Instructional Designer - Life Sciences

Who We Are WLH Consulting and Learning Solutions partners with leaders in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry to drive sustainable behavior change across commercial excellence, medical excellence, leadership development, and strategic transformation.

Role Summary WLH Consulting and Learning Solutions is seeking a seasoned Instructional Designer with deep pharmaceutical and life sciences industry experience, preferably from an agency or consulting environment. This is a strategic, mid-level role for a learning professional who can synthesize complex business challenges and design structured, performance-based learning solutions that strengthen capabilities, influence behavior, and drive measurable outcomes. The ideal candidate brings fluency in pharmaceutical commercial, medical, and regulatory environments, including an understanding of compliance constraints, legal and regulatory review cycles, and the nuances of brand, field, and executive stakeholders. This role requires strong strategic thinking, structured problem solving, and advanced design execution across live, virtual, and digital formats, transforming complex subject matter into accurate, organized, and compliant learning experiences. This role is remote, with the expectation of travel for client meetings and key engagements as needed.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities You will work across WLH practice areas to design learning materials used by commercial, medical, and executive teams.

Learning Strategy & Needs Translation

• Independently lead client discovery and needs analysis conversations with commercial, medical, and executive stakeholders
• Translate ambiguous business challenges into clearly defined performance gaps and learning objectives
• Convert meeting discussions into structured project plans, timelines, and deliverable roadmaps
• Align learning strategies to measurable business outcomes and behavior change
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to consultants and client leads

Design & Development Excellence

• Design and develop comprehensive learning solutions across formats, including:
• Instructor-led and virtual facilitator guides
• Participant workbooks and applied tools
• Executive-ready PowerPoint presentations
• Playbooks and job aids
• Case studies and scenario-based exercises grounded in pharma realities
• Learning journeys and reinforcement strategies
• Microlearning and digital modules (Articulate Storyline/Rise)
• Change, capability, and launch toolkits

• Create detailed storyboards and design documentation for eLearning development
• Ensure all content is accurate, structured, compliant, and aligned to regulatory guardrails
• Incorporate adult learning principles and behavior-change methodologies into all deliverables
• Elevate visual, narrative, and instructional quality across materials

Pharmaceutical & Regulatory Alignment

• Navigate medical, legal, and regulatory (MLR) review processes with precision and professionalism
• Revise materials as needed, based on stakeholder and legal feedback while maintaining instructional integrity
• Ensure claims, language, and examples are compliant with pharmaceutical standards
• Demonstrate working knowledge of pharmaceutical commercialization, field roles, product launches, and brand strategy

Project & Stakeholder Management

• Manage multiple concurrent projects with clear documentation and version control
• Communicate proactively with internal and external stakeholders regarding timelines and risks
• Collaborate with subject matter experts to extract content efficiently and accurately
• Operate comfortably within agency-style timelines and fast-paced client environments
• Contribute to internal process improvement and learning innovation initiatives

Requirements

Education, Training and Experience

• 5+ years of instructional design experience, with significant experience in pharmaceutical or life sciences environments
• Agency or consulting-side experience supporting pharmaceutical clients strongly preferred
• Demonstrated experience translating business needs into structured learning strategies
• Proven ability to independently lead client calls and facilitate needs analysis discussions
• Experience supporting commercial, medical affairs, or executive-level audiences
• Strong understanding of adult learning theory, performance consulting, and behavior-change principles
• Experience working within regulated environments and MLR review processes
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in Instructional Design, Education, Organizational Development, or related field preferred

Technical Tools & Capabilities

• Advanced proficiency with Articulate 360 (Storyline and Rise)
• Strong PowerPoint design expertise, including executive-ready formatting
• Experience with LMS platforms (SCORM packaging, upload, tagging, versioning)
• Familiarity with multimedia editing tools and digital asset development
• Strong document management and version control discipline

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

Professionalism: Demonstrates a high degree of professionalism by treating clients and colleagues with respect, keeping commitments, building trust, working with integrity, and upholding organizational values.

Strategic Thinking: Able to connect business strategy to learning interventions, anticipate stakeholder needs, and design solutions that drive measurable outcomes.

Structured & Analytical: Organizes complex information logically and builds clear, sequential learning experiences from ambiguous inputs.

Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; able to produce executive-ready materials and facilitate productive working sessions.

Adaptability: Thrives in fast-paced, client-facing environments with evolving priorities and tight timelines.

Collaboration: Partners effectively with consultants, strategists, SMEs, and clients to produce cohesive, high-quality deliverables.

Detail Orientation: Maintains rigorous attention to clarity, compliance, and version control across all materials.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation models (salaried and hourly options)
• Signing bonus for every role
• Remote-first culture with flexible scheduling and no relocation requirement
• Comprehensive medical coverage with 50% of employee premiums covered
• Flexible prescription services and 24/7 virtual care access
• 401(k) with a 3% employer match
• Generous paid time off for salaried team members to rest and recharge, including paid holidays and 2+ religious holidays (as applicable and with pre-approval required)

Employment Eligibility Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship. This online application is not intended for anyone who is currently under a non-compete agreement or has an arrangement that precludes employment at WLH.

Commitment to Equal Opportunity The world’s most talented professionals come from every background. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, race, color, religion, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, veteran or disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. In addition, WLH will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.