Content Officers

At the SKAO we are coordinating a global effort to deliver one of the largest science facilities on the planet. The SKAO telescopes will be next-generation instruments that will help to answer key questions in astrophysics, drive technological innovation and support human capital development.

More than a dozen partner countries and over a thousand scientists and engineers around the world are already on board, making the SKA project an international collaboration like no other, and one of the most ambitious science and engineering endeavours of the 21st century.

Headquartered in the UK, with telescope sites in Australia and South Africa, the SKAO will be one observatory operating two telescopes, an endeavour spanning three continents. Multinational by design, in early 2021 the SKAO became an intergovernmental organisation, one of only a select handful of science infrastructures to do so worldwide.

Our Global HQ is located near the buzzing city of Manchester at the historic Jodrell Bank Observatory, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the Cheshire countryside. It is home to a rapidly expanding international team of more than a hundred, working in a highly collaborative and inclusive way, in coordination with SKAO teams in Australia and South Africa as part of a global astronomy and engineering community.

Being part of Team SKA means contributing to something extraordinary: a uniquely exciting project to advance human knowledge that will last for decades. In return, we offer a diverse multicultural working environment, 30 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme, visa and support with relocation (if applicable), regular social events, a family-friendly environment and much more. Come and join us

An exciting opportunity for two skilful storytellers with experience in communications to join an international, multicultural organisation.

The Role

Working under the supervision of the Content and Media Lead, the Content Officers will be tasked with producing a broad range of public content for the Observatory highlighting its scientific, engineering and societal relevance to a wide range of audiences. This includes social media campaigns and posts, news articles and media releases, web and print content such as brochures, leaflets and video material, as well as taking part in or facilitating outreach activities where required.

The SKAO is a co-host of the IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (IAU CPS) and provides communications and outreach support to the Centre to facilitate its work. As such, the Content Officers may also be asked to dedicate some of their time to promote the activities of the Centre.

The Content Officers will be flexible team players who are willing to undertake other tasks as required across the team. There is scope for development and specialisation within the role, either towards social media management, media relations, video production, print production or more.

The roles will be based at the SKAO Global Headquarters at the iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire, UK.

SKAO is committed to providing an inclusive and flexible working environment, meeting the requests of our Colleagues whilst also fulfilling the needs and objectives of the Observatory.

There may be occasions where these roles require the post holders to work across different time zones and, in line with SKAO policy, flexible working hours will be supported in agreement with the line manager.

Key Responsibilities, Accountabilities and Duties
- Research and fact-checking: Proactively research news and updates from within and across the Observatory and partnership, staying informed of developments and working closely with experts to ensure accurate content creation and communication efforts.
- Develop compelling and informative content for a broad range of platforms and styles, including magazine articles and news, media releases, blog posts, social media posts, infographics, and other material.
- Craft clear and engaging copy for different mediums and audiences, ensuring accuracy, consistency and adherence to the Observatory's style guide.
- Assist in running the Observatory's social media channels, including scheduling content, engaging with followers and monitoring platform metrics.
- Contribute to the production of video material, such as filming interviews, editing videos etc.
- Monitor media outlets and relevant online platforms for coverage of SKAO-related news and developments, compiling media reports for internal analysis.
- Collaborate with colleagues across the Observatory to build good working relationships, source news and material, and produce content, particularly with the Communications colleagues in the two host countries (Australia and South Africa).
- Undertake communications and outreach activities for the IAU CPS in collaboration with partners (IAU, NOIRLab, SKAO) as required, including preparing print,