Communications Specialist II - Science Communications

Job Title

Communications Specialist II - Science Communications

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service

Department

Marketing and Communications

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
• Texas A&M AgriLife Research
• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University
• Texas A&M Forest Service
• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information:

As a member of Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications, this role strategizes, develops and executes comprehensive communications activities aimed at elevating the thought leadership and visibility of Texas A&M AgriLife. The position is charged with elevating the quality, rigor and reach of Texas A&M AgriLife's science writing and communication - translating complex research into clear, accurate and engaging content for public, media and stakeholder audiences. This includes writing for AgriLife Today's digital newsroom and magazine, supporting science-based earned media efforts and contributing to web content for Texas A&M AgriLife's KPEP sites, and serving as the dedicated communications steward for an assigned portfolio of AgriLife units. This person holds a passion for the life sciences, strong science writing skills and the ability to translate complex scientific concepts into accessible, compelling content for a range of audiences.

Key Responsibilities:

Science Writing and Content Strategy

• Serve as a science writer for Texas A&M AgriLife, elevating the standard, clarity and impact of research storytelling across the organization.
• Write and edit science-driven stories, features and news content for AgriLife Today, ensuring accuracy, appropriate context and accessibility for both scientific and general-public audiences.
• Translate technical findings from faculty, researchers and Extension specialists into narratives suitable for digital newsroom distribution and earned media pickup.
• Coordinate across internal and external stakeholders, including but not limited to leadership, social media, photo/video, media relations, web, graphic design, etc.

Assigned Unit Stewardship

• Serve as the dedicated communications point of contact for assigned units, building ongoing relationships with department heads, center directors, faculty and staff to identify story opportunities.
• Proactively track research publications, grants, awards and AgriLife Extension milestones within assigned units to surface newsworthy content.
• Coordinate with unit leadership to align messaging with departmental and college priorities and maintain a consistent editorial cadence for each unit.

Web Content and Communications

• Contribute to and help maintain web content on KPEP websites, ensuring content is current, accurate and consistent with Texas A&M AgriLife's editorial and brand standards.
• Steward brand messaging, voice and tone across platforms to ensure consistency in messaging and alignment with the overall communications strategy.
• Serve as back-up and extra support as needed for the Texas A&M AgriLife-wide digital calendar.
• Manage and support ad hoc projects and assignments, in coordination with the web team.

Analytics and Reporting

• Monitor and analyze the effectiveness of communication efforts and campaigns using metrics and analytics tools.
• Prepare reports and presentations for internal stakeholders, providing insights and recommendations for continuous improvement, including on assigned unit content performance.

Other Duties:

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Two years of related experience.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet applications.
• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Ability to present information clearly and concisely.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Communications, English, Agricultural Communications, Life Sciences or a related field.
• Master's degree in a relevant field.
• 3+ years of experience in science writing, journalism or communications, ideally in a research, higher education or agricultural setting.
• Experience writing for a digital newsroom, magazine or news publication.
• Prior experience covering agriculture, natural resources or life sciences research.

Preferred Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Strong writing, editing and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate complex scientific or technical information into clear, accurate content for general audiences.
• Working knowledge of AP style and journalistic writing conventions.
• Familiarity with the life sciences, agriculture, natural resources or a related scientific field sufficient to interview researchers and accurately represent their work.
• Experience building and maintaining relationships with faculty, researchers or subject-matter experts to identify and develop story ideas.
• Understanding of earned media and media relations practices, including pitching science stories to journalists.
• Strong project management skills, with ability to manage multiple assignments, deadlines and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills for coordinating across marketing and communications functions (social media, photo/video, graphic design, media relations).
• Ability to maintain brand voice, tone and editorial consistency across multiple platforms and content types.

What You Need to Know

Salary:  Pay Grade: 9.  Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate’s qualifications.

This position is based in College Station, TX.

Note: New hires are required to work on site full-time for the first 90 days. After the initial 90-day period, employees may be considered for a flexible work arrangement that allows up to 20 hours per week at an alternate work location, subject to approval and Texas A&M AgriLife Procedures.

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Applicant Instructions

A cover letter, resume, and references are strongly recommended. You may upload them on the application under the CV/Resume section.

Applications received by Texas A&M AgriLife must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to prepopulate the online application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.