Communications Specialist III

Responsibilities

• Own communications activities, deliverables, and results for multiple JPL-managed NASA missions in the planetary portfolio.
• Liaise with stakeholders across NASA, JPL, and outside organizations to ensure alignment and communications success.
• Work with the Mission Communications Manager, Planetary Communications Lead, and the broader communications team to brainstorm new content, product ideas, and messaging campaigns.
• Take ownership of project concepts and drive them to completion, filling in creative gaps and making tactical decisions to keep the project moving without sacrificing product impact or scientific integrity.
• Act as the "creative glue" between technical leads and production teams (graphics, video, web), providing clear, inspired direction to ensure the vision is realized.
• Field requests from managers, mission leads, projects, and program offices, then ask the right questions to navigate stakeholder goals with limited guidance.
• Facilitate the feedback loop between creators and scientists, ensuring that technical accuracy and creative flair are perfectly balanced.
• Identify and clear creative or technical roadblocks independently, finding efficient paths to delivery in a fast-paced environment.
• Contribute to the creation of website and social content (writing, editing, producing), outreach events, and other communications products, as needed
• Translate complex technical milestones into compelling, creative narratives that resonate with audiences.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Fine Arts, Science, or a related field with a minimum of 6 years of related work experience; Masters in a related job discipline with a minimum of 4 years of related work experience; PhD in a related job discipline with a minimum of 2 years of related work experience.
• Be able to work in a fast-paced environment with responsibility for delivering concepts from inception through delivery.
• Proven ability to field undefined requests and action them in smaller tasks, and a track record of delivering impactful products on tight deadlines.
• Experience overseeing the production of varied assets including video, graphics, articles, experiential content, and others.
• Relentless focus on detail and strong design and storytelling instincts. Must be able to distinguish between "good" and "exceptional" products and know how to guide a creative team to get there.
• Genuine interest in and alignment with NASA’s mission to explore the unknown in air and space, innovate for the benefit of humanity, and inspire the world through discovery.
• Punctual, detail oriented, resourceful and a self-motivated individual.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and ability to work in a team environment.

Preferred

• Experience working at NASA or a similar agency, and/or in planetary science.
• Experience working within a scientific, technical, or aerospace environment.
• A portfolio of work that demonstrates your ability to take a complex topic and make it visually and narratively compelling.
• Ability to write messaging copy, long-form science articles, and other content at a professional level.
• Ability to think like a brand manager, concepting and driving impactful campaigns to elevate NASA and JPL projects and programs in the information environment.
• Familiarity with common creative and project management tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Premiere Pro), Airtable, and social media platforms.

Benefits

• JPL has a catalog of benefits and perks that span from the traditional to the unique. This includes a variety of health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans, paid time off, learning, rideshare, childcare, flexible schedule, parental leave and many more. Our focus is on work-life balance, and living healthy, fulfilling lives as we Dare Mighty Things Together. For benefits eligible positions, benefits are effective the first day of the month coincident with or immediately following the employee’s start date.
• For further benefits information click Benefits and Perks