Protect our Land, Ascend with Us!

Ascension is seeking a highly capable Training Specialist / Instructional Systems Specialist who can design, develop, and deliver structured learning solutions that strengthen workforce capability, support organizational transformation, and enable effective execution of mission-critical programs in a federal environment.

This role is ideal for a professional who understands how to translate complex operational, policy, and technical content into clear, engaging, and measurable learning experiences. The successful candidate will support initiatives involving workforce readiness, organizational change, leadership development, and process improvement, ensuring training products directly align with program goals, stakeholder needs, and performance outcomes.

The position is important because it directly supports the effectiveness of federal workforce development efforts by improving how employees are trained, onboarded, and continuously developed across programs and initiatives.

Summary of the contractor role

The Training Specialist / Instructional Systems Specialist will be responsible for designing, developing, and implementing training curricula, facilitator guides, eLearning content, and performance-based learning tools to support federal program operations and workforce readiness initiatives.

The role requires a detail-oriented, structured, and highly collaborative professional who can operate in ambiguous and fast-moving environments while managing multiple concurrent training development efforts. The ideal candidate is self-directed, highly organized, and skilled in anticipating training needs, diagnosing performance gaps, and building scalable instructional solutions.

The candidate will work closely with program managers, subject matter experts, analysts, and stakeholders to ensure training materials are accurate, accessible, Section 508 compliant, and aligned with organizational priorities.

Key tools and environments may include Microsoft 365 (PowerPoint, Word, Teams, SharePoint), learning management systems (LMS), eLearning authoring tools (Articulate 360 or equivalent), survey tools, and data-driven evaluation methods to measure training effectiveness.

Position Day-to-Day Activities (Expected)

• Designs instructional materials including curricula, facilitator guides, job aids, and participant workbooks
• Develops eLearning modules using instructional design tools and multimedia content standards
• Conducts training needs assessments through stakeholder interviews, surveys, and workflow analysis
• Translates policy, operational guidance, and technical documentation into structured learning content
• Facilitates virtual and in-person training sessions, workshops, and knowledge transfer events
• Collaborates with SMEs and program stakeholders to validate training accuracy and relevance
• Creates learning objectives, assessments, and evaluation frameworks aligned to performance outcomes
• Maintains and updates training content based on policy changes, process updates, and stakeholder feedback
• Develops training evaluation tools and analyzes feedback to measure effectiveness and identify improvements
• Supports onboarding programs, leadership development content, and workforce readiness initiatives
• Ensures all training materials meet Section 508 accessibility standards and branding requirements
• Maintains training repositories within SharePoint or LMS environments and ensures version control