Senior Strategic Communications Specialist Location: U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, Massachusetts
Work Arrangement: Primarily onsite, with situational telework
Travel: Occasional CONUS travel for field studies, scientific conferences, demonstrations, and command events
Employment Type: Full-time
This position represents BLN24's primary embedded communications role and will be supported by BLN24's broader writing, design, multimedia, quality, and program management resources as needed.
Position Summary: BLN24 is seeking a Senior Strategic Communications Specialist to support the USARIEM Commander and Public Affairs Officer (PAO) in communicating the institute's research mission. The specialist will translate complex scientific, medical, environmental, and human-performance research into clear, factual, and engaging communications for military leaders, Warfighters, researchers, partners, media, and the public.
The specialist will work independently while coordinating closely with the USARIEM PAO, Command leadership, scientists, researchers, clinicians, engineers, program managers, and other subject matter experts (SMEs). The role encompasses editorial planning, content development, social media, event support, photography, videography, and marketing material development.
Key Responsibilities: - Maintain a forward-looking editorial and event calendar aligned with USARIEM research milestones, field studies, publications, leadership engagements, conferences, demonstrations, and Warfighter outcomes.
- Research and propose story ideas that strengthen awareness of USARIEM's research mission and organizational priorities.
- Interview scientists, researchers, clinicians, engineers, program managers, and other SMEs on complex technical and mission-related topics.
- Write and edit publication-ready news stories, feature articles, newsletter content, press releases, web content, informational products, video scripts, captions, and executive communications.
- Apply Associated Press (AP) style, plain-language principles, target-publication requirements, and web-writing best practices.
- Develop platform-appropriate social media content for USARIEM and U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) channels.
- Maintain a social media content calendar and route posts through SME fact-checking and PAO review and approval.
- Support conferences, trade shows, research studies, field demonstrations, VIP visits, Command engagements, training activities, ceremonies, and other high-visibility events.
- Coordinate event communications requirements, including objectives, audiences, messages, schedules, interview opportunities, shot lists, displays, and release considerations.
- Capture high-quality photographs, video interviews, establishing footage, and B-roll during research activities and events.
- Perform basic photo and video editing, captioning, formatting, and quality review to produce publication-ready content.
- Organize, name, tag, store, and maintain approved photographs, videos, and source files on the USARIEM Public Affairs drive.
- Develop or support marketing materials such as fact sheets, one-pagers, brochures, posters, scientific displays, briefing slides, handouts, infographics, and digital assets.
- Coordinate with BLN24's team for advanced graphic design, animation, video editing, audio production, and surge support.
- Apply Operations Security (OPSEC), Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), Section 508 accessibility, Army, DHA, USAMRDC, and USARIEM standards to applicable communications products.
- Manage multiple concurrent assignments, maintain visibility into deadlines and approval status, and contribute to task tracking, quality control, and monthly status reporting.
- Remain responsive to changing research schedules, leadership priorities, event requirements, and rapid-turn communications needs.
Qualifications: - Five or more years of public affairs, journalism, strategic communications, or communications writing experience is preferred.
- Experience supporting military, defense health, scientific research, medical research, environmental medicine, or human-performance missions is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to translate complex scientific or technical information into clear, accurate, audience-centered communications.
- Strong news, feature, web, social media, and informational writing and editing skills.
- Working knowledge of AP style and plain-language communication.
- Required photography and videography experience, including event coverage, interviews, and B-roll capture.
- Experience performing basic photo and video editing and preparing multimedia products for publication.
- General knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Premiere Pro is preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, identify story opportunities, manage competing priorities, and meet short deadlines.
- Strong interpersonal and interviewing skills, with the ability to build productive relationships with scientists, senior leaders, military personnel, and other SMEs.
- Experience supporting conferences, VIP visits, research demonstrations, trade shows, or other high-visibility events.
- Familiarity with OPSEC, Section 508 accessibility, DoD public affairs processes, and Government content-clearance procedures is preferred.
Work and Travel Requirements: - Ability to work onsite at USARIEM in Natick, Massachusetts, Monday through Friday.
- Ability to be onsite during USARIEM's core hours of 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Ability to travel within the continental United States for scientific conferences, field studies, demonstrations, and other Government-authorized events.
- Ability to transport, set up, and operate photography, videography, and event-support equipment when required.
- Situational telework may be permitted only with Government approval and in accordance with applicable telework, responsiveness, CAC, and DoD network requirements.
Security and Onboarding Requirements: - Must be a U.S. citizen to obtain the DoD IT and system access anticipated for this role.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a favorably adjudicated Tier 1 background investigation or equivalent suitability determination.
- Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a Common Access Card (CAC).
- A security clearance is not currently required.
- Must complete all required USARIEM, Army, DHA, cybersecurity, CUI, OPSEC, antiterrorism, counterintelligence, safety, and information assurance training.
- Must comply with all Government nondisclosure, safeguarding, facility-access, and contractor-identification requirements.
}
