Responsibilities

• Public relations (earned media + research visibility)
• Draft press releases, media advisories, statements, and supporting materials (quotes, backgrounders, FAQs)
• Pitch stories proactively and manage day-to-day journalist relationships across science, trade, business, and regional outlets
• Coordinate research announcements, including embargoes, advance outreach, and spokesperson prep as needed
• Identify visibility opportunities that reinforce institutional credibility and donor confidence; elevate research impact and partnership wins
• Source story leads and conduct interviews with researchers, leadership, and collaborators
• Assist drafting and iterate on opinion pieces, op-eds, and thought-leadership content for external placement; support relationships with op-ed editors
• Monitor media coverage, maintain a coverage log, and report results and key learnings to stakeholders
• Use AI tools to support drafting, editing, research, and workflow efficiency, demonstrating a continuous improvement mindset and a track record of finding solutions that increase productivity (with appropriate human review and quality control)
• Serve as internal point of contact for any external PR or communications agency partnerships, coordinating deliverables and ensuring alignment with institutional messaging

Requirements

• Demonstrated ability to draft and edit press releases and pitch materials with strong news judgment
• Proven experience pitching media and managing journalist relationships, including proactive outreach and follow through
• Experience coordinating research or complex topic announcements (embargo familiarity preferred)
• Excellent interviewing skills and ability to translate technical content into clear, compelling stories
• Strong project management and editorial calendar ownership; able to manage multiple deadlines and competing priorities
• Comfort serving as a spokesperson or on-camera/on-record media contact under pressure, with sound judgment in high-stakes or sensitive situations
• High attention to detail, sound judgment, and ability to handle sensitive topics appropriately
• Qualifications: Bachelor's degree and 5-7 years' experience in public relations, journalism, public information, or communications roles

Preferred

• Experience in a research, higher education, nonprofit, or science-based environment
• Familiarity with multichannel communications workflows (web/email/social) and writing channel-adapted copy
• Comfort using editorial planning tools and structured intake systems (e.g., calendars, trackers, project boards)
• Basic performance reporting experience (coverage monitoring, message pull through, trend summaries)
• Experience using AI tools to support drafting, editing, and workflow (with human