Senior Science Content & Digital Media Specialist (SME II) - OAR HQ (Silver Spring, MD) (Hybrid)

FedWriters, Inc.; Silver Spring (MD); Hybrid; USD 103,000 - 108,000; 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

FedWriters, Inc. seeks a Senior Science Content & Digital Media Specialist to craft science communications for NOAA’s OAR. You will write, edit, and produce engaging digital and print content, including web features, social posts, and graphics, ensuring accuracy through rigorous review.

Hybrid role based in Silver Spring, MD, requiring 8+ years of experience, strong editing, and proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite or Canva. Security clearance may be required.

Qualifications

• BA/BS in a technical or business discipline; advanced degrees may shorten required experience
• 8+ years of professional and/or academic experience
• Experience producing science or technical content for digital platforms
• Strong science or technical writing and editing skills; translate research for diverse audiences
• Proficiency with visual content creation tools (Adobe, Canva) and producing graphics/short videos
• Experience managing content through formal government review processes
• Familiarity with CMS and social media scheduling; track engagement analytics
• Knowledge of NOAA, OAR, or federal web publishing standards and accessibility guidelines
• SME II candidates: lead content strategy and advise senior leadership on engagement
• Ability to obtain and maintain Low-risk federal security clearance

Responsibilities

• Explain and organize complex scientific information into content for leadership and workforce
• Provide expert writing and editing for digital and print platforms
• Research and edit audience-appropriate content for online, social media, and print
• Develop themes and schedules for external websites, internal sites, and social media
• Create visual graphics, videos, and visual materials for NOAA platforms
• Monitor engagement analytics and apply insights to content strategy
• Coordinate with NOAA teams to showcase OAR mission across platforms
• Advise on sensitive content issues and innovate content strategies
• Document workflows and maintain organized project files

Skills

Technical writing

Editing

Science writing

Audience engagement

Verbal communication

Education

BA/BS in a technical field

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Canva

Job description

Senior Science Content & Digital Media Specialist (SME II) - OAR HQ (Silver Spring, MD) (Hybrid)

Location US-MD-Silver Spring

ID 2026-2552

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 OAR HQ (Silver Spring, MD)

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
• 8+ 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

$102,866.40 - $108,280.42 depending on experience, education, and clearance level.

Sorry the Share function is not working properly at this moment. Please refresh the page and try again later.