Associate Science Communicator or Science Communicator

• Location: Richmond, California

• Program: Clean Water

• Type: Full-time

• Experience Level: Bachelors plus 6-9 years of experience, or Masters plus 4-7 years of experience

• Position Type: Permanent

• Salary: $90,953-$105,023. See details below. 

Position Description

• Posted: 10/18/2024

• First review of applications: 3 weeks after posting

• Application closing date: position open until filled

Do you have a passion for science communication and the environment? SFEI’s Clean Water Program is looking to hire an experienced Science Communicator or Associate Science Communicator to bring our science to a broader audience as we tackle projects with regional and national implications. The position will primarily support the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP), as well as the San Francisco Bay Nutrient Management Strategy, with a special focus on pivotal pollution issues including PFAS, microplastics, nutrients, and more. 

For three decades, SFEI’s Clean Water Program has provided the science needed to assess a wide range of water quality problems in the Bay and across California, tracking long-term trends and focusing management on effective, long-lasting solutions driven by sound water quality science.

For this science communication position, work will include creating engaging content for websites, newsletters, fact sheets, social media, and mainstream media outreach; preparing annual reports featuring accessible and relatable science summaries; developing and implementing outreach strategies for key projects; and managing social media engagement across the Institute. The Science Communicator will work closely with lead scientists on diverse, intellectually stimulating, and impactful topics in water quality and ecological and human health. Experience translating technical information relating to chemistry, environmental science, public health, or related fields to the general public is essential.

The ideal candidate is a gifted communicator who can bridge the gap between scientists and the public. In addition, the candidate must have strong organizational and proactive planning skills, ability to multitask, ability to track and see tasks through to completion, and ability to communicate with different staff and partners. This is a great opportunity for someone who has strong science communication skills and wants to work with diverse and innovative technical teams to share critical research aimed toward making positive environmental change.

SFEI is a hybrid workplace, with most staff in the office several days per week. For this position, hybrid is preferred, though a fully remote option is possible with approval from management.

Primary position responsibilities will include:

• Content Creation: Write engaging and accessible content for websites, email newsletters, fact sheets, and social media platforms, intended to reach diverse audiences including water quality managers and decision-makers, funders, journalists, underserved communities, Tribes, and the general public.

• Annual Report Development: Play lead role in preparing program annual reports.

• Content Strategy Development: Craft and refine communications strategies for key projects and scientific reports, in close collaboration with lead scientists. 

• Mainstream Media Support: Draft media advisories and press releases, track media hits, and develop targeted media contact lists.

• Social Media Management: Develop and execute dynamic social media strategies, guidelines, and protocols to effectively communicate the science of the Clean Water Program and other programs across the Institute.

• Analytics and Reporting: Monitor and report on content performance to continually optimize our efforts and demonstrate tangible results.

• Web Design Planning: Participate in the planning and conceptualization of website designs that enhance engagement.

• Event Planning: Assist with organizing and hosting annual stakeholder meetings and other outreach events.

• Development Support: Assist our Director of Strategic Initiatives with content development relating to fundraising efforts.

If you are excited about this role, but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this, or one of our other roles.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Bachelor’s degree with a preference for a degree in media, journalism, or other relevant field plus at least 6 years of science communications experience OR

• Master’s degree with a preference for a degree in media, journalism, or other relevant field plus at least 4 years of science communications experience

Required Skills

• Exceptional writing skills, with an emphasis on science writing in such fields as toxics, chemistry, environmental science, public health, or related fields

• Proven expertise in copywriting and content marketing

• Proficiency in Google Suite Applications and social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn

• Excellent oral communication and interpersonal skills

• Strong organizational skills, including ability to manage and prioritize a variety of detail-oriented tasks successfully

• Must be a self-starter and able to proactively anticipate next steps

• Ability to work independently with limited supervision and in a team environment

Preferred Skills

• Interest in working in a mission-driven environmental science non-profit

• Experience communicating technical topics to the public, such as past work in pollution, environmental science, public health, or related fields

Salary & Benefits highlights:

• This will be a Science Communicator or Associate Science Communicator position. The anticipated salary range for full time employment is $90,953-$105,023 for this position (Bay Area salary ranges are listed; note that salary ranges for other locations are 10-15% lower depending on location and are based on locational salary data). Salary ranges take into account many factors for making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, education, internal equity, and organizational needs. We expect to offer starting salaries at or near the lower end of the salary range.  

• Matching contributions to retirement plan (immediate vesting) (403B)

• Medical Insurance: health, vision, dental with employer and employee contributions

• 12 paid holidays

• Vacation days starting at 3 weeks accrual/year

• Hybrid workplace

About Clean Water

The Clean Water Program is one of the nation’s premier water quality science programs. It anticipates and meets the water quality data needs of policy-makers, resource managers, and the public. It helps the public, regulators, and those who discharge into our waters create more effective policies to ensure the health of our waters. The Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (Bay RMP) is in its 31st year. The RMP is the flagship of the Clean Water Program and is a model program to present decision makers with the best available science on pollution in San Francisco Bay. The RMP combines high quality science, forward planning, public forums, and the delivery of clear and actionable data to watershed managers and the public.

About SFEI

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which has a more than 30-year track record of providing robust and innovative science to decision-makers, policy-makers, practitioners, and community members to measurably improve the health and resiliency of Bay-Delta ecosystems. As a boundary organization, SFEI operates at the interface between science and policy, recognized nationally for our ability to build consensus to support effective environmental decision-making and policy. Our mission is to deliver visionary science that empowers people to revitalize nature in our communities. 

SFEI employs an interdisciplinary staff of more than 70. Our operations and IT staff are the backbone of our organization and keep everything running smoothly. SFEI has three major programs: Clean Water, Environmental Informatics, and Resilient Landscapes. Our program staff represent numerous scientific and technological fields, including chemistry, modeling, ecology, wildlife biology, landscape planning, historical ecology, geomorphology, geospatial analysis, and web development. 

For more information on our mission, values, programs, and staff, visit theSan Francisco Estuary Institute website.  

Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action Employer

At SFEI, we celebrate the diversity of our staff and the places we serve, and recognize the value and strength of diversity. We are committed to growing together and creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace. In 2022, SFEI developed and adopted mission and vision statements for DEIJ within and beyond our organization. We also created an action plan which is currently underway. We strongly encourage applications from women-identified people, people of color, and people with other identities commonly under-represented in environmental science. We invite you to share what you like about your professional experience as well as about yourself personally. 

San Francisco Estuary Institute is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We are committed to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, physical or mental disability, family or parental status, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Accommodations Statement 

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request an accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our website or application portal as a result of your disability. To request an accommodation, contact us at 510-746-7355 or admin@sfei.org.

Other Key Information

Please note that SFEI cannot sponsor an employment visa (e.g., H-1B) to fill this position.

In the spirit of a fair hiring process, no phone calls or emails please.