Communications Specialist III
About The Position
As part of JPL’s Media & Strategic Communications section, the Communications Specialist III works with Mission Communications and Media teams to support stakeholders across NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and JPL’s Flight Projects and Strategy & Formulation Directorates. The role owns communications activities, deliverables, and results for multiple JPL-managed NASA missions in the planetary portfolio, coordinating with stakeholders across NASA, JPL, and external organizations. The position requires exceptional organization, proactive project tracking, curiosity about NASA/JPL science and engineering, and the ability to maintain progress across concurrent tasks. The specialist develops communications concepts and products, guides creative and production teams, and balances scientific accuracy with creative impact. Work includes translating technical milestones into engaging narratives; producing website and social content, outreach events, and other communications products; measuring and reporting communications results; and improving programs and products through research into industry best practices.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Fine Arts, Science, or a related field and at least 6 years of related work experience; or a master’s degree in a related discipline and at least 4 years of related work experience; or a PhD in a related discipline and at least 2 years of related work experience.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and deliver concepts from inception through delivery.
- Proven ability to clarify undefined requests, break them into actionable tasks, and deliver impactful products on tight deadlines.
- Experience overseeing production of varied assets, including video, graphics, articles, and experiential content.
- Strong attention to detail, design instincts, and storytelling instincts, with the ability to recognize and guide teams toward exceptional products.
- Genuine interest in and alignment with NASA’s mission to explore the unknown in air and space, innovate for humanity, and inspire the world through discovery.
- Punctual, detail-oriented, resourceful, and self-motivated.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and ability to work in a team environment.
Nice To Haves
- Experience working at NASA or a similar agency, and/or in planetary science.
- Experience in a scientific, technical, or aerospace environment.
- A portfolio demonstrating the ability to make complex topics visually and narratively compelling.
- Professional-level ability to write messaging copy, long-form science articles, and other content.
- Ability to think like a brand manager and develop and drive impactful campaigns for NASA and JPL projects and programs.
- Familiarity with creative and project management tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (including Photoshop and Premiere Pro), Airtable, and social media platforms.
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 support alignment and communications success.
- Collaborate with communications colleagues to develop content, product ideas, and messaging campaigns.
- Take communications concepts from inception to completion, filling creative gaps and making tactical decisions while protecting product impact and scientific integrity.
- Provide direction between technical leads and production teams, including graphics, video, and web teams.
- Respond to requests from managers, mission leads, projects, and program offices; clarify stakeholder goals and determine next steps with limited guidance.
- Facilitate feedback between creators and scientists to balance technical accuracy and creative quality.
- Identify and resolve creative or technical roadblocks independently to support efficient delivery.
- Contribute to website and social content, including writing, editing, and producing, as well as outreach events and other communications products as needed.
- Translate complex technical milestones into compelling narratives for audiences.
- Define, develop, and aggregate KPIs, and prepare reports communicating the value of strategic communications across the portfolio.
- Research industry best practices and recommend ongoing improvements to communications programs and products.
Benefits
- Health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans.
- Paid time off.
- Learning opportunities.
- Rideshare benefits.
- Childcare.
- Flexible schedule.
- Parental leave.
- Additional traditional and unique benefits and perks.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
