External Communications Specialist

Venus Aerospace•Houston, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Venus Aerospace is revolutionizing rocket engine propulsion with its proprietary Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine and Venus Detonation Ramjets, delivering historic efficiency and performance. We are seeking an External Communications Specialist to help tell our story. This is a hands-on role focused on earned and owned communications, with writing as a core component. The ideal candidate is a strong writer and communicator, curious, eager to learn, and capable of understanding complex technical information to communicate it clearly and credibly. You will collaborate with the Communications team and colleagues across Venus to develop narratives around our technology, people, and progress. This involves interviewing engineers, researching reporters, drafting media pitches, creating social content, and preparing for major announcements. As you gain experience, you will have opportunities to take on more ownership in media relations, owned content, and external storytelling. This role is based on-site in Houston to foster close proximity to the work and facilitate firsthand learning from those building and testing our technology.

Requirements

Writing is the most important skill for this role. We want someone who likes to write and cares about getting the language right. You should be able to take complicated information, understand what matters and make it accessible without losing the substance.
Approximately 3–5 years of experience in communications, public relations, journalism, content or a related field.
Strong writing and editing skills across different formats and audiences.
Good editorial judgment and an instinct for what makes something interesting, relevant or newsworthy.
An interest in media relations and a willingness to pitch reporters.
Curiosity and an eagerness to learn technical subject matter.
Comfort asking questions and working with engineers, executives and other subject-matter experts.
Good judgment around accuracy, messaging and when to ask for guidance.
Strong organization and follow-through across multiple projects and deadlines.
An interest in both earned media and owned storytelling.
The ability to work on-site in Houston.

Nice To Haves

Pitching reporters or supporting an earned-media program.
Journalism or newsroom experience.
Communicating aerospace, defense, engineering, science or other technical subject matter.
Writing across both earned and owned channels.
Basic photography, video or digital-content skills.
Working in a growth-stage environment where teams, processes and ways of working are still being built.

Responsibilities

Write and edit media pitches, announcements, web copy, talking points, social content and other external communications.
Support day-to-day media relations, including reporter research, media lists, pitching, inbound requests, follow-up and monitoring.
Work with the Communications team and people across Venus to identify the stories behind our technology, programs, people, tests and milestones.
Help develop and execute owned storytelling around those stories, from individual posts and web content to broader editorial themes and recurring content.
Interview engineers, technical leaders, executives and other subject-matter experts and turn complex work into clear, accurate, compelling storytelling.
Help shape the editorial cadence across Venus-owned channels and connect day-to-day content to broader communications priorities.
Support communications around testing, flight, partnerships, launches, events and other major Venus moments.
Research reporters, outlets and media opportunities and help develop thoughtful, targeted pitches tied to the stories Venus has to tell.
Build familiarity with relevant reporters and take on increasing ownership of media relationships over time.
Track media coverage and relevant industry conversations and surface useful opportunities or insights to the team.
Maintain media materials, messaging resources and other communications tools that support the function.
Capture basic photo and video when useful for day-to-day storytelling and work with the broader team on larger creative needs.