Communications Coordinator

The Santa Fe Institute (SFI) is seeking a Communications Coordinator to join the Communications team as a vital contributor to various aspects of SFI’s public outreach. In this role you will use and develop skills in science communication and media relations.

Our small team achieves outsized impact thanks to close collaboration across the institute. Building on SFI’s 40-year history at the forefront of complexity science research and education, current initiatives include publishing a quarterly printed newsletter, monthly e-newsletter, and online news stories, contributing to and editing website and social-media content. We are continually innovating to amplify the work of resident and external researchers at the frontiers of complexity science.

The Coordinator will have an office at SFI’s Miller campus in Tesuque, just outside Santa Fe proper, and will also spend time at SFI’s Cowan Campus on Hyde Park Road. This is an in-person position; SFI employees are required to work on-site at least three days per week.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Manager of Communications, the Communications Coordinator contributes to public outreach about complexity science at the Santa Fe Institute. In collaboration with others across the Institute, the Coordinator crafts compelling, accessible social-media content, research news briefs, press releases, and other science-related content, and helps distribute them across various online channels. As needed, they coordinate with contract photographers, videographers, illustrators, and other artists to develop imagery that supports the Institute’s needs. The Coordinator oversees daily media monitoring and compiles monthly summaries for SFI’s internal audiences. They will gain experience in identifying and building relationships with media outlets, responding to media inquiries, and facilitating occasional on-site interviews.

Responsibilities:

• Daily media monitoring and compiling regular media reports
• Draft, review, and post to social media
• Contribute to writing, editing, and distribution as needed
• Pitch SFI stories to media and respond to media inquiries
• Support researchers interested in writing op-eds
• Coordinate with local photographers and videographers for as-needed projects
• Coordinate local advertising needs
• Facilitate third-party video and audio interviews
• Additional duties as assigned; SFI’s communication needs fluctuate throughout the year
  
  

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, English, marketing, or related field or equivalent work experience
• Demonstrated experience in and/or knowledge of:
• STEM higher education; prior experience with SFI education offerings and/or complexity-science research is favorably considered
• Using a variety of platforms and software, and an ability to quickly learn and use new programs/applications
• Pitching stories to and interacting with journalists
• Communicating about science across a broad spectrum of disciplines strongly desired
• Recent experience working as part of a collaborative team in a professional environment, preferably in journalism or institutional communications
• Ability to pursue tasks and projects with minimal supervision
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent writing, editing, organizational, and communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and concern for accuracy
• Demonstrated flexibility, collegiality, timeliness, and ability to follow through on complicated projects
• The ability to assist members of the news media reporting about science
  
  

Nice to have:

• A master’s degree in journalism or equivalent work experience
• Experience working in a nonprofit communications environment
• Experience with reporting or storytelling involving data visualization, data analytics, videos, and/or animations
• The ability to provide guidance and communications advice to SFI management, faculty, and staff preparing to interact with the news media
• Institutional knowledge of SFI’s science, history, and faculty expertise