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Instructional Designer Contract 1099 Jobs (NOW HIRING)

INFUSE

Instructional Designer (Contract, Remote)

$66K - $90K/yr

We are seeking a creative and strategic Instructional Designer to craft impactful learning experiences that combine the best of digital and human interaction. In this role, you will partner with ...

Procom Consultants Group

Instructional Designer

Hillsboro, OR · On-site

$70K - $95K/yr

... Contract Staffing (Staff Augmentation) Permanent Placement (Staff Augmentation) ICAP (Contractor Payroll) Flextrack (Vendor Management System) Instructional Designer On behalf of our client, Procom ...

iDesign

Instructional Designer

Dallas, TX

$64K - $87K/yr

Successful instructional designers in this contract role think beyond content and activities alone ... This is an independent contractor engagement (1099). The opening is for future project needs. Must ...

iDesign

Instructional Designer

Dallas, TX · Remote

$66K - $90K/yr

Successful instructional designers in this contract role think beyond content and activities alone ... This is an independent contractor engagement (1099). The opening is for future project needs. Must ...

Jobless

Instructional Designer

Dallas, TX · On-site

$80 - $100/hr

Successful instructional designers in this contract role think beyond content and activities alone ... This is an independent contractor engagement (1099). The opening is for future project needs. Must ...

Jobless

$80 - $100/hr

Successful instructional designers in this contract role think beyond content and activities alone ... This is an independent contractor engagement (1099). The opening is for future project needs. Must ...

iDesign

Instructional Designer

Dallas, TX · On-site

$80 - $100/hr

Successful instructional designers in this contract role think beyond content and activities alone ... This is an independent contractor engagement (1099). The opening is for future project needs. Must ...

iDesign

Instructional Designer

Dallas, TX · On-site

$64K - $87K/yr

Successful instructional designers in this contract role think beyond content and activities alone ... This is an independent contractor engagement (1099). The opening is for future project needs. Must ...

Mondo

Instructional Designer

Boston, MA · Remote

$45 - $55/hr

The start date is flexible (targeting 7/20) for this 2 month contract position. Job Title: Instructional Designer / UX/UI Designer Location-Type: Remote Start Date Is: Flexible Duration: 2 Month ...

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Instructional Designer Contract 1099 information

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$44K

$79.7K

$124K

How much do instructional designer contract 1099 jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for instructional designer contract 1099 in the United States is $79,711.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $65,000.00 and $88,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an instructional designer contract 1099?

An Instructional Designer Contract 1099 is a professional who creates educational materials, courses, and training programs for organizations as an independent contractor rather than a full-time employee. The '1099' refers to the IRS tax form used in the United States for reporting income earned by self-employed individuals. These professionals are typically responsible for designing curricula, developing e-learning modules, and ensuring that instructional content meets learning objectives. Because they work on a contract basis, they have flexibility in their work schedule but are responsible for paying their own taxes and benefits.

How does working as a 1099 contract instructional designer differ from being a full-time employee in terms of project management and collaboration?

As a 1099 contract Instructional Designer, you often manage multiple projects for different clients simultaneously, which requires strong organizational and time-management skills. Collaboration typically occurs remotely, using digital communication tools to coordinate with subject matter experts, project managers, and other stakeholders. Unlike full-time employees, contract designers are responsible for setting their own schedules, handling client expectations, and sometimes providing their own tools or software. This independence can offer greater flexibility but also means you're responsible for managing contracts, invoicing, and your own professional development.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an instructional designer contract 1099, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Instructional Designer on a 1099 contract basis, you need expertise in curriculum development, learning theory, and instructional design models, often supported by a degree in instructional design or education. Familiarity with authoring tools such as Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate, and learning management systems (LMS) is typically required, along with knowledge of SCORM or xAPI standards. Strong project management, communication, and client collaboration skills set top contractors apart. These competencies ensure you can deliver engaging, effective learning solutions that meet diverse client needs and project requirements.

What is the difference between Instructional Designer Contract 1099 vs Instructional Designer Full-Time Employee?

AspectInstructional Designer Contract 1099Instructional Designer Full-Time Employee
Tax StatusIndependent contractor, responsible for taxesEmployee, taxes withheld by employer
Work ArrangementProject-based, flexible hoursFull-time, standard hours
BenefitsNo benefits includedIncludes benefits like health insurance and paid leave
CredentialsTypically requires relevant certifications and experienceSame as contractor, often with additional onboarding

In summary, Instructional Designer Contract 1099 roles offer flexibility and independence but lack benefits, while full-time positions provide stability and benefits. The choice depends on your preferred work style and career goals.

More about Instructional Designer Contract 1099 jobs

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Cities with the most Instructional Designer Contract 1099 job openings:

What states have the most Instructional Designer Contract 1099 jobs?

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Instructional Designer Contract 1099 jobs near you
Infographic showing various Instructional Designer Contract 1099 job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 35% Full Time, 63% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 55% Physical, and 45% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $79,711 per year, or $38.3 per hour.

REMOTE Instructional Designer (Contract)

CapeTalent

Indian Harbour Beach, FL • Remote

$55 - $65/hr

Contractor

Posted yesterday

New

Job description

REMOTE Instructional Designer (Contract)

CapeTalent isn't your average staffing agency. We connect AI-forward Learning & Development professionals with Fortune 100 companies who are shaping the future.

CONTRACT DETAILS

1099 or C2C (No W2)

  • 6-month contract (strong likelihood of extension)
  • 100% Remote (U.S. or Canadian candidates only)
  • Start date: September 2026
  • 40 hours per week @ $50–$60/hour (C2C or 1099), based on experience
  • Standard U.S. business hours (EST/CST/MST/PST)
  • Heavy Slack collaboration + Laptop provided
  • Portfolio REQUIRED
 

THE ROLE

This is an Individual Contributor (IC) role. We're looking for a Instructional Designer who designs and builds in equal measure, and who does their best work when the pace is quick and the problems are loosely defined. You'll own complete learning journeys end to end — not one-off courses — translating dense FinTech and SaaS product workflows into experiences that feel simple, hold attention, and scale across a global audience.

The work covers both net-new builds and reimagined legacy content, and leans on the modern toolkit: branching scenarios, simulations, persona-led microlearning, gamified interactions, and reusable design systems. Day to day, you'll work alongside fellow designers, developers, program managers, SMEs, and product and technical partners, and you'll be the one bringing order and creative momentum when the brief is still taking shape.

How we build matters here. Production runs on a structured, AI-assisted workflow with Claude embedded at the points where it saves the most time — shaping outlines and design packages, drafting content, and populating build files. We work in Claude Projects and Claude Cowork, with approved prompts, shared context, and version history living alongside the build so nothing gets lost between sessions. The intent isn't to replace your craft; it's to clear the repetitive work so your energy goes to design decisions, learning science, and iteration. Every AI output is a first draft, not a deliverable — you drive the judgment, the review, and the polish.

What You'll Do

  • Build full learning journeys tied to real workflows and the performance outcomes they're meant to move.
  • Produce storyboards and learning flows clear enough that development can run smoothly and at scale.
  • Take tired legacy material and rebuild it into something visual, current, and genuinely learner-first.
  • Grow the shared toolkit — design systems, frameworks, prompt libraries, and reusable models others can build on.
  • Craft interactive facilitator-led and live virtual sessions, complete with participant materials and facilitation guides.
  • Build persona-driven microlearning, simulations, and game mechanics that lift engagement and retention.
  • Use Articulate Storyline as the home base for builds — with AI feedback and interactions living inside the course itself — and design in Rise where clean, rapid development matters.
  • Weave in video, animation, and other media so the finished experience feels cohesive and polished.
  • Rework existing templates for better flow and engagement — nothing ships straight out of the box.
  • Keep everything compliant, tracked, and QA'd in Docebo (Learning Management System).
  • Work inside our AI-assisted build workflow — using Claude, Claude Cowork, Gemini, and NotebookLM to accelerate outlining, drafting, content development, prototyping, file population, and revision cycles, with human review at every gate.
  • Work shoulder-to-shoulder with SMEs to keep learning anchored to business goals and metrics.
  • Juggle several projects at once without losing speed, quality, or deadlines — and without needing much oversight.
  • Operate comfortably against SLAs and clear milestone gates (storyboard → development → QA → sign-off).

What We're Looking For

  • At least 5 years designing and developing instructional content, backed by a portfolio of end-to-end journeys, scenario work, and impact you can point to. We weigh the quality and speed of your work over length of experience.
  • You already build with generative AI in live production — Claude (including Claude Cowork and Projects), Gemini, NotebookLM. It's woven into how we work, not a nice-to-have.
  • Practical prompting skill: you know how to give a model the right source material and context, iterate on an output rather than accepting the first one, and tell the difference between a draft that's close and a draft that's confidently wrong.
  • Fast and assured in Articulate 360 (Storyline and Rise) and 7Taps, plus Figma or a comparable tool for quick prototyping and storyboarding.
  • Comfortable in Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, Audition) to create and integrate multimedia.
  • Enough fluency with JavaScript and Storyline web objects to know how they stretch what a course can do.
  • A track record building interactive, facilitator-led and live virtual sessions that are engaging, scalable, and outcomes-driven.
  • A reputation for shipping strong work quickly when volume is high.
  • Skilled at turning complicated systems into learning that changes performance.
  • Background designing for customer-facing teams or product training.
  • Evidence that your work moves the needle on adoption, engagement, and time-to-proficiency (completion, NPS, practical assessment results, etc.).
  • Experience creating reusable, scalable content, templates, and frameworks.
  • Grounded in learning science — cognitive load, Bloom's, the forgetting curve and spaced reinforcement, behavior change and motivation, and microlearning/chunking.
  • At home in Agile and fast-paced settings.

Why This Role?

  • You get a kick out of making complex products feel simple and engaging to learn.
  • You want a seat in high-impact FinTech/SaaS enterprise product training.
  • You like roles that mix strategy with hands-on building.
  • You do your best work in modern, fast-moving learning environments.
  • Innovation, speed, and quality are things you actually care about.
  • Ambiguity doesn't rattle you — you bring the structure.
  • AI-powered tools and workflows energize you rather than intimidate you.
  • Learner experience, adoption, and usability genuinely matter to you.

We're looking for someone who can:

  • Design learning experiences, not just content.
  • Build quickly using modern tools and AI — with human judgment on every deliverable.
  • Drive measurable impact through engagement, adoption, and performance.

Ready to apply? Submit your resume and portfolio link to be considered.