Principal, Communications - MITRE Technology and Engineering

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the communications for MTE including audience planning, channel strategy, content execution, executive support, stakeholder engagement, measurement, and after-action improvement.
• Shape proactive communications campaigns around a focused set of priority science, technology, and innovation topics, including applied science, advanced technology, artificial intelligence, quantum, cyber, space, engineering, labs, platforms, and other areas where MITRE can strengthen U.S. mission, scientific, and economic leadership.
• Translate complex technical, scientific, engineering, policy, and mission content into clear communications products, including executive messaging, talking points, briefing materials, web and social content, stories, releases, videos, fact sheets, FAQs, presentations, proof points, and plain-language value propositions.
• Serve as a strategic communications advisor to MTE executives, leaders, Fellows, and subject matter experts on messaging, narrative, stakeholder engagement, public affairs, media engagement, strategic visits, crisis communications, and reputational risk.
• Coordinate across Communications and External Affairs, mission communicators for each business sector, public affairs, government relations, digital, events, protocol, executive communications, and MTE teams so communications are aligned, timely, consistent, and not fragmented by channel or function.
• Define and track practical measures of communications effectiveness, such as message pull-through, stakeholder engagement, executive readiness, content reuse, audience understanding, campaign progress, and risk reduction.
• Operate as the embedded communications principal for MTE while connecting back to the broader Communications and External Affairs function, ensuring shared messaging, coordinated planning, consistent standards, a unified voice across channels, and a practical no-surprises communications culture.

Requirements

• Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 8 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 5 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience .
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, public affairs, science communication, engineering, technology policy, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing communications strategies for complex organizations, portfolios, programs, or mission areas, including narrative development, audience strategy, channel planning, content execution, executive communications, stakeholder engagement, and measurement.
• Experience translating technical, scientific, scientific, engineering, policy, or mission-oriented information into clear and compelling communications for non-technical audiences.
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to produce executive-ready content under tight timelines.
• Ability to advise senior leaders and operate with credibility, discretion, and sound judgment in executive-level settings.
• Experience managing multiple priorities, stakeholders, and deliverables in a dynamic environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including active listening, emotional intelligence, collaboration, and the ability to build trust across technical and non-technical teams.
• Ability to choose the right communications approach for the objective, including executive communications, internal communications, media and public affairs, digital content, events, stakeholder engagement, thought leadership, and reusable messaging assets.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, including as a strategic lead, partner to other communicators, and hands-on individual contributor.

Preferred

• Experience working in or with FFRDCs, federal agencies, research institutions, advanced technology organizations, national labs, academia, or other mission-driven technical environments.
• Domain knowledge or communications experience in applied science, engineering, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cyber, space, biotechnology, microelectronics, advanced manufacturing, systems engineering, or other emerging technology areas.
• Experience supporting technical leaders, scientists, engineers, Fellows, or senior experts in communicating complex work to government, industry, academic, media, employee, or public audiences.
• Experience supporting strategic visits, executive engagements, public affairs, government affairs, congressional or administration-facing engagement, or policy-sensitive communications.
• Experience building reusable messaging infrastructure, such as message frameworks, proof-point libraries, executive briefing packages, FAQs, talking points, and stakeholder-ready materials.
• Experience measuring communications outcomes, not just activity or output.
• Active Secret security clearance