Income Protection Insurances (STD & LTD)
• Flexible Work Schedule
• Hybrid Work Model
• 160 PTO hours for FT employees 
• 14 paid holidays per calendar year (one is a floating holiday)
  • Paid July 4th Week Holiday Closure 
• 40 hours paid sick leave per calendar year
• One paid volunteer day per anniversary year
• Maternity and Parental Leave
• 401K Retirement Savings Plan (with employer match)
• Medical and dependent pre-tax flex plans
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The salary range for this position is $74,700 - $84,556. New hires typically start within this range based on their qualifications, experience, and considerations of internal equity.

Who You Are
You’re a creative and detail-oriented professional passionate about crafting innovative learning experiences. Leveraging best practices in instructional design, you excel at creating interactive digital and printable materials that seamlessly blend digital and physical elements to achieve impactful educational outcomes. Your expertise in product development, combined with your ability to collaborate with diverse internal teams and external stakeholders, drives the success of initiatives like the XRP Bridge to FIRST. Together, your contributions will inspire growth within the FIRST community and empower the next generation of STEM leaders.

This role has the ability to be a remote working arrangement for the right candidate.

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

What You Will Do
You will collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams and contractors to create and develop learning content for both adult and youth learners. Leveraging FIRST programs and experiences, your work will play a pivotal role in driving program growth and success. Additionally, you will: 

• Design and develop engaging, high-quality interactive digital learning content using instructional design software, incorporating best practices in online instruction and adult learning principles.
• Create printable learning content with Microsoft/Adobe products that achieve learning objectives while combining digital and physical experiences.
• Create programs of study, scope and sequences, and complete content mapping and standards alignments for FIRST learning content.
• Edit, review, and refine learning content to ensure alignment with FIRST learning principles, branding standards, and quality protocols.
• Provide constructive feedback to maintain quality and consistency across all learning materials.
• Lead and manage projects and provide analytics on work that supports education and workforce development initiatives and strategic priorities.
• Support the Bridge to FIRST initiative with XRP product development and design.
• Collaborate with external stakeholders, including higher education institutions, to explore opportunities to further build the FIRST and STEM community.
• Provide support to colleagues and Program Delivery Partners (PDPs) to ensure they are equipped to support XRP and Bridge to FIRST.

What We Expect
We are seeking candidates with the following knowledge, skills, and experience:

• Typically requires a bachelor’s degree in Instructional Design, Learning Experience/Technology or related field with at least 5 years of instructional design and development experience, or a master’s degree and 3 years of directly related experience.
• Knowledge of universal design and design thinking principles.
• Product design and development experience, particularly in STEM or robotics.
• Proven history of detail-oriented, content development with strong technical writing, editing, and design skills.
• Proficiency in using and authoring virtual interactive learning experiences in instructional design software (e.g. Articulate) and Microsoft/Adobe products for content creation.
• Advanced technical, programming, and engineering aptitude and knowledge of FIRST Tech Challenge and/or FIRST Robotics Competition programs (preferred).
• Effective project management skills.
• Excellent collaboration skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Flexibility to travel 10 - 15% depending on the time of the year.

Commitment to FIRST® Core Values

Discovery: We explore new skills and ideas.
Innovation: We use creativity and persistence to solve problems.
Impact:  We apply what we learn to improve our world.
Inclusion: We respect each other and embrace our differences.
Teamwork: We are stronger when we work together.
Fun: We enjoy and celebrate what we do!

Thriving on our core values, celebrating the uniqueness of our employees and committed to inclusion. Proud to be an equal opportunity employer.