With Who: University of Minnesota Sea Grant College Program (MNSG)
Location: Duluth, MN
Type of Employment: Part-Time
Position Description: The communication associate is a part-time (20 hours-per-week), 12-month Civil Service staff position with the University of Minnesota Sea Grant College Program (MNSG) and reports to the MNSG communications supervisor. The MNSG communication associate position writes, creates and edits a variety of content for digital and print uses, assists with MNSG’s social media and performs other duties as assigned. The successful candidate must be a detailed-oriented, initiative-taking wordsmith. They must accurately and engagingly convey the work of MNSG into jargon-free lay terms for a variety of audiences including legislators, resource agency staff, community organizations, university administrators, government officials, reporters, and formal and informal educators.
Position Duties:
- 35% Writing
- Writes text for a variety of uses, including, but not limited to the following: Event announcements, photo captions/metadata, web content, social media, reports, newsletters, marketing materials, displays and exhibits. May attend and write about MNSG events, activities, and field research. Interviews sources. Adheres to the Associated Press style and requirements for accessibility. Ensures text represents the diversity of identities of MNSG staff, researchers, partners, stakeholders, and clients.
- 25% Editing
- Edits a variety of content for spelling, grammar, style (Associated Press, UMN, and UMD), clarity, succinctness, inclusivity, and accessibility including, but not limited to: web content, displays and exhibits text, brochures, reports, video/audio scripts, and social media posts.
- 25% Social Media
- Writes social media posts for MNSG Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other platforms MNSG may adopt. Ensures that posts meet spelling, grammar, style, and Sea Grant-appropriate messaging requirements. Uses activity data from MSNG staff, goals and objectives from MNSG strategic plan, and National Sea Grant Office guidelines to determine what posts to create. Ensures text represents the diversity of identities of MNSG staff, researchers, partners, stakeholders, and clients. Ensures that content is shared with and directed to underrepresented groups and individuals.
- 10% Other Duties
- Assists with other duties including, but not limited to: photo metadata and cataloging, data entry for National Sea Grant Office reporting, tracking the impacts of this position’s work, participating in meetings, conference calls, webinars, etc.
- 5% Professional Development
- Identifies and participates in professional development/educational opportunities that will demonstrably enhance this position’s ability to perform the required duties. This may include technical training in communication-related content and opportunities to learn how to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Minimum Requirements / Qualifications: Bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree in communication(s), journalism, marketing, art, or related field or four years of combined equivalent education and experience
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree in science communication, English, public relations, or science.
- Experience managing at least one social media account.
- Familiarity with and ability to consistently use Associated Press style. Excellent writing and editing skills
- Two (2) years of post-college experience as a writer, editor, reporter, communication specialist, multimedia specialist, public relations specialist or similar role in which excellent writing skills were evident.
- Evidence of ability to accurately interpret and summarize technical, specialized or complex information for public understanding.
- Advanced social media skills including using platform management tools (e.g., Hootsuite), using/creating groups, ads, events, stories and tags.
- Familiarity with and interest in freshwater topics, particularly the Great Lakes.
- Experience writing about science and research for non-academic audiences.
- Experience using Adobe Creative Cloud programs (e.g., InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.).
- Experience using MailChimp, Drupal.
Application Deadline: June 30, 2020
Apply (or request more information): Apply today, or see more position information, on the University of Minnesota job portal.