Communications Officer_filled

  • Salary: £31,305 – £34,028 per annum (depending on experience)
  • Open Ended
  • Full Time
  • Didcot, Oxford
  • Closing date: 25th January 2021
  • Interview date: W/C 8th February 2021

Background

As part of the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is leading a programme to establish a National Quantum Computing Centre, which includes a commitment of £93m over 5 years, dedicated to drive development in the field of Quantum Computing and to place the UK at the forefront of the field. The Centre is a joint initiative of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

A purpose-built National Quantum Computing Centre will be built and operated by UKRI at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) campus in Oxfordshire. The Centre will be open and operational by December 2022. Until then, the NQCC’s activities are taking place in other facilities on the Harwell Campus or at partnering institutions. The NQCC will sit alongside other departments within the STFC National Laboratories and will be part of the broader National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP).

The primary purpose of the NQCC is to fill a key gap in the research and innovation landscape addressing the challenge of scaling quantum computing. However, this technology is immature and extensive development work is needed to scale the fundamental science to provide usable computing systems.

The NQCC’s initial 5 years will focus on developing a Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum (NISQ) machine to demonstrate the technology as well as software, algorithm and applications development. The longer term aim is to scale the technology towards an error and noise free fault tolerant machine capability with benchmarking and verification demonstrated in collaboration with UK and international partners. The NQCC will give assured and direct access to early prototype machines to developers and promote the formation of a strong UK-based quantum computing supply chain.

The Role

We have a fantastic, brand new role for a Communications Officer with extensive business development, marketing and communications skills coupled with technical expertise in a relevant discipline to support the delivery of the NQCC core objectives.

  • Develop, write and edit NQCC materials, including press releases, blog posts and social media content
  • Promote communications and engagement through appropriate social channels
  • Take ownership for the maintenance and content curation of the NQCC web site
  • Track analytics and create reports detailing successes and failures of engagement activities
  • Ensure that all communications and materials align with brand standards
  • Maintain digital media archives including photos and videos
  • Work with communications team members across the NQTP to share best practice, conceptualize and implement communications strategies and campaigns
  • Respond to media inquiries and perform media outreach to achieve brand placement in publications
  • Develop escalation protocols for managing communication crises, should they arise
  • Maintain Quality Assurance and supporting documentation
  • Drive Continuous Improvement within the Centre
  • Be collaborative and have an engaging influencing skills.

Skills and Experience

  • Experience in a communications or marketing role ideally within an academic or research institution. Relevant experience in technology communications is preferred
  • Best practices of web presence, social media channels and associated analytics
  • Writing skills, to compose engaging and accurate content as well as edit technical content for the engagement of a wide spectrum of stake holders from school children to government
  • Knowledge of Adobe PhotoShop, InDesign, Publisher, PowerPoint, and Illustrator is an asset
  • Understanding of communications, public relations and marketing best practices
  • Significant demonstrable Communications
  • Significant experience in writing engaging communications documentation
  • Demonstration of effective communication skills
  • Extensive IT skills including the MS Office & Marketing Communications tools
  • Track record of delivering engagement activities and campaigns with measured results and impact.
  • The Science and Technology Facilities Council is a world-leading multi-disciplinary science organisation where curiosity-driven, blue-skies thinking meets practical, application-led science and engineering. Our goal is to deliver economic, societal, scientific and international benefits to the UK and its people – and more broadly to the world.

One of Europe’s largest research organisations, we’re trusted to support, enable and undertake cutting-edge projects in an amazing diversity of fields. Through world-class facilities and people, we’re driving ground-breaking advances in science, engineering, computing and technology. Our research seeks to understand the Universe from the largest astronomical scales to the tiniest constituents of matter, yet creates impact on a very tangible, human scale.

For more information about STFC please visit https://stfc.ukri.org/

You can also visit our careers site https://www.stfccareers.co.uk/ 

How to Apply

Online applications only for this role. Please submit your CV and a covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation to join STFC and the role you’re applying for. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit your application without a covering letter may result in your application not being considered.

About UKRI

Launched in April 2018, UKRI is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). UK Research and Innovation brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England, which is responsible for supporting research and knowledge exchange at higher education institutions in England, and the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK. More information can be found at https://www.ukri.org/.

Additional Information
Organisation: Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Contract Type: Open Ended
External Closing Date: Jan 25, 2021
Minimum Salary: Pound Sterling (GBP) 31,305
Hours: Full-time

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