Instructional Systems Design Specialist - Air Force Language Training program

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Contingent Upon Contract Award

LEVEL: Mid-Level / Technical Specialist

LOCATION: Hybrid preferred, but exceptional candidates who are fully remote will be considered.

TYPE: Full Time Regular Employment, with Benefits

DEADLINE: Rolling

McColm & Company (McColm) is a mission-driven and customer-focused consulting firm that equips change makers with the knowledge, skills, and insights they need to succeed in an increasingly complex world. McColm specializes in supporting U.S. federal customers with national security and foreign affairs focused portfolios by managing bespoke professional training programs, delivering effective training support solutions, and providing highly specialized technical assistance and analysis expertise to decision makers.

McColm seeks an Instructional Systems Design (ISD) Specialist to support a foreign language instruction program for the Air Force. The ISD Specialist serves as the McColm's instructional design authority, ensuring that all instructor-developed classroom materials, slides, activities, and supplemental resources align with the client-provided curricula and meet the required standards. This position plays a critical role in instructor training, certification, and ongoing professional development, ensuring instructional quality across all four language modalities (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and proficiency levels from ILR 0 through 3+. The position description below details the duties and qualifications of the anticipated position, contingent upon contract award.

• Ensure that all instructor-developed materials, including classroom slides, activities, and supplemental resources, align with client-provided syllabi and lesson plan objectives, sample behaviors, and required content.
• Apply the ADDIE Instructional System Design model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) to guide curriculum design and instructional content development across all course types: Traditional, Advanced, Pre-Assignment Acculturation (PAC), Special Project, and OnDemand.
• Train and certify instructors in the administration of client-provided curricula, including lesson plan delivery, homework assignment and grading, Scholar assessment using the 20-point ILR-aligned rubric, and integration of the Twelve Domains of Culture.
• Provide ongoing professional development for instructors in the areas of language proficiency, instructional methodology, educational technology, assessment design, and effective language learning strategies.
• Ensure instructors incorporate current geopolitical events and mission-relevant content, including technical vocabulary, near-peer adversary context, diplomacy and coalition building skills, and agile combat employment concepts, particularly at ILR Level 2 and above.
• Develop and maintain training and certification standards that prepare instructors to connect linguistic and cultural skills to operational contexts in support of the Air Force mission.
• Review and quality-assure instructional performance, including classroom delivery, feedback to students, homework evaluation, and assessment scoring.
• Collaborate with the Program Lead and training support team to respond to client-flagged student concerns from End-of-Course feedback within five business days, including proposed resolutions and supporting documentation.
• Support quality control by reviewing session recordings and instructor performance data as needed.

Requirements

• Must have at least a minimum of five (5) years' experience in the teaching of foreign languages.
• Must have certification in ISD, or demonstrated equivalent experience.
• Extensive knowledge of instructional design practices, principles, techniques, and curriculum development, including the ADDIE model.
• Extensive knowledge of foreign language teaching techniques and instructional systems, including proficiency-based instruction aligned to the ILR scale.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skill in multimedia design and delivery methods, including embedded video instruction.
• Extensive expertise in instructor facilitation and faculty development.
• Extensive knowledge of standardized, web-based, interactive course delivery systems.
• General knowledge of and competency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Adobe Acrobat Professional.
• Prior Air Force or military experience a plus.
• Ability to legally work in the United States.

Benefits

McColm offers a competitive compensation and benefits package to all of our staff. Compensation is offered according to job requirements, market dynamics, and experience/skills of the successful candidate. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, and life insurances, generous Paid Time Off, 11 paid federal holidays, and annual performance-based bonuses.

We are an equal opportunity employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, gender identity or expression, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Due to the high volume of applications McColm receives and to ensure we comply with our internal hiring policies, we regret we are not able to respond to individual phone calls or emails regarding application status.