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ASCENSION is seeking a detail-oriented Instructional Design / Training Materials Specialist to transform technical federal grants management content developed by subject matter experts into polished, consistent, learner-friendly training products for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.

This is not intended to be a senior instructional design leadership position. Instead, ASCENSION needs a strong training content production and instructional materials specialist who can take technically complex material and make it clear, logically organized, visually accessible, and ready for virtual delivery.

The successful candidate will support development and preparation of curriculum, presentation slides, instructor materials, participant guides, exercises, handouts, and related training products supporting

This person will work closely with federal grants subject matter experts, instructors, the Project Manager, and other training support personnel. The role is particularly important because the Government requires curriculum to be developed quickly after award, requires consistent delivery across multiple sessions, and expects accurate written reports following the training sessions. Curriculum and dates for all four training areas are due within two weeks of task order award.

The ideal candidate is someone who enjoys making complex information understandable. They should have strong visual judgment, outstanding document-formatting skills, meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to work independently from SME drafts that may be technically accurate but not yet organized for instruction.

Contractor Role Summary

The Instructional Design / Training Materials Specialist will provide instructional production, editorial, document design, and virtual learning support throughout the DOL grant management training engagement.

The role serves as the bridge between technical expertise and the learner experience. Federal grants SMEs will provide the regulatory, financial, grants administration, fraud, and indirect cost expertise. This specialist will convert that knowledge into materials that instructors can teach effectively and ETA participants can understand, reference, and apply.

Primary responsibilities will include organizing SME content around defined learning objectives; creating and formatting presentation decks; producing participant and instructor materials; designing exercises and learning aids; proofreading and editing materials; maintaining visual and instructional consistency; supporting virtual classroom layouts; and preparing final deliverables in the formats required by the Government.

The position also supports the project’s quality control process. The PWS requires the vendor to maintain an effective quality control program and specifically identifies accurate service, deadline compliance, complete delivery of each training requirement, and training-session summary reports as performance measures.

Position Day-to-Day Activities

The Instructional Design / Training Materials Specialist will:

• CONVERT technical SME-developed content into structured, learner-focused instructional materials.
• FORMAT training curricula, instructor presentations, participant guides, facilitator guides, exercises, reference sheets, handouts, and supporting resources.
• DEVELOP clear instructional layouts that reinforce learning objectives and sequence complex material logically.
• TRANSLATE technical and regulatory concepts into concise visual explanations without altering the SME’s substantive meaning.
• COLLABORATE with federal grants SMEs and instructors to organize course content around learning objectives, exercises, scenarios, and participant takeaways.
• PREPARE Microsoft PowerPoint slide decks for virtual instructor-led delivery.
• CREATE participant-facing materials that support the four required federal grants management training topics.
• DESIGN practical exercises, case scenarios, worksheets, checklists, job aids, or similar instructional support materials as directed by the SME and Project Manager.
• SUPPORT virtual classroom design by organizing presentation content, participant activities, transitions, and instructor cues for effective remote delivery.
• EDIT technical content for grammar, readability, consistency, tone, and logical flow while preserving substantive accuracy.
• PROOFREAD curriculum, slides, guides, reports, handouts, and other project deliverables before submission.
• APPLY consistent formatting, typography, heading structures, page layouts, tables, graphics, footers, references, and document conventions across training products.
• VERIFY accessibility-oriented formatting, including readable typography, logical heading structures, descriptive labeling, appropriate contrast, and document navigation practices.
• MAINTAIN document templates and standardized styles across all four courses.
• INCORPORATE comments and revisions from SMEs, instructors, project leadership, and Government stakeholders.
• CONTROL versions of instructional materials so that instructors and project staff are working from approved materials.
• PREPARE final curriculum packages for electronic submission in Microsoft Word as required by the PWS.
• FORMAT written training-session and final summary reports for electronic delivery in PDF.
• REVIEW instructional products for visual consistency and completeness before quality-control review.
• COORDINATE with the Project Manager to meet curriculum, review, training, and reporting milestones.
• SUPPORT rehearsal or mock-session activities to identify presentation, pacing, transition, or material issues before live delivery.
• UPDATE materials following Government-approved changes or lessons learned from earlier sessions.
• ORGANIZE electronic project files and maintain orderly source, draft, reviewed, and final versions of training products.
• SUPPORT rapid-turnaround production requirements when schedule changes, instructor updates, or Government comments require revised materials.