Communications Specialist

Discover your future at Berkeley Lab!

Berkeley Lab's Berkeley Lab's has an exciting opening for a Communications Specialist to become an integral team member of our Biosciences Communications team. The Communications Specialist will create and edit documents and electronic media to communicate the mission and achievements of Biosciences Area researchers. The position will produce web content, multimedia presentations, visual displays, and presentation materials and have the opportunity to communicate about a broad variety of research areas, such as bioimaging, environmental genomics, systems biology, and microbiome, and cell biology. The Communications Specialist will also develop operational processes and documentation to sustain and propagate best practices for the Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI) internship/educational partnerships.

What You Will Do:

Apply broad knowledge of the Biosciences Area and scientific and engineering concepts for print or digital publication, multimedia, online, or verbal presentation for both technical and non-technical information.

Perform a variety of scientific and technical writing and editing duties to support the dissemination of Biosciences Area research.

Communicate appropriate information between the Area and the wider Lab community and Biosciences website audience.

Apply knowledge of computers, software, and web layout to ensure documents meet quality, budget, and schedule requirements.

Produce, edit, and post technical and non-technical science articles and highlights designed to communicate Biosciences research advances to a science-interested audience for public events.

Assist with social media efforts, developing and collecting graphics for tweets and web articles, and composing tweets about Biosciences personnel and research news.

Perform other duties to support the Biosciences Area's communications efforts as assigned by the Supervisor.

Implement best practices across educational partnerships (e.g., documentation software for lab work, intern and mentor education materials).

Emphasize content generation and processes targeting a next generation workforce development audience.

Establish a tracking system and relevant metrics to support the growth and substantiate return on investment of JGI educational partnerships.

Highlight JGI intern and mentor experiences (e.g., JGI-UC Merced Summer Internship Program) and their ongoing research through multimedia (audio podcasts and/or video, web blogs).

Establish and maintain JGI Alumni Network.

Collaborate on developing a plan for extending JGI-UC Program to other minority serving institutions

What is Required:

At least 2 years' experience producing technical content and developing technical content for a general audience.

Experience and confidence in communicating with both scientific and non-scientific staff.

Excellent writing and editing skills.

Strong Communication and Project management skills.

Familiarity with working with institutions of higher education.

Ability to communicate scientific and technical information to diverse audiences.

Expert knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite of software including Word, PowerPoint, and Web technologies including simple image preparation, HTML, CSS, and Web publishing. (e.g., WordPress)

Working knowledge of graphics and image-editing software. (e.g. Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or Preview)

Aptitude with photography, video production and editing, producing slideshows.

Aptitude with audio production and editing.

Strong organizational skills and detail-oriented.

Strong interpersonal skills to effectively work within a diverse team environment.

Desired Qualifications:

Bachelor's or Master's degree in English, Journalism, or in a scientific field or equivalent experience (preferably in communications, journalism, public relations, science policy, or a relevant science and engineering or related field)

Experience in public,media and government relations

Experience in biosciences or environmental research

Facility with Adobe Creative Cloud software

For full consideration, please apply by January 4, 2021.

This is a full time, 1-year, term appointment with the possibility of extension or conversion to Career appointment based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds and ongoing operational needs.

This position will be hired at a level commensurate with the business needs and the skills, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate.

This position may be subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at Berkeley Lab. Our excellence can only be fully realized by faculty, students, and staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates for our faculty positions will demonstrate evidence of a commitment to advancing equity and inclusion.

This position will be remote 100%.

Learn about us!

Biosciences Area

Enabled by Berkeley Lab's world-class user facilities and complementary research programs, our scientists and engineers contribute groundbreaking discoveries and innovative solutions to complex scientific and societal challenges.

Vision: Berkeley Lab's Biosciences Area will lead the nation in using biology to solve energy and environmental challenges.

Mission: Use integrated research teams to solve national challenges in energy, environment, health and biomanufacturing.

Berkeley Lab

(LBNL) addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

Working at Berkeley Lab has many rewards including a competitive compensation program, excellent health and welfare programs, a retirement program that is second to none, and outstanding development opportunities. To view information about the many rewards that are offered at Berkeley Lab- .

Equal Employment Opportunity: Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. Berkeley Lab is in compliance with the under 41 CFR 60-1.4. Click to view the poster and supplement: "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory encourages applications from women, minorities, veterans, and other underrepresented groups presently considering scientific research careers.

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