Engineering Communication Specialist

The Princeton University School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) seeks a multi-talented science communicator to forge a communication strategy for two of the School’s six academic departments—Computer Science and Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned professional to leverage their editorial and project-management skills in a high-impact academic environment.

 

Reporting to the School of Engineering and Applied Science Office of Communications, and working within a collaborative team, the Engineering Communication Specialist will craft a range of cohesive messages and delivery vehicles across traditional and digital media. The work will advance each department’s strategic mission by promoting its research priorities, teaching activities and brand – all of which are also important for the overall school and university.

 

The Specialist will interact regularly and closely with faculty, staff, administration and students. Editorial duties include reporting and writing brief news and feature items about research findings and awards or other accomplishments; writing profiles; improving static text throughout websites and materials; managing and editing freelance writers; directing or producing video content; arranging and art-directing photo shoots; and creating, editing and managing social media content. Strong candidates will be capable of making technical information exciting to a non-specialist audience.

 

The candidate will work in a team environment with communication specialists serving other departments by sharing ideas and best practices and by collaborating and supporting each other’s work as opportunities arise. The candidate must be extremely well organized, exhibit exceptional attention to detail and be able to troubleshoot and multitask.

 

 

This position is for two years and may be renewed pending satisfactory performance and continued funding. Salary and full employee benefits are offered in accordance with University guidelines. 

Responsibilities include content strategy, content generation and curation, project management and social media management.

 

Content strategy:

• Evaluate the departments' inventory of existing content. Benchmark peer websites, newsletters and social media.

• Work with department chair and staff to create work flows that efficiently harness faculty- and student-generated content and other sources of content.

• Work collaboratively with faculty and staff to produce high-quality written and visual content that promotes research and news, reaches key audiences that raise visibility and promotes each department's accomplishments.

 

Content generation and curation:

• Report and write news items and other web content, or hire freelance to do so.
• Coordinate with the Office of Engineering Communications on the assignment, use and dissemination of longer research news and feature items.
• Monitor SEAS and departmental sites for related content and adapt and post to departmental sites as appropriate.

 

Project Management:

• Oversee print and email publications (via platforms such as MailChimp), website design, annual report, select multimedia projects, arrange photography and attend photo shoots to enhance web content, manage and direct work of external writers, videographers, graphic artists, web specialists and photographers.
• Sample projects include senior thesis videos, hallway media displays, departmental graphic identity, and photography archives.

 

Social Media Management:

• Promote news stories on the Computer Science social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn).
• Monitor SEAS and Computer Science faculty social media accounts and share/re-tweet relevant department news.
• Propose and develop Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering-related content for engineering school social media.

 

 

 

Essential Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of five years of work experience
• Strong background in journalistic writing and editing, particularly translating technical topics for a broad audience
• Experience developing communications strategies
• Experience working with designers and photographers
• Strong organizational skills and communications habits
• Agility with web content management systems
• Agility with Photoshop

 

Preferred Qualifications:

 

• Experience in higher education communications, particularly in developing content strategies and improving workflows
• Familiarity with science and engineering disciplines
• Familiarity and comfort with basic web coding

 

 

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. EEO IS THE LAW

36.25

No

Yes

180 days

No

1/31/2024

No

No

Mid-Senior Level

#LI-CB1

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