Senior Research Writer

Penn State University • Benner Township, PA

10d • $68,200 - $102,300 • Hybrid

About The Position

Penn State’s Office of Strategic Communications—the University’s central public relations and marketing division—seeks a Senior Research Writer who can help elevate Penn State’s reputation as a top research university. With a focus on supporting the College of Medicine, the person in this position will use their leadership skills and strategic thinking to develop and implement integrated communications plans around thematic research priorities, produce high-impact content, position faculty experts in national and global conversations, and cultivate relationships with influential media outlets. This person will also collaborate across units to ensure alignment with institutional goals and national research priorities. This is a hybrid position with an expectation of being on the University Park campus two to three days per week and traveling regularly to the College of Medicine campus in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree
• 6+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted

Nice To Haves

• Have experience translating complex research into accessible narratives for diverse audiences
• Understand trends in science communication, media, and higher education
• Be able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Possess outstanding interpersonal, editing, and verbal communications skills
• Have the ability to develop and execute strategic plans and lead complex projects
• Possess strong leadership and collaboration skills
• Be a self-starter who works effectively alone and with others
• Have experience in strategic communications, media relations, or research communications

Responsibilities

• Participate in strategic planning to promote the College of Medicine's research strengths, including meeting with college leaders to understand goals and priorities
• Create and implement integrated communications plans through multi-channel dissemination (including news releases, op-eds, multimedia, and social media) to support reputation building in key thematic areas
• Lead the promotion of peer-reviewed University research findings
• Position faculty experts in national and global conversations and media outlets through targeted pitch strategies
• Identify and prioritize high-impact research stories across the University
• Build and maintain relationships with regional, national, and international media
• Respond to media inquiries and coordinate interviews
• Experiment with innovative storytelling formats and evaluate performance metrics to refine strategy
• Review/edit research-related stories written by communicators across the University
• Develop reports for leadership that highlight success metrics
• Collaborate with Strategic Communications’ leadership to allocate resources and set content priorities
• Mentor junior writers and provide guidance to unit communicators on best practices
• Contribute to University-wide initiatives such as impact campaigns and leadership communications

Benefits

• Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.
• In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time.
• One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level