Senior Learning Systems Engineer- Salt Lake City, Utah

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Grade: Professional 309Pay Range: $82,700.00 - $124,000.00Job DescriptionResponsible for designing, building, and scaling AI-powered learning systems that enable high-quality, scalable learning experiences across WGU Academy. This role operates at the intersection of applied AI, learning systems, front-end engineering, and automation to translate learning intent into functional, reusable, and intelligent systems.This role will play a key part in shaping how AI transforms learning at WGU Academy—enabling scalable, personalized education experiences that help students progress efficiently and successfully complete their courses.Combines hands-on development with strategic thinking to define AI-driven workflows, reusable components, and platform-level solutions that improve speed, quality, and scalability across the learning ecosystem.What You'll Do:Leads the design and development of AI-powered learning systems and workflows for course creation, transformation, and evaluationBuilds and integrates AI-driven workflows using large language models and modern AI platformsDesigns and implements Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems to ground AI outputs in trusted course content and knowledge sourcesLeverages orchestration frameworks (e.g., Model Context Protocol or similar) to connect tools, context, and workflowsUses AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Kiro, GitHub Copilot) to rapidly prototype and iterate on solutionsArchitects reusable AI components, templates, and workflows that scale across products and teamsPartners with Learning Product Owners and Multimedia Developers to translate instructional designs into intelligent, user-centered experiencesLeads efforts to standardize patterns, reduce redundancy, and increase efficiency across the portfolioContinuously identifies opportunities to improve speed, quality, and cost of production through AI and automationEvaluates emerging AI tools and technologies, recommending adoption based on impact, scalability, and costEnsures solutions are maintainable, extensible, and aligned with long-term platform strategyLeads testing, debugging, and optimization to ensure reliable and consistent user experiencesIdentifies and mitigates risks that may impact quality or delivery timelinesMentors team members and promotes best practices in applied AI and learning systems developmentKnowledge, Skills, and Abilities You'll Need to Be Successful:Strong hands-on experience building applications with large language models (LLMs)Deep understanding of prompt engineering, evaluation techniques, and AI workflowsExperience designing and implementing Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systemsFamiliarity with orchestration approaches such as Model Context Protocol (MCP) or similar frameworksStrong proficiency in front-end development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)Experience building reusable component systems and scalable front-end architecturesExperience working with APIs, integrations, and third-party toolsStrong debugging, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skillsUnderstanding of learning science and how instructional intent translates into interaction designAbility to balance technical constraints with user experience and learning effectivenessStrong collaboration and communication skills across technical and non-technical teamsAbility to operate in ambiguous, fast-evolving environmentsSystems thinking with the ability to design for scale, reuse, and long-term sustainabilityWhat You'll Bring (Minimum Qualifications):Portfolio Requirement: A portfolio or samples of relevant work must be submitted at the time of application to be considered for this position.Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Instructional Technology, or related field, or equivalent experience5 years of experience in software engineering, applied AI, or learning systems developmentExperience in EdTech, LMS platforms, or learning systemsHands-on experience building and deploying AI/LLM-based applicationsExperience designing scalable systems or workflowsExperience working on cross-functional teams delivering complex digital productsBonus Point for (Preferred Qualifications):Experience implementing Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems in productionExperience with AI orchestration frameworks or agent-based systemsFamiliarity with LLM providers such as Anthropic, OpenAI, or GoogleExperience with AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Kiro, GitHub Copilot)Experience defining standards, playbooks, or technical strategyExperience mentoring or leading technical initiativesVisa Sponsorship:While we welcome applicants from all backgrounds, WGU is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this role.TravelThis position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements.#LI-BS1Position & Application DetailsFull-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.Additional InformationDisclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at View email address on click.appcast.io Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.SummaryLocation: Salt Lake City, UTType: Full time