Role Snapshot
As a Media, PR, Web & Graphic Design Specialist for NC State's SPEED autonomous-science facility, you will lead science communication efforts to showcase groundbreaking research to academic and public audiences. This role combines storytelling, digital content creation, and visual design to build awareness of the facility's capabilities and research impact.
Key Responsibilities: Develop science communications including news releases and feature stories, manage the SPEED website, create visual materials and graphics, produce photography and video content, and coordinate with internal and external media partners. Support brand consistency, maintain digital asset libraries, and translate complex technical research into engaging content for diverse audiences.
Skills & Tools: Strong science communication and storytelling abilities, proficiency in web design/management, graphic design, photography, and video production; expertise in digital content strategy, social media, and brand management. Excellent writing, project coordination, and ability to distill complex technical information for general audiences.
Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, graphic design, marketing, or related field with 2-3 years of relevant experience in science communication, digital media, or institutional communications. Demonstrated portfolio of communications work and proficiency with design and web content management tools required.
Compensation: $55K–$75K/yr (estimated)
Job Description
As a Media, Public Relations, Web & Graphic Design Specialist, you will play a key role in telling the story of the Self-driving Platforms for Expedited Experimental co-Design (SPEED), an NSF-funded national autonomous-science user facility at NC State. This position brings together science communication, media relations, digital content, web management, and visual design to showcase SPEED’s research, capabilities, people, and impact to audiences within and beyond the scientific community.
Core Job Responsibilities:
- Develop clear, engaging science communications, including news releases, media materials, feature stories, and public-facing content.
- Manage and enhance SPEED’s website, keeping content, user resources, events, news, and facility information current and accessible.
- Create compelling visual materials, including graphics, scientific illustrations, infographics, presentations, and branded resources.
- Produce and edit photography, video, social media, and other digital storytelling content that brings SPEED’s research and capabilities to life.
- Design user-facing communications for workshops, calls, demonstrations, facility access, and other SPEED activities.
- Maintain a consistent and recognizable SPEED brand across communications and digital platforms while supporting accessibility, web analytics, media tracking, and content archiving.
- Support media visits, sponsor reviews, facility tours, major events, and other high-profile communications activities.
- Build and maintain reusable templates, image libraries, and digital asset archives to support efficient content development.
- Coordinate with NC State communications professionals and external media partners as appropriate to support SPEED’s communications goals.
- Translate complex technical and scientific research into clear, engaging content that resonates with broad audiences.
This is an opportunity to shape how groundbreaking autonomous-science research is communicated and understood. You’ll bring creativity and strong communication skills to a dynamic research environment. Your work will help build awareness of SPEED’s capabilities and tell the story of the discoveries made possible through this national user facility.