Senior Research Writer

Senior Research Writer

Penn State's Office of Strategic Communications—the University's central public relations and marketing division—seeks a Senior Research Writer who can help elevate Penn State's reputation as a top research university. With a focus on supporting the College of Medicine, the person in this position will use their leadership skills and strategic thinking to develop and implement integrated communications plans around thematic research priorities, produce high‑impact content, position faculty experts in national and global conversations, and cultivate relationships with influential media outlets.

This person will also collaborate across units to ensure alignment with institutional goals and national research priorities.

This is a hybrid position with an expectation of being on the University Park campus two to three days per week and traveling regularly to the College of Medicine campus in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

• Participate in strategic planning to promote the College of Medicine's research strengths, including meeting with college leaders to understand goals and priorities
• Create and implement integrated communications plans through multi‑channel dissemination (including news releases, op‑eds, multimedia, and social media) to support reputation building in key thematic areas
• Lead the promotion of peer‑reviewed University research findings
• Position faculty experts in national and global conversations and media outlets through targeted pitch strategies
• Identify and prioritize high‑impact research stories across the University
• Build and maintain relationships with regional, national, and international media
• Respond to media inquiries and coordinate interviews
• Experiment with innovative storytelling formats and evaluate performance metrics to refine strategy
• Review/edit research‑related stories written by communicators across the University
• Develop reports for leadership that highlight success metrics
• Collaborate with Strategic Communications' leadership to allocate resources and set content priorities
• Mentor junior writers and provide guidance to unit communicators on best practices
• Contribute to University‑wide initiatives such as impact campaigns and leadership communications

• Have experience translating complex research into accessible narratives for diverse audiences
• Understand trends in science communication, media, and higher education
• Be able to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment
• Possess outstanding interpersonal, editing, and verbal communications skills
• Have the ability to develop and execute strategic plans and lead complex projects
• Possess strong leadership and collaboration skills
• Be a self‑starter who works effectively alone and with others
• Have experience in strategic communications, media relations, or research communications

Bachelor's Degree

6+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted

Required

Certifications:

None

As Penn State's central public relations and marketing division, the Office of Strategic Communications is a fully integrated, award‑winning, best‑in‑class marketing and public relations team defined by innovative strategy and breakthrough creative driven by measurable goals. We advance the University by strengthening and protecting the institution's reputation in regional, national and international spheres of influence in ways that serve recruitment, resource and leadership goals.

Spanning Penn State's large‑scale enterprise—including campus locations across Pennsylvania, nearly 90,000 students, and an alumni base exceeding 700,000—the Office of Strategic Communications' work encompasses all forms of communications and engagement, ranging from branding, marketing, and trademark and event management to internal communications, proactive and social media, research communications, and crisis and issues management. We've attracted talented and diverse team members from private and public sectors at all levels of our division, giving us the…