Hire the Best Instructional Designers

Clients rate our Instructional Designers
Rating is 4.8 out of 5.
4.8/5
Based on 2,177 client reviews
Isaac P.

New Port Richey, Florida

$100/hr
4.9
29 jobs

I am a learning professional with 20 years of experience in writing, developing, and delivering training across many different delivery methods. As any good instructor should, I started in the classroom. Combining that face-to-face training experience with a wide range of creative skills, I quickly transitioned to instructional design and have never looked back. I am passionate about excellence in learning, learner information retention, and making learning experiences interactive and fun. I continue to create training across many industries, and in every format, from Instructor Led Training to Virtual Reality. I have managed teams of IDs, graphic designers, and developers, and shaped learning products and companies from the ground up.

  • Instructional Design
  • Elearning
  • Educational
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Instructional Infographic
  • Articulate Storyline
  • Adobe Captivate
  • Multimedia Instruction
  • Learning Management System
  • Training & Development
  • Curriculum Development
  • Elearning Design
  • Virtual Reality
Matthew T.

Troutman, North Carolina

$100/hr
5.0
157 jobs

Need an LMS or eLearning project done right? I'm an Expert-Vetted (top 1% on Upwork) learning designer and LMS strategist with 20+ years of experience delivering training solutions that actually solve business problems, not just check boxes. I have: - Shipped hundreds of learning programs that reached hundreds of thousands of learners across K-12, higher-ed, and large enterprises. - Solved real business problems from compliance gaps to sales enablement by translating KPIs into clear learning and performance objectives. - Reduced course time-to-launch by using agile instructional design methods, AI solutions, and template-driven development. - Implemented & managed TalentLMS, Absorb, Docebo, Learnworlds, and and many more learning management systems. Some of my skills include: - analysis of business goals to identify learning objectives - instructional design methods - subject matter expert interviewing and collaboration - eLearning development with a variety of tools - assessment writing - selecting and deploying LMS systems - communication standards (xAPI, SCORM, AICC). I specialize in selecting, implementing, and managing Learning Management Systems. Some of the platforms I've worked with before include: - Docebo - Absorb - Learnworlds - Talent LMS - Cornerstone - SuccessFactors - Moodle - Canvas I also design and create engaging, memorable online courses. My preferred development tool is Articulate 360 (Storyline and Rise), but I do work with other applications (like Adobe Captivate, Vyond, and PowToon).

  • Instructional Design
  • Elearning
  • Learning Management System
  • Articulate Storyline
  • Articulate Rise
  • Curriculum Design
  • Elearning LMS Consulting
  • Storyboarding
  • Educational Technology
  • Articulate
  • TalentLMS
  • Absorb LMS
  • Elearning Design
  • Elearning Multimedia
  • Docebo
Elizabeth G.

Phoenix, Arizona

$44/hr
5.0
3 jobs

I design instructional content, curriculum, and training experiences that turn complex information into clear, engaging, learner-centered materials. I also help clients thoughtfully integrate AI into learning projects -- from refining prompts and developing AI-supported activities to creating more efficient content-development workflows. I support projects from initial planning through final delivery -- organizing content into logical learning sequences, developing objectives and activities, translating subject-matter expertise into accessible instruction, and creating polished materials that support learning. I’m comfortable managing timelines, deliverables, client feedback, and multiple project components while keeping the learner, project goals, and final outcome at the center. My work includes: - Curriculum and online course development - Instructional design and learning activities - AI-supported learning and content development - Prompt development, testing, and refinement - Project planning and deliverable coordination - Training decks and facilitator materials - Video-based learning, scripts, and AI voiceovers - Learner guides, job aids, and assessments - Most used tools: Google Slides, Docs, Sheets, Vids, Gemini, Gemini Notebook and ChatGPT With more than a decade of experience as a classroom teacher and district-level instructional leader, I bring a practical, learner-centered approach to every project, along with experience developing and delivering professional training, webinars, client-facing materials, and sales presentations.

  • Instructional Design
  • Elearning
  • Education Presentation
  • Curriculum Development
  • Training Presentation
  • Presentation Design
  • Course Creation
  • Training Materials
  • Professional Development
  • Project Management
  • Management Skills
  • Google Sheets
  • Google Slides
  • PowerPoint Presentation
  • PPTX
  • Prompt Engineering
  • Google Docs
  • Google Forms
  • AI Audio Generation
Naveen N.

Thiruvananthapuram, India

$20/hr
4.9
289 jobs

Instructional designer and e-Learning developer with over 17 years of experience creating amazing online courses. I combine content research, instructional design, and graphic design skills to create engaging and effective online courses. My skills and experience include: * Curriculum Development * Instructional Design for Online and In-Person Learning * Developing materials for Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) and Instructor-Led Training (ILT) environments * Research and Course content development * Crafting participant guides, facilitator guides, and assessments to support structured learning and retention. eLearning Authoring: Articulate Storyline Articulate Rise Vyond JavaScript for custom interactions LMS and course marketing: Thinkific, Kajabi Learndash, Learnpress and all other LMS platforms Course setup anddigital marketing support. I am an expert in developing WCAG accessibility compliant eLearning courses. Here is what I offer: On-time delivery: Timely completion of projects as agreed. World-class instructional and graphical design: Engaging, effective content with captivating visuals. Excellent communication: Open, prompt, and clear interactions. Adaptability and flexibility: Willingness to accommodate changes. Expertise in eLearning technology: Proficient with eLearning tools. Accessibility and inclusivity: Content accessible to all learners. Quality assurance: Thorough testing for error-free materials. Post-development support: Continued assistance after completion. I love collaborating with my clients to create courses that are both memorable and engaging. Let's make learning a blast! Key strengths: Instructional design, Storyboard development, animations, graphic design, Thinkific and ability to explore various options and identify the most effective learning model depending on the learners requirements

  • Instructional Design
  • HTML5
  • Adobe eLearning Suite
  • Adobe Flash
  • Articulate Storyline
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Captivate
  • Storyboarding
  • Elearning LMS Consulting
Dhifa R.

Malang, Indonesia

$5/hr
5.0
5 jobs

Has a Master's and Bachelor's degree in educational technology, with a focus on facilitating learning and improving student performance. Has experience in coaching, developing training materials and evaluating training programs, especially in basketball. Skilled in communication, learning design, and developing learning/training materials. Have career aspirations as a learning & training specialist or curriculum developer in the education, sport, tourism or retail industries.

  • Instructional Design
  • Education
  • Training & Development
  • Statistics
  • Leadership Coaching
  • Communications
  • Writing
  • Project Plans
Mahendra S.

Pune, India

$40/hr
4.6
14 jobs

I am a Learning Strategist and Instructional Designer with 10+ years of experience designing, migrating, and optimizing high-impact digital and blended learning solutions for global organizations across the US, UK, India, and Europe. With a Ph.D. in eLearning Systems, I specialize in learning strategy, performance-focused curricula, AI-enhanced content development, and scalable training architectures for corporate, EdTech, and enterprise environments. I have led L&D strategy, end-to-end instructional design, and LMS-driven learning ecosystems supporting 350,000+ learners, working across diverse platforms and enterprise toolsets. My work combines evidence-based learning science, modern instructional design, and AI-powered content workflows to deliver training that is instructionally sound, accessible, audit-ready, and aligned with measurable business and compliance outcomes. In addition to building new learning programs, I frequently support course migration and platform transitions, helping organizations move training content between LMSs and enterprise environments while preserving instructional intent, assessment integrity, learner experience, and reporting requirements. Learning Strategy & Consulting: 1. Lead discovery sessions to clarify business goals, learner personas, performance gaps, and compliance considerations 2. Design learning pathways, program architectures, and scalable training frameworks 3. Translate business, operational, and regulatory requirements into structured learning solutions 4. Advise on blended learning, microlearning, competency frameworks, and ROI-driven learning models 5. Support learning program redesigns to fit platform constraints, enterprise tools, and accessibility needs 6. Integrate AI tools to accelerate content creation, scenario design, and adaptive learning experiences Instructional Design & Interactive Learning Content Development: 1. Storyboards • eLearning • Microlearning • ILT/VILT kits • Assessments 2. Designs grounded in ADDIE, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Kirkpatrick, Merrill’s Principles, and Mastery Learning 3. Build polished digital learning modules using Storyline 360, Rise 360, and Adobe Captivate 4. Develop branching scenarios, simulations, and assessment logic to validate learner competency 5. Create scripts, interaction flows, and measurable learning outcomes 6. Apply visual, interaction, and accessibility best practices to support diverse and non-native learners Compliance-Aligned & Regulated Training Support 1. Design training programs with clear objectives, assessments, and evidence tracking suitable for audit and accreditation environments 2. Align learning outcomes and evaluation strategies with external compliance and policy-driven requirements 3. Support documentation, version control, and learner progress reporting for regulated organizations 4. Ensure clarity, consistency, and accessibility across training materials for global audiences AI, LMS & Learning Technology 1. Develop AI-supported training content using ChatGPT, Claude, and other generative tools 2. Manage and scale LMS environments across multiple platforms, supporting global learner populations 3. Support LMS migrations and course restructuring initiatives to new or non-LMS enterprise platforms 4. Configure learning workflows using enterprise tools such as SharePoint-based delivery, forms, and content repositories 5. Customize LMS experiences, automate workflows, and integrate analytics dashboards 6. Build lightweight web-based learning components using HTML/CSS when required Collaboration & Project Leadership: 1. Work closely with SMEs, compliance teams, designers, multimedia developers, and engineers 2. Lead cross-functional development teams and manage timelines, deliverables, and quality standards 3. Maintain strong client-facing communication across global time zones 4. Deliver end-to-end learning products from concept, migration, and redesign through deployment Cybersecurity & Security Awareness Training: Designed enterprise cybersecurity awareness and certification-aligned training focused on endpoint security, vulnerability management, and human risk reduction. Created beginner-friendly content on phishing, credential misuse, malware awareness, and secure user decision-making. Translated technical threats into plain-language guidance and built scenario-based exercises and decision drills to drive behavior change, in collaboration with security SMEs. Tools & Platforms: Storyline 360, Rise 360, Adobe Captivate, Thinkific, Moodle, Microsoft enterprise tools (SharePoint-based learning workflows), Canva, Illustrator, Photoshop, Camtasia, ScreenFlow, HTML/CSS, Asana, Trello, AI-powered content tools I bring a combination of strategic consulting, hands-on instructional design, enterprise learning technology expertise, and AI-driven innovation—helping organizations build scalable, compliant, and engaging learning experiences that support performance, accountability, and growth.

  • Instructional Design
  • Organizational Development
  • Adobe Captivate
  • Articulate Storyline
  • Articulate Rise
  • Camtasia
  • Teachable
  • Storyboarding
  • Elearning LMS Consulting
  • Content Development
  • Technical Writing
  • Shareable Content Object Reference Model
  • Learning Management System
  • Adobe eLearning Suite

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Resources to help you hire

Cost to hire a Instructional Designer

Cost to hire a Instructional Designer

Explore typical Instructional Designer rates and what businesses pay to hire top talent.

Instructional Designer job description template

Instructional Designer job description template

Get tips to write a job post that attracts qualified Instructional Designers.

Instructional Designer interview questions

Instructional Designer interview questions

Top interview questions to help you hire the right Instructional Designers, faster.

How to Hire Instructional Designers

What is an instructional designer?

An instructional designer is a professional who uses various tools to communicate with an audience in a way that ensures everyone takes something relevant from the information presented. An instructional designer might use content development, web design, and graphic design to shape information for easier understanding and better retention.

How do you hire an instructional designer?

You can source instructional designers on Upwork by following these three steps:

  1. Write a project description. You’ll want to determine your scope of work and the skills and requirements you are looking for in an instructional designer.
  2. Post it on Upwork. Once you’ve written a project description, post it to Upwork. Simply follow the prompts to help you input the information you collected to scope out your project.
  3. Shortlist and interview instructional designers. Once the proposals start coming in, create a shortlist of the professionals you want to interview. 

Of these three steps, your project description is where you will determine your scope of work and the specific type of instructional designer you need to complete your project. 

How much does it cost to hire an instructional designer?

Rates can vary due to many factors, including expertise and experience, location, and market conditions. Learn about the cost to hire an instructional designer.

How do you write an instructional designer job post?

Your job post is your chance to describe your project scope, budget, and talent needs. Although you don’t need a full job description as you would when hiring an employee, aim to provide enough detail for a contractor to know if they’re the right fit for the project.

Job post title

Create a simple title that describes exactly what you’re looking for. The idea is to target the keywords that your ideal candidate is likely to type into a job search bar to find your project. Here are some sample instructional designer job post titles:

  • Need an instructional designer to develop an elearning course
  • Learning expert to configure digital educational materials for publishing company
  • Training specialist with instructional design experience needed

Project description

An effective instructional designer job post should include: 

  • Scope of work: From graphic design ability to elearning course development, list all the deliverables you’ll need. 
  • Project length: Your job post should indicate whether this is a smaller or larger project. 
  • Background: If you prefer experience with certain industries, software, or audiences, mention this here. 
  • Budget: Set a budget and note your preference for hourly rates vs. fixed-price contracts.

Instructional designer job responsibilities

Here are some examples of instructional designer job responsibilities:

  • Develop engaging course content that improves information retention
  • Visualize and build user interface for instructional guide
  • Design and implement criteria to determine audience retention levels

Instructional designer job requirements and qualifications

Be sure to include any requirements and qualifications you’re looking for in an instructional designer. Here are some examples:

  • At least 1 year in instructional design environment
  • HTML programming ability
  • Ability to write compelling content and scripts for instructional videos