Posting TitleSolar Communications Project Lead and Writer - Professional III

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LocationCO - Golden

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Position TypeRegular

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Hours Per Week40

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Working at NRELThe National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

From day one at NREL, you’ll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you’ll have the opportunity to engage through our ten employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.

NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.

Our planet needs us! Learn about NREL’s critical objectives, and see how NREL is focused on saving the planet.

Note: Research suggests that potential job seekers may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who is interested in this opportunity to apply. We seek dedicated people who believe they have the skills and ambition to succeed at NREL to apply for this role.

Job Description

Are you passionate about communicating science, learning about new technologies, and translating it for a variety of audiences?

Do you love taking a deep dive into technical subjects, developing communications plans, and writing stories that share the big picture about why this work is so important?

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) Communications Office has an opening for a Communications Project Lead and Science Writer (Professional III) to join the Solar Communications team. In this role, you’ll work closely with a core group of dedicated, creative communicators to develop materials that help share NREL’s impactful research.  

This Communications Professional III-level position requires the ability to manage key client relationships with ease while quickly learning and handling a variety of communications and project management tasks. This includes everything from scoping a project budget and schedule, running a virtual event, writing a story about the latest advancements in solar, developing an outreach strategy for a new research project, or working closely with senior research staff to ensure their presentation hits all the right notes—with limited supervision.

The ideal candidate will be able to use their ability to distill complex information into engaging content—along with your eagle eye, passion for quality, and keen attention to detail—to ensure content meets objectives while following NREL’s editorial style guide, standards and requirements for branding and consistency, and government publishing requirements. You’ll execute multiple projects in parallel as part of our dedicated communications team which is structured in an agency-like setting and includes communication project managers, editors, designers, and web strategists to support our clients at NREL and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). 

We’re looking for a self-motivated individual who is familiar with traditional and digital communications strategies, demonstrates attention to detail and quality, and has experience writing about technical subjects. The idea candidate is comfortable interacting directly with research staff and management while building strong working relationships across NREL’s Communications Office. This position resides in the Energy Research and Technologies Communications  Group and is structured in an agency-like setting, where you’ll meet with clients, identify budgets, create timelines, and produce content through collaboration with researchers, project managers, writers, editors, videographers, web specialists, and graphic designers.

Primary Responsibilities:

Serve as the primary communications lead for the NREL concentrating solar power (CSP) portfolio. This includes developing an annual communication planning calendar, managing CSP work both internally and externally, and tracking ad-hoc requests.

Manage communications work in key portions of the NREL photovoltaics portfolio.

Work directly with NREL research staff to support communications efforts to spread the word about their projects and publications, including crafting internal and external communications strategies, developing and updating websites with our web team, building engaging presentations, collaborating with designers to develop graphics for a publication or proposal, and more.

Serve as a communications project lead (70%) and writer (30%) for various projects on the Solar Communications team.

Create and track multiple project plans, timelines, and budgets for a variety of multichannel outreach campaigns, ranging from one-off promotional efforts to flagship multiyear projects.

Develop, write, edit, and publish web and social media content and news articles to promote NREL’s research, following established standards and best practices.

Coordinate virtual events, including providing technical support and acting as a host for webinars, meetings, and workshops using relevant software platforms.

Work with other communications professionals, graphic designers and web content specialists to scope projects, plan and execute high-quality deliverables.

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Basic QualificationsRelevant Bachelor's Degree and 5 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience. Or, relevant Master's Degree and 3 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience. Or, relevant PhD or equivalent relevant education/experience. Or, relevant JD or equivalent relevant education/experience. Complete understanding and wide application of technical principles, theories and concepts in the field. General knowledge of other related disciplines. Considerable knowledge of laws, regulations, principles, procedures and practices related to specific field. Strong leadership, project management and problem solving skills. Ability to use various computer software programs.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

Solid technical writing and storytelling skills. 

Attention to detail and quality.

Experience working independently as a communications professional to plan, coordinate, and provide a variety of communication services for complex, multi-channel communications campaigns.

Critical thinking skills, with the ability to work collaboratively within a team environment.

Complete understanding and wide application of communications principles, theories, and concepts.

Developing strategic communication plans and reports.

Creating, monitoring, and adhering to budgets and schedules to meet deadlines, using strong project management skills.

Advanced writing skills to communicate effectively through internal and external channels.

Experience working with teams and customers.

Problem-solving abilities to work collaboratively with people to achieve goals.
 

This role requires the successful candidate to be living locally and have the ability to work on-site when neede. The role will allow for hybrid work and relocation benefits are available.
 

Preferred Qualifications

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)Job Profile: Professional III / Annual Salary Range: $73,200 - $120,800

NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits SummaryBenefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short*- and long-term disability insurance; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement*. NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Limited-term positions are not eligible for long-term disability or tuition reimbursement.

* Based on eligibility rules

Drug Free Workplace

NREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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EEO Policy

NREL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

EEO is the Law | Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination | Reasonable Accommodations

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