Communication Specialist, CTE

San Diego State University Research Foundation•San Diego, CA

1d•$31•Onsite

About The Position

This position is open until filled with an initial application review to take place after April 30, 2026. The salary for this position is budgeted at $31.00 per hour and is non-negotiable. Please note that due to the potential for the contamination of study samples, the incumbent must be able to confirm that they are not exposed to active use or residue from tobacco, electronic cigarettes, or cannabis. San Diego State University’s Center for Tobacco and the Environment (CTE), co-directed by Georg E. Matt, PhD, and Thomas Novotny, MD, PhD, is an extramurally funded center established in 2022. CTE’s mission is to prevent, reduce, and eliminate tobacco’s toxic legacy of environmental pollution and harm to human health caused by decades of commercial tobacco sales and use through the creation of an open, community-engaged, inter- and transdisciplinary research center that serves the diverse communities affected by the environmental impacts of commercial tobacco sales and use. CTE provides an organizational platform for the next generation of research that seeks solutions to human exposure and environmental contamination resulting from decades of tobacco use, and contributes to California’s comprehensive policy initiatives to end commercial tobacco sales and use by 2035. CTE is home to a well-established group of multi-disciplinary scholars from different colleges at SDSU, including Health and Human Services, Sciences, Arts & Letters, and Professional Studies & Fine Arts, whose work focuses on the environmental impacts of commercial tobacco use. Researchers at CTE conduct multiple extramurally funded research projects focused on tobacco and the indoor and outdoor environment, including the Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center and the Policy Research Center for Tobacco and the Environment. Established in 2019, the mission of the Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center is to disseminate thirdhand smoke-related information to the general public, stakeholders, and tobacco control advocates. The Resource Center’s interactive website is the primary dissemination channel, supported by a robust social media presence (i.e., Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram), webinars, and print material such as newsletter articles and press releases. The Policy Research Center for Tobacco and the Environment, established in 2023, has two main policy goals: (1) reduce tobacco product waste to protect local environments, and (2) protect indoor and outdoor environments from the toxic pollutants caused by commercial tobacco. Both centers are funded by California’s Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program. This position will contribute to the Center’s community outreach and dissemination through creation and maintenance of educational content. The ideal candidate will create stories about new tobacco-related research and policy, update Center websites, expand our social media presence, and participate in stakeholder meetings and conferences, with the goal of engaging the community and increasing awareness, promoting outreach, and highlighting new findings that support new and ongoing policy initiatives. The incumbent’s primary responsibility will be to communicate emerging research and policy efforts related to tobacco and the environment using a variety of formats, channels, products, and programs, thereby ensuring timely production of high-quality content for the Center’s communications with partner organizations, community members, stakeholders, and Center researchers. Responsibilities include but are not limited to researching, interpreting, and summarizing relevant peer-reviewed studies, stories from popular media, and other sources of tobacco-related information (e.g., professional organizations, health voluntaries, advocacy groups) for dissemination using multiple communication channels including the Center’s websites and social media platforms, articles for trade publications, fact sheets, infographics, podcasts, and oral presentations. The incumbent must be able to communicate complex research and policy content clearly to a range of stakeholders, manage time to produce quality work on deadlines, and work collaboratively and effectively in an environment that is responsive to changing community needs. The successful candidate will be someone who is interested in environmental health, is eager to learn more about tobacco pollution, works well as part of a collaborative team, and has experience targeting external audiences. This position is full-time, in-person, with the possibility for limited remote work (i.e., <8 hours/week). The office is open during normal business hours Monday through Friday, however some dissemination events occur during the evenings and weekends. Events outside of normal business hours are infrequent, typically 2-3 times each month. Reliable transportation is required.

Requirements

Two years of experience using at least 3 communication channels, including oral presentations, with non-scientists
Ability to analyze and synthesize peer-reviewed studies and elicit subject matter expert knowledge to produce educational content for target audiences (e.g., general public, tobacco control advocates)
Expertise in communicating with the general public and diverse communities
Expertise in plain language and health literacy
Proficient in Microsoft Office, Adobe, Canva, Hootsuite, Asana
Knowledge of social media best practices (e.g., Facebook, Instagram)
Knowledge of or experience with website development software (e.g., Wordpress, Elementor)
Knowledge of or experience with online survey software (e.g., Qualtrics)
Ability to prioritize and multitask and meet deadlines
Background in environmental science, health, or related field
Knowledge of the environmental and health impacts of tobacco
Bachelor’s degree in communications, or related field
Two years of experience using evidence-based communication strategies
Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).
The incumbent must be able to confirm that they are not exposed to active use or residue from tobacco, electronic cigarettes, or cannabis.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in communications, or related field
Three years of experience using evidence-based communication strategies

Responsibilities

Use multiple sources, including Center researchers and their affiliates, peer-reviewed literature, popular press, partner organizations, health voluntaries, and other established sources to select content for short, accurate stories and messages about new research and/or policy initiatives for community audiences.
Use a variety of formats (e.g., text, infographics, video and audio recordings) to reach community audiences with a goal of increasing community awareness about the environmental impact of tobacco, promoting engagement, and advocating for policy initiatives.
Monitor, maintain, and update website content with new stories designed to disseminate research and policy related to tobacco and the environment.
Create social media posts to increase awareness, promote engagement, and increase website traffic.
In collaboration with internal and external partners, periodically prepare and disseminate written press releases, reports, newsletter and trade group articles, factsheets, etc.
Prepare and deliver oral presentations to community groups, tobacco prevention advocates, and other interested stakeholders.
Provide research-based evidence to local and state government in the form of written or oral testimony, fact sheets, research summaries, etc.
Contribute to weekly editorial meeting, record decisions, assign creators, and set deadlines using project management software (e.g., Asana, Hootsuite).
Manage workflow and assignments to ensure weekly writing/editing/posting deadlines are met.
Establish/adhere to schedule for regular updates of static website content (e.g., Frequently Asked Questions).
In collaboration with administrative team, generate ideas for new website and social media content and oversee implementation.
Prepare regular reports of website traffic, social media engagement, and other metrics of evaluation.
In collaboration with administrative team, set targets for user engagement, and develop and implement strategies to meet those targets.
Other duties as assigned.