Digital Communications Specialist

Oak Ridge National Laboratory•Oak Ridge, TN

10d

About The Position

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is hiring a Digital Communications Specialist to support the Physical Sciences Directorate and the Fusion and Fission Energy Science Directorate. The position is part of the Digital Communications Group within the Communications and Community Engagement Directorate, partnering closely with communications leads, writers, researchers, and leadership in both directorates. The specialist creates, publishes, and maintains digital content for ORNL’s public website, internal SharePoint environment, social media channels, and short-form video platforms, and may contribute to email marketing and newsletters. The role requires coordinating priorities and review schedules across two organizations and translating complex scientific and technical information into accurate, accessible, audience-focused content. Content must align with ORNL’s brand and enterprise communications standards and be accurate, timely, discoverable, and accessible. The Physical Sciences Directorate conducts research in areas including materials, chemistry, nanoscience, soft matter, geoscience, analytical science, and nuclear and particle physics. The Fusion and Fission Energy Science Directorate addresses fusion energy and current and advanced nuclear research, development, and deployment. The position supports ORNL’s mission and its values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service, and promotes an equal-opportunity, respectful workplace.

Requirements

BA/BS degree in communications, journalism, digital media, marketing, public relations, or a related field.
At least three years of relevant experience creating and maintaining organizational digital communications content.
Hands-on experience creating, editing, and publishing content in WordPress and SharePoint.
Experience developing social media content and supporting organizational publishing workflows.
Experience producing and editing short-form video for social or other digital platforms, including basic filming, audio capture, and post-production.
Strong writing, editing, and visual storytelling skills, including the ability to translate complex scientific or technical information for multiple audiences.
Ability to work within digital accessibility, web usability, content quality, and brand standards.
Ability to manage multiple assignments for different internal partners, meet deadlines, and coordinate reviews collaboratively.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing email campaigns or newsletters, including template-based production, audience segmentation, testing, distribution, and performance reporting.
Experience working in a research institution, national laboratory, university, government agency, or technology-focused organization.
Experience using web and social media analytics to evaluate performance and inform content decisions.
Familiarity with search engine optimization, answer engine optimization, metadata, and content practices that improve digital discoverability.
Experience creating accessible multimedia content, including captions, transcripts, alternative text, and accessible page structures.
Experience with professional video editing, graphic design, motion graphics, photography, or digital asset management tools.
Familiarity with materials science, chemistry, physics, nuclear energy, or fusion energy topics.

Responsibilities

Create, edit, publish, and maintain WordPress content for both directorates, including landing pages, organization pages, research content, staff information, news-related content, and other assigned materials.
Create and maintain internal SharePoint content, including pages and resource collections for employee audiences.
Apply digital accessibility, formatting, editorial quality, brand, metadata, search engine optimization, and answer engine optimization standards.
Review web content for accuracy, usability, and continued business need; coordinate updates, consolidation, or removal with content owners and communications leads.
Support social media planning and execution by developing ideas, drafting and adapting copy, preparing visual assets, scheduling posts, and publishing approved content.
Monitor basic web and social media performance and recommend practical improvements to content, format, timing, and audience engagement.
Conceptualize, script, film, and edit short-form videos about research, facilities, people, partnerships, and scientific impact.
Complete video production workflows, including interview preparation, lighting, audio capture, editing, captions, review, and final delivery in accordance with ORNL standards.
Contribute to email marketing and newsletter production, including content development, editing, layout, link and accessibility review, testing, distribution support, and performance evaluation.
Collaborate with researchers, technical staff, communications professionals, and leadership to make complex physical, fission, and fusion science clear and engaging for digital audiences.
Coordinate assignments, schedules, reviews, and approvals with central communications and the communications leads for both directorates; communicate risks, conflicts, or delays promptly.
Maintain organized digital files and production assets, including source files, captions, releases, approvals, and final products.
Stay current on platform changes and digital communications practices and recommend improvements within established strategies and standards.
Comply with environment, safety, health, and quality requirements and uphold laboratory values and ethics.
Align behaviors, priorities, and interactions with ORNL’s core values and promote equal opportunity through a respectful workplace.