--- title: 'Instructional Design Specialist at Thumbtack' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/instructional-design-specialist-thumbtack-united-states-rz2j6xcj0ww7' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-15' --- # Instructional Design Specialist at Thumbtack - **Company:** Thumbtack - **Location:** United States - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** remote - **Posted:** 2026-10-05 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-15 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/thumbtack/6f4efff0-46a0-411b-8371-9ce9f13311e8 ## Job description Thumbtack helps millions of people confidently care for their homes. Thumbtack is the one app you need to take care of and improve your home — from personalized guidance to AI tools and a best-in-class hiring experience. Every day in every county of the U.S., people turn to Thumbtack to complete urgent repairs, seasonal maintenance and bigger improvements. We help homeowners know which projects to do, when to do them and who to hire from our growing community of 300,000 local service businesses. If making an impact inspires you, join us. Imagine what we’ll build together. ## About the Field Enablement Team The Field Enablement team at Thumbtack empowers our employees, pros, and customers through impactful learning experiences that drive performance, skill development, and business outcomes. We’re a collaborative, cross-functional team made up of three key pillars: Enablement Design, Enablement Delivery, and Content & Communications. Together, we identify learning needs across the organization and create thoughtful, scalable solutions that support every stage of the employee lifecycle. From onboarding to ongoing development, our work is deeply embedded in the success of Thumbtack’s frontline teams and plays a vital role in ensuring a consistent, high-quality experience for the pros and customers who rely on us every day ## About the role As an Instructional Designer on the Field Enablement team, you are a master architect of learning experiences. You will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining engaging and effective learning programs that drive performance and business outcomes. You'll partner closely with subject matter experts (SMEs), project managers, and frontline leaders to conduct needs analysis, outline learning objectives, and build scalable learning solutions. Your work will directly impact the speed at which our frontline teams become proficient and the quality of the experience we deliver to pros and customers. ## What you’ll do - Lead end-to-end instructional design for complex, high-impact learning programs, owning projects from needs analysis through evaluation while balancing scope, sequencing, and tradeoffs to maintain quality and delivery commitments across multiple initiatives. - Design learning ecosystems that extend beyond formal training through social, experiential, and digital reinforcement aligned with the 70/20/10 model, applying Action Mapping and performance consulting techniques to drive measurable behavior change. - Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders and SMEs to translate business goals into effective learning strategies, surfacing performance gaps, reframing solution requests, and articulating tradeoffs to align on the right instructional approach. - Develop assessments and evaluation plans to measure program effectiveness, analyzing outcomes across Kirkpatrick Levels 1–3 and contributing insights tied to business performance. - Contribute to content governance, peer review, and instructional design standards to ensure quality, consistency, and scalability, while maintaining and evolving existing learning programs to reflect product updates, process changes, and shifting business priorities. - Actively use AI tools such as Claude/OpenAI to design, develop, and iterate on asynchronous learning content, applying builder-level fluency to improve speed, quality, and design fidelity. - Create basic multimedia assets including screen recordings, short-form video, and AI-assisted voiceover content in support of learning programs. Full production capability not required. In order to be successful, you must bring - 4–6 years of experience in instructional design, curriculum development, or performance consulting, preferably in a high-growth tech or call center environment. - A strong portfolio demonstrating ownership of complex learning programs and a variety of instructional modalities. - Solid expertise in instructional design models (e.g., ADDIE, SAM) and adult learning theory, with working knowledge of Action Mapping or performance consulting approaches. - Demonstrated hands-on experience using AI tools (e.g., Claude/OpenAI) to build asynchronous learning content. Builder-level fluency preferred - active use in a design workflow, not just familiarity. - Strong project management and stakeholder partnership skills, with the proven ability to independently own projects from needs analysis through evaluation without requiring manager design direction. - Demonstrated ability to collaborate cross-functionally (e.g., Product, Engineering, Ops) and communicate design rationale clearly to diverse audiences. - A learner-first mindset with a commitment to continuous improvement, experimentation, and high-quality design standards. Expected salary ranges - For candidates living in San Francisco / Bay Area, San Jose, New York City, or Seattle metros, the expected salary range for the role is currently $108,000 - $139,700. - For candidates living in Austin, TX or Washington DC metros or in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Washington states, the expected salary range for the role is currently $96,900 - $125,400. - For candidates living in all other US locations, the expected salary range for this role is currently $91,800 - $118,800. Actual offered salaries will vary and will be based on various factors, such as calibrated job level, qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role. Thumbtack embraces diversity. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and do not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, provincial, state, or local law. We also will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, consistent with applicable law. Thumbtack is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation for a medical condition or disability during any part of the application process, please contact: recruitingops@thumbtack.com. For information about how Thumbtack collects, uses, and shares personal information about job applicants, please see our [Job Applicant Privacy Policy](https://www.thumbtack.com/job-applicant-privacy-policy). We put as much craftsmanship into candidate safety as we do into the hiring experience itself. While scammers may try to impersonate our team, we’ll never ask you for money, banking info, or SSNs during hiring. [Check out our blueprint on how to spot the fakes.](https://careers.thumbtack.com/recruiting-scams) ## About Thumbtack ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Thumbtack is a technology platform that connects homeowners with local service professionals for home repairs, maintenance, and improvements, while providing AI-powered tools and guidance. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series E, $774.4M total funding) - **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, United States - **Founded**: 2008 - **Founders**: Marco Zappacosta, Jonathan Swanson, Sander Daniels ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Home Services Marketplace, Software Development - **Target customers**: B2C (homeowners) and B2B (local service professionals, SMBs) - **Mission or purpose statement**: To help millions of people confidently care for and improve their homes, while empowering local professionals to turn their talents into thriving businesses. ## Products & Services - **Thumbtack Platform**: A mobile app and website where homeowners can find, compare, and book local pros for home services across 500+ project categories. Includes personalized guidance, AI tools, and a best-in-class hiring experience. - **Pro Tools**: A suite of business management tools for the 300,000+ local service businesses on the platform, helping them find profitable jobs, manage bookings, and grow their operations. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (last reported valuation of $1.7B in 2021 per secondary market data) - **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue of $300M (LinkedIn estimate); Total Funding of $774.4M - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global Management, Javelin Venture Partners, Baillie Gifford, CapitalG - **Growth Signals**: Over 12 million 5-star projects completed; 90 million+ projects started on the platform; 1,109 employees (+17.2% YoY); operates in 13 countries; acquired Setter (2020); the home services industry is less than 10% penetrated online, representing a $600B market opportunity. ## Competitive Advantages - **Scale and Trust**: With over 12 million 5-star reviews and 300,000+ pros, Thumbtack has built a trusted, nationwide network that is difficult for new entrants to replicate. - **Data and AI Moat**: The company is investing heavily in AI-native tools (e.g., AI-powered Marketing Analytics Agent) to improve matching, personalization, and operational efficiency for both homeowners and pros. - **Dual-Sided Network Effects**: More homeowners attract more pros, and better pro tools attract more homeowners, creating a self-reinforcing growth loop. ## Strategic Focus - **AI-First Transformation**: Thumbtack is rethinking workflows across the company, reducing repetitive tasks, and exploring how AI can improve day-to-day operations for both employees and users. - **Expanding the "Home Care" Ecosystem**: Moving beyond a simple marketplace to become a comprehensive home care platform that provides guidance, AI tools, and a seamless hiring experience. - **Virtual-First Talent Strategy**: Building a distributed workforce across the U.S., Canada, and the Philippines to access top talent while maintaining in-person connection through offsites and events. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: 94% of employees rate Thumbtack a great place to work. The company emphasizes a "virtual-first, not virtual-only" model, offering flexibility with opportunities for in-person connection. - **Benefits**: $1,000 USD remote work support stipend (paid semi-annually), professional coaching via BetterUp, mental health resources from Modern Health and Therify, 12 weeks paid parental leave for all parents (birthing parents get 8 additional weeks), generous fertility benefits, flexible PTO, and 18 companywide holidays including a week-long end-of-year shutdown. - **Engineering Culture**: Strong focus on data and AI, with engineers working at the intersection of these fields to solve real business problems. The company is "nimble enough to ensure your work is making an impact." - **Remote Policy**: Virtual-first, with the ability to work from anywhere in the United States, Ontario/British Columbia (Canada), or the Philippines. - **Employee Rating**: 4.1/5.0 on LinkedIn (682 reviews), with high marks for Work-Life Balance (4.2) and Culture (4.0). ## Sources 1. [thumbtack.com](https://www.thumbtack.com/about) 2. [careers.thumbtack.com](https://careers.thumbtack.com/) 3. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/thumbtack-inc.) 4. [jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/thumbtack) 5. [careers.thumbtack.com/jobs](https://careers.thumbtack.com/jobs) ## Other roles at Thumbtack - [Software Engineer, AI/ML Infrastructure (US-Based)](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-ai-ml-infrastructure-us-based-thumbtack-united-states-rca2p9mck93r) — United States - [Software Engineer, AI/ML Infrastructure](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-ai-ml-infrastructure-thumbtack-ontario-s7mrrpdy6mh5) — Ontario, Canada - [Project Manager (Service Operations)](https://feeny.ai/job/project-manager-service-operations-thumbtack-philippines-gr8qjd6t15xg) — Philippines - [Sr. Commercial Strategy Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-commercial-strategy-manager-thumbtack-ontario-kz71gdycd3bx) — Ontario, Canada - [Sr. Commercial Strategy Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-commercial-strategy-manager-thumbtack-united-states-1wjgwx3dp1hy) — United States - [Senior Financial Analyst (FP&A)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-financial-analyst-fp-a-thumbtack-philippines-wc0nj9vnqpns) — Philippines - [Chief of Staff to the CEO](https://feeny.ai/job/chief-of-staff-to-the-ceo-thumbtack-ontario-smzsvc1rr024) — Ontario, Canada - [Chief of Staff to the CEO](https://feeny.ai/job/chief-of-staff-to-the-ceo-thumbtack-united-states-e948vzajf1cr) — United States - [Application Security Engineer II](https://feeny.ai/job/application-security-engineer-ii-thumbtack-ontario-kadqm0v0pj47) — Ontario, Canada - [Sr. HR Business Partner](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-hr-business-partner-thumbtack-united-states-gk4h5w2eee6p) — United States