Science Content & Digital Media Specialist (SME I) - CSL (Boulder, CO) (Hybrid)

Fwi-; Boulder (CO); Hybrid; USD 82,000 - 86,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Vision Insurance

Disability Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) Plan

Holiday Pay

Paid Time Off

Job summary

FWI seeks a Science Content & Digital Media Specialist (SME I) in Boulder, CO, with a strong background in communicating complex atmospheric science to diverse audiences. You will craft news stories, develop graphics and videos, and shepherd content through rigorous review processes at NOAA OAR, ensuring accuracy and on-brand messaging.

The role combines writing, editing, and visual media across digital, social, and print platforms, with a hybrid on-site schedule at the NOAA CSL Lab in Boulder.

Qualifications

• BA/BS in a technical or business discipline; advanced degrees or certifications may qualify for shorter periods of required experience
• 4+ years of professional and/or academic experience
• Demonstrated experience producing science or technical content for digital platforms for a federal agency or research organization
• Strong science or technical writing and editing skills; translate research findings into audience-appropriate content
• Proficiency with visual content creation tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or equivalent platforms; graphics, short-form video, or infographics for public audiences
• Experience managing content through formal scientific or government review and approval processes
• Familiarity with CMS and social media scheduling platforms; experience monitoring analytics
• Knowledge of NOAA, OAR, or federal agency web publishing standards, Section 508 accessibility guidelines
• SME II candidates: experience leading content strategy development and advising senior leadership on audience engagement and platform innovation
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Low-risk federal security clearance

Responsibilities

• Explain and organize complex scientific information into communication products for OAR leadership and workforce
• Provide expert technical and scientific writing and editing for public communication products across OAR digital and print platforms
• Research, write, and edit audience-appropriate content for online, social media, and print channels; shepherd content through internal review cycles to ensure scientific accuracy
• Develop themes, schedules, and content for updates to external websites, internal Google Sites, and social media platforms
• Create visual graphics, videos, and other visual materials for use across NOAA platforms
• Monitor engagement analytics across digital platforms and apply insights to content strategy
• Coordinate with other NOAA teams to showcase OAR mission across NOAA sites and partner platforms
• Provide advice and recommendations to the OAR Communications Director on sensitive content issues; suggest new content strategies to increase public engagement
• Document workflows and maintain organized content data files

Skills

Science writing

Editing

Digital media

Education

BA/BS in technical or business discipline

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Canva

Job description

Science Content & Digital Media Specialist (SME I) - CSL (Boulder, CO) (Hybrid)

Location US-CO-Boulder

ID 2026-2549

Overview

You are the kind of communicator who finds a hurricane forecast just as compelling as a viral social post — because you understand that both are stories, and both matter. As a Science Content & Digital Media Specialist supporting NOAA's Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), you will be embedded at a NOAA laboratory or program, providing day-to-day writing, visual content creation, and editorial support across digital, social media, and print platforms. You'll research and write news stories about cutting-edge atmospheric science, develop eye-catching graphics and videos that bring ocean research to life on Instagram and YouTube, and shepherd content through NOAA's rigorous scientific review process to make sure every word is accurate and every image is on-brand. This is a role for a creative professional with a scientific mindset — someone who can move seamlessly between a technical research summary and a 280-character social post, always keeping the audience at the center of every content decision.

Work Schedule and Location:

• Hybrid (2-3 Days Onsite) at NOAA CSL Lab (Boulder, CO)

FWI is expanding rapidly and has been recognized as a 2024, 2025 and 2026 Top Workplace, offering excellent growth opportunities in a collaborative environment .

Responsibilities

• Explain and organize complex scientific information into communication products for OAR leadership and the workforce, demonstrating strong writing and editing skills with experience translating technical information for non-scientific audiences
• Provide expert technical and scientific writing and editing for public communication products across OAR digital and print platforms, including news stories, web features, social media posts, and visual content
• Research, write, and edit audience-appropriate content for online, social media, and print channels; shepherd content through internal review cycles within OAR and NOAA to ensure scientific accuracy, correct format, and appropriate style
• Develop themes, schedules, and content for updates to external websites, internal Google Sites, and social media platforms
• Create visual graphics, videos, and other visual materials for use across NOAA platforms
• Monitor engagement analytics across digital platforms and apply insights to content strategy
• Coordinate with other NOAA teams to showcase OAR mission, work, and activities across NOAA websites and partner platforms
• Provide advice and recommendations to the OAR Communications Director on sensitive content issues; recommend and execute new content strategies and innovations to increase public engagement
• Document workflows and maintain organized files containing data associated with content development

Qualifications

Required:

• BA/BS in a technical or business discipline — Communications, Journalism, Digital Media, Science Communications, Environmental Science, or a closely related field preferred; advanced degrees or certifications may qualify for shorter periods of required experience
• 4+ years of professional and/or academic experience
• Demonstrated experience producing science or technical content for digital platforms, including websites, social media, and multimedia channels for a federal agency or research organization
• Strong science or technical writing and editing skills; ability to translate research findings into compelling, accurate, audience-appropriate content across multiple formats and reading levels
• Proficiency with visual content creation tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or equivalent platforms; experience producing graphics, short-form video, or infographics for public audiences
• Experience managing content through formal scientific or government review and approval processes
• Familiarity with web content management systems (CMS) and social media scheduling platforms; experience monitoring and reporting on digital engagement analytics
• Knowledge of NOAA, OAR, or federal agency web publishing standards, Section 508 accessibility requirements, and plain language guidelines
• SME II candidates: demonstrated experience leading content strategy development and advising senior communications leadership on audience engagement and platform innovation
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Low-risk federal security clearance

FWI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets.

Why Join Our Team

At FWI, we place the highest importance on creating an exceptional employee experience. You'll have opportunities to achieve your career aspirations through internal promotions, professional development, and other recognition and rewards programs. Join our team and take advantage of the many benefits we offer, including:

• Health Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Long-term and Short-term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• 401(k) Plan
• Holiday Pay
• Paid Time Off

Pay Range

$81,556.80 - $85,849.26 depending on experience, education, and clearance level.