Communications Specialist 3
UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
Brief Summary of Job Duties
The Communications Specialist for the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory will play a critical role in planning and executing the center’s external communications, with the goal of advancing meaningful improvements in ocean health through raising awareness and influencing policy. The Communications Specialist will work with the research center’s leadership and researchers to develop a unified communications vision and strategy across the center’s portfolio of projects, and will oversee and/or advise on all external communications channels, including news media, press releases, social media, website, and reporting.
Responsibilities
30% Project‑specific communications – Providing advice to and collaborating with the center’s leadership and researchers on developing comprehensive short‑ and long‑term project‑specific communications plans.
25% Center‑wide external communications – Leads the development, implementation, and management of the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory’s comprehensive external communications strategy; monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of communications strategies and campaigns using media analytics, digital engagement metrics, and stakeholder feedback, and adjusts communications approaches accordingly.
15% Reporting – Drafting press releases, grant reports, and newsletters in collaboration with project researchers and assisting with other general professional writing needs.
15% Public relations – Leads media relations strategy for the center, cultivating relationships with national and international reporters and coordinating media outreach in collaboration with campus communications partners.
10% Event coordination – Coordinating events such as panels, workshops, seminars, and donor visits.
5% Intern supervision – Supervising undergraduate student interns that support the center’s social media, website, and newsletters.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree in communications, journalism, environmental science, or related field
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
1‑3 years relevant professional experience
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s Degree in communications, journalism, environmental science, or related field
4‑6 years relevant professional experience
Experience distilling and translating complex scientific topics into compelling stories for a non‑science audience
Experience producing fresh, creative communications solutions that break from convention
Experience working on a diversity of topics, particularly those related to the environment, oceans, conservation, and sustainability
Experience collaborating with a diverse set of journalists or reporters
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to manage multiple stakeholders with different communication styles
Demonstrated success delivering high quality products within budget and time constraints
Graphic design, particularly of professional‑quality deliverables, using tools such as Adobe Creative Suite and/or Canva
Special Conditions of Employment
Satisfactory criminal history background check
Position is dependent on soft funding; funding for the position has been secured through December 31 2031
UCSB is a Tobacco‑Free environment
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.
Vaccination Policy As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, including providing proof of up‑to‑date status or filing an exception or opt‑out request in accordance with the policy as of the compliance date.
Equal Employment Opportunity The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.
Reasonable Accommodations The University of California endeavors to make the application process accessible to any and all users. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations, please contact Katherine Abad in Human Resources at 805‑893‑4664 or email katherine.abad@hr.ucsb.edu.
These contact details are for accommodation requests only and may not be used to inquire about application status.
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Responsibilities
30% Project‑specific communications – Providing advice to and collaborating with the center’s leadership and researchers on developing comprehensive short‑ and long‑term project‑specific communications plans.
25% Center‑wide external communications – Leads the development, implementation, and management of the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory’s comprehensive external communications strategy; monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of communications strategies and campaigns using media analytics, digital engagement metrics, and stakeholder feedback, and adjusts communications approaches accordingly.
15% Reporting – Drafting press releases, grant reports, and newsletters in collaboration with project researchers and assisting with other general professional writing needs.
15% Public relations – Leads media relations strategy for the center, cultivating relationships with national and international reporters and coordinating media outreach in collaboration with campus communications partners.
10% Event coordination – Coordinating events such as panels, workshops, seminars, and donor visits.
5% Intern supervision – Supervising undergraduate student interns that support the center’s social media, website, and newsletters.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree in communications, journalism, environmental science, or related field
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
1‑3 years relevant professional experience
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s Degree in communications, journalism, environmental science, or related field
4‑6 years relevant professional experience
Experience distilling and translating complex scientific topics into compelling stories for a non‑science audience
Experience producing fresh, creative communications solutions that break from convention
Experience working on a diversity of topics, particularly those related to the environment, oceans, conservation, and sustainability
Experience collaborating with a diverse set of journalists or reporters
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to manage multiple stakeholders with different communication styles
Demonstrated success delivering high quality products within budget and time constraints
Graphic design, particularly of professional‑quality deliverables, using tools such as Adobe Creative Suite and/or Canva
Special Conditions of Employment
Satisfactory criminal history background check
Position is dependent on soft funding; funding for the position has been secured through December 31 2031
UCSB is a Tobacco‑Free environment
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.
Vaccination Policy As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, including providing proof of up‑to‑date status or filing an exception or opt‑out request in accordance with the policy as of the compliance date.
Equal Employment Opportunity The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.
Reasonable Accommodations The University of California endeavors to make the application process accessible to any and all users. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations, please contact Katherine Abad in Human Resources at 805‑893‑4664 or email katherine.abad@hr.ucsb.edu.
These contact details are for accommodation requests only and may not be used to inquire about application status.
#J-18808-Ljbffr