Rubin Observatory Seeks EPO Astronomy Content Strategist
Vera C. Rubin Observatory is a brand-new astronomical facility currently under construction in Chile, with staff based in Tucson, Arizona. Rubin Observatory will undertake the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), which promises to be one of the largest and most comprehensive astronomy surveys of its kind. Rubin Observatory will enable countless discoveries in almost every area of modern astronomical research — discoveries made possible by the team that built the Rubin Observatory system, and by the global science community that Rubin Observatory serves.
The Rubin Education and Public Outreach (EPO) team is a small, interdisciplinary group of astronomers, writers, designers, and developers building data visualizations and astronomy resources for students and the general public. Our goal is to make LSST data, astronomy, and science interesting and accessible to a broad audience.
Your Role
Our outreach efforts will focus on highlighting the diverse and skilled individuals working together to contribute to Rubin Observatory science in addition to the discoveries themselves. As a member of our team, you will be part of this effort by helping us create content that promotes awareness of Rubin Observatory and its community and embodies the ambitious potential of what Rubin seeks to achieve.
In addition, Rubin Observatory EPO plans to focus on social media as a primary communications channel, leveraging the power of this dynamic platform to attract new audience members, and to build and maintain an engaging online community for people interested in Rubin Observatory. We need YOU to help us develop a social media strategy, and to implement it as the construction of the telescope is finished.
As the Astronomy Content Strategist on our team, you primarily responsibilities will be:
* Developing and maintaining EPO’s social media strategy and implementation plan — when, how, and what we share, including selecting the most appropriate platforms
* Keeping up with social media trends to inform our strategies and keep them modern
* Developing social media campaigns in alignment with EPO and project key messages and communications goals
* Creating fun and informative social media content that resonates with our audiences
* Creating a roadmap for building a diverse and inclusive online community
* Identifying influencers and building relationships that will maximize our impacts and broaden our reach
* Coordinating with communications teams at our affiliated organizations to establish workflows for how and when content is cross-promoted
* Setting measurable goals for the EPO social media effort and deciding upon analytics that will help us understand how to best serve our future audiences
You will also have the opportunity to contribute to:
* Shaping the voice of Rubin Observatory outreach communications
* Creating content across the entire EPO program including website articles, videos, graphics, images, etc.
* Applying astronomy knowledge in order to provide interesting narratives to communicate discoveries to the general public
* Collaborating on the style and content of graphics and images used throughout the EPO program
About You:
A strong candidate will be excited to push the boundaries of how a major observatory communicates astronomy and the process of scientific discovery to the world. You will bring initiative and ownership to the development of our social media strategy and content. You will help lead the integration of our outreach communication efforts with our broader EPO program. To achieve this, you will work with every member of the Education and Public Outreach team and mostly closely with our science writer.
Here are some qualities that we will use to evaluate who makes a great candidate:
* Bachelor’s degree in astronomy, physics, communications, or related field
* Experience creating social media campaigns, calendars, and content across multiple platforms
* Sufficient astronomy background to provide context for Rubin discoveries to the general public
* Demonstrated ability to create engaging social media content and foster a sense of community among followers
* Dedicated interest in ensuring that this community remains diverse and inclusive — both for the audience and in the content we feature
* Demonstrated ability using analytics to track the impact of your social media effort and inform future content creation
* Ability to write effectively and to communicate using a variety of media including photos, graphics, and videos
* Ability to set goals, work independently and manage your own projects
Don’t stress the details. Above all we are looking for someone passionate about communicating astronomy to the general public, creative and ambitious in their methods for doing so, and willing to work in a collaborative environment. We particularly encourage applicants with marginalized identities to apply.
The position is expected to last through construction (concluding late 2022) with the opportunity for extension. Our preference is for this position to be based in Tucson full-time. However, there is the possibility of remote working arrangements after at least one year spent on site in Tucson. The expectation of when relocation occurs is flexible given the current pandemic. This position is full-time but there is the opportunity for flexible hours or a modified work schedule.
For more information, and to apply:
https://recruiting2.ultipro.co
Contacts:
Ranpal Gill
Senior Manager, Communications, AURA/Rubin Observatory
+1 520 309 6195
rgill@lsst.org
Lauren Corlies
Hiring Manager, AURA/Rubin Observatory
lcorlies@lsst.org
