Pearson

Lead, Learning Scientist

Pearson$145K — $165K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Deep expertise in learning science (cognitive load, retrieval, spacing, etc.)
  • Strong background in assessment design and mastery modeling
  • Experience in designing comprehensive learning systems beyond just courses
  • Ability to translate pedagogical theories into buildable system logic
  • Proficiency in using data for evaluating and enhancing learning outcomes
  • Exceptional collaboration skills across cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

  • Design pedagogical architecture to define cohesive learning blueprints.
  • Translate pedagogy into adaptive system behavior for personalized learner pathways.
  • Model misconceptions and diagnostics to create targeted learning interventions.
  • Collaborate with UX to design effective learning interactions and feedback strategies.
  • Prototype learning solutions and validate their efficacy through experimentation.
  • Define metrics of success and continuously optimize learning impact using data.
  • Develop scalable learning design systems and reusable learning patterns.

Benefits

  • Eligibility for annual incentive programs
  • Flexible remote work environment
  • Opportunities for professional development and growth
  • Supportive work culture that values collaboration.
  • Access to resources for continuous learning and improvement.
Full Job Description
Lead Learning Designer, HEd

Location : US - Remote

ROLE SUMMARY

Owns the pedagogical architecture and learning system design of digital and blended Higher Education products.

This role defines how learning works at a system level - from skill progression and mastery definitions to misconception handling, adaptivity, feedback and mastery logic ;ensuring experiences are not just engaging, but instructionally effective , measurable and scalable .

The Senior Learning Design is embedded within product pods as the authority on learning science and learning system behaviour , partnering with Product, UX and Engineering to translate the product vision into learning systems that demonstrably improve outcomes .

WHAT YOU'LL DO
  1. Own Pedagogical Architecture Design how learning works across the product - defining progression, mastery, practice and assessment flows in cohesive, evidence-based learning blueprints.
  2. Define Adaptive Logic Translate pedagogy into system behaviour by designing adaptive pathways, remediation and stretch logic, and specifying how the system responds to learner performance and why.
  3. Model Misconceptions & Diagnostics Make learning measurable by modelling misconceptions, defining diagnostic signals and designing targeted interventions to improve understanding.
  4. Design Learning Interactions (with UX) Ensure interactions drive understanding by defining learning patterns (e.g. retrieval, Socratic dialogue flows, etc.), feedback strategies and cognitively efficacious experiences in partnership with UX.
  5. Prototype & Validate Learning Efficacy Test what works by developing learning prototypes, defining hypotheses and running experiments to validate impact on accuracy, retention and transfer.
  6. Measure & Optimise Learning Impact Drive continuous improvement by defining success metrics (e.g., mastery, retention, etc.), specifying required instrumentation and using data to refine system performance.
  7. Build Scalable Learning Design Systems Enable quality at scale by creating feasible and reusable learning patterns, interaction blueprints and standards that ensure consistency and accelerate delivery.
  8. Operate as Core Pod Partner Embed learning design into product development by working with Product, UX and Engineering to translate strategy into buildable learning systems.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
  1. Learning Outcomes
  • Learners reach clearly defined mastery thresholds
  • Misconceptions decrease measurably over time
  • Retention improves beyond short-term correctness
  • Learners successfully transfer knowledge to new contexts
  1. System Efficacy
  • Adaptive behaviour outperforms static pathways
  • Learning interactions produce deep understanding, not just completion
  • Learners progress efficiently (e.g., reduced time to mastery)
  1. Product & Delivery Impact
  • Learning specifications are clear, actionable and reduce build ambiguity
  • Prototypes and early validation prevent late-stage rework
  • Reusable systems reduce E2E content and development cost

WHAT YOU BRING
  • Deep learning science expertise (e.g., cognitive load, retrieval, spacing, etc.)
  • Strong background in assessment design, mastery modelling and diagnostics
  • Proven experience designing learning systems, not just courses or content
  • Ability to translate pedagogy into explicit, buildable system logic
  • Experience using data to evaluate and improve learning effectiveness
  • Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, with a focus on outcomes and clarity

Compensation at Pearson is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific location. As required by the California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York State, New York City, Vermont, Washington State, and Washington DC laws, the pay range for this position is as follows:

The minimum full-time salary range is between $145,000 - $165,000.

This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, and information on benefits offered is here.

Applications will be accepted through June 5th. This window may be extended depending on business needs.

Job: Research, Efficacy, and Psychometrics

Job Family: LEARNING_&_CONTENT_DEVELOPMENT

Organization: Higher Education

Schedule: FULL_TIME

Workplace Type: Hybrid

Req ID: 24107

About Pearson

Pearson is a publishing and education company that provides educational materials, learning technologies, and assessments to schools, universities, and professional organizations. The company's products and services include textbooks, online learning platforms, and certification exams. Pearson's customers include the University of Phoenix, the British Council, and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Learn more about Pearson
Size
20,744 employees
Market Cap
$8.1 billion
Industry
Net Income
$265 million
Founded
1997
5 Year Trend
-5.5%
Revenue
$3.5 billion
NASDAQ

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