Program Communications Specialist (Mid-Career)

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

$75,900 - $125,400

• Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

We are looking for a hardworking Program Communications Specialist to join our Communications department. Are you self-motivated individual who is familiar with traditional and digital communications strategies, and demonstrates attention to detail and quality? Are you comfortable interacting directly with research staff and management? This role could be a great fit!

In this role, the selected candidate will build strong working relationships across the Labs. You’ll help produce content through collaboration with researchers, project managers, writers, editors, videographers, web specialists, and graphic designers. You will develop, plan, and implement communications for the Water Power Program at Sandia National Laboratories. You will be a trusted partner to program managers and researchers at the Labs and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Serve as a communications representative for the Water Power Program, including working directly with the research staff and their colleagues at other organizations to develop content and programs that help amplify their projects and publications.
• Coordinate with program management and business partners to communicate the program’s value proposition. Provide communication counsel to strengthen the program area’s messaging impact.
• Respond to calls for achievements and updates as required.
• Proactively find opportunities for increased program exposure through outreach to targeted audiences.
• Proactively inform clients and team members about project status through meetings, project management tools, email, and reports.
• Set ups the systems, tools and necessary vehicles to track data and products as well as improve communication for the program and its project teams. This may include facilitating virtual events.
• Assist project teams in submitting and disseminating research products they produce through the appropriate systems as identified by the program.
• Leverage trade shows and internal or external marketing activities to promote program initiatives.
• Advise and assist technical staff in engaging with the broad social science community, by providing tools and other resources to support respectful and appropriate community engagement and support.

The selected applicant can be a virtual worker located in any U.S. State or District of Columbia. Regular or periodic travel to your assigned work location may be required.

• Bachelor’s degree in English, communications, journalism, engineering, science, or other relevant field plus five or more years of relevant experience; or Master's degree in a relevant field plus one or more years of relevant experience in communications.
• Science, energy-sector, government, technology, or research-related communications experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance.
• Ability to travel to relevant events 1-2x/year.

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Experience adhering to an in-house style guide, AP style, and/or Chicago style.
• Demonstrated ability to design, develop, and implement strategic communication programs and supporting tactics.
• Knowledge of marketing fundamentals, product branding, and tactics.
• Ability to translate technical concepts and material into compelling and persuasive communications products.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task, set priorities, and deliver strong results.

The Division 8000 Communications Department provides a broad range of services including: public and media relations, community relations, internal communications, employee engagement, sponsor and customer communications, creative services, and technical writing.

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

This Limited Term Employee (LTE) position is a temporary position for one year term, which may be renewed at Sandia's discretion up to a maximum of seven years.

Individuals in LTE positions may bid on regular Sandia positions as internal candidates, and in some cases may be converted to regular career positions during their term if warranted by ongoing operational needs, continuing availability of funds, and satisfactory job performance.