Open position: Communications Officer – Deadline 20 December 2024

Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) is looking for a Science Communications and Stakeholder Engagement expert for an EU funded research project “ACTNOW”.

ACTNOW is a large, multi-national EU project coordinated by NIOZ. This Communications Officer is responsible for ensuring that the consortium meets the KPIs in terms of stakeholder engagement and communication activities during the remaining time of the ACTNOW project. The position is advertised at 0.6 FTE. This position will be offered for 24 or 25 months starting either mid-January or February, 2025.

THE PROJECT
ACTNOW (Advancing understanding of cumulative impacts on European marine biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services for human wellbeing – HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-04) is an EU-funded research project that provides regulators and decision-makers the knowledge and fit-for-purpose tools they need to combat biodiversity loss in coastal and marine habitats threatened by climate change and other local and regional drivers. We are conducting our research in Case Study Regions across Europe. Our goal is to deliver concrete scientific support to regulators charged with implementing adaptation and mitigation measures, sustainably expanding the blue economy and providing nationally determined contributions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Two of the cornerstones of the project are cooperation and exchange with stakeholders (managers, regulators, policy-makers) as well as the efficient communication and dissemination of project results, developments and events.

THE RESEARCH

ACTNOW has recently completed its first periodic report with positive results in terms of science and administration. Stakeholder engagement by partners is expected to increase in the coming months. The Communications Officer at NIOZ shall collaborate with the scientific coordinator and project manager as well as regional partners to coordinate stakeholder engagement. The Communications Officer will also create content such as explanatory videos, social media, brochures and press releases to be used by partners as well as update content on the ACTNOW website.

THE INSTITUTE

NWO-NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research is the national oceanographic research institute. The mission of NIOZ is to perform academically excellent multidisciplinary fundamental and frontier-applied marine research addressing important scientific and societal questions pertinent to the functioning of oceans and seas. NIOZ also serves as national marine research facilitator (NMF) for The Netherlands scientific community, and stimulates and supports national and international marine research, marine education programs and marine policy development.

THE DEPARTMENT

The Department of Coastal Systems (COS) studies integral coastal ecosystems and their populations of fish, birds, and other marine animals in the North and Wadden Seas as well as on a global scale. The department focusses on key physical, chemical and biological processes that determine the productivity and the ecological functioning of coastal areas. The coastal system is studied as a unity by considering the interrelations between the key compartments of the ecosystem (water, sediment, microalgae, macrozoobenthos, parasites, fish and birds). The welcoming atmosphere at NIOZ will provide ample opportunity for collaborations.

THE ROLE

Given the goals and scope of the ACTNOW project, the Communications Officer will have several responsibilities in support of effective communication, dissemination, and stakeholder engagement. These include:

Communication

• Develop and implement communication strategies aligned with ACTNOW’s objectives, ensuring delivery of key messages to different audiences this includes creating and curating content for various platforms such as explanatory videos.
• Develop and update brochures, flyers, and other communication materials to promote the project to different audiences.
• Provide partners the tools and guidance they need to most effectively communicate project activities and achievements.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Coordinate and monitor stakeholder engagement activities across the 10 regional Case Studies by working closely with project partners to maintain updated lists of stakeholders and schedule engagement meetings in line with project goals.
• Engage with online communities to increase ACTNOW’s visibility and impact in relevant scientific and policy discussions.
• Assist partners in organizing and scheduling workshops and training sessions for early career researchers in line with ACTNOW KPIs.

Project Dissemination

• Track and monitor KPIs related to dissemination (e.g. publications, social media metrics, peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations).

Project Management Team

• Contribute to official project reports (e.g., interim and final reports) by providing updates on communication, dissemination, and engagement metrics.
• Be a member of the project Steering Committee to recommend improvements in stakeholder engagement and communication practices and provide advice on how to better meet project goals.
• Maintain and update the project website (ACTNOW | EU Marine Research Project)

THE CANDIDATE

• University degree, preferably in Communications, Science Communication studies but also potentially in natural or social sciences.
• Strong IT skills (MS Office, graphic design software, etc.).
• Keen interest in science communication.
• Experience in journalism will be considered a plus.
• Candidate must demonstrate high social and intercultural competence (consistent with the size, international level, and complexity of the project consortium).
• Well-organized and service oriented.
• Friendly and reliable way of working.
• Team player (collaborative spirit and ability to work on an highly international and interdisciplinary team).
• Excellent writing skills in English (C1 level or equivalent).
• Previous experience working in large research projects is not required but beneficial.
• Ability to rapidly familiarize oneself with new, interdisciplinary research projects.

NIOZ wants to be a transparent institute with a healthy working climate and an inclusive culture, where people from diverse backgrounds and gender bring their talents and further develop these talents. We aim for inclusive decision-making processes and expect our leadership to show visible commitment, awareness of bias, and cultural intelligence.

CONDITIONS

• Employment of this part-time temporary position at Royal NIOZ, for 24 hours a week,  is by NWO-I for a duration of 24/25 months.
• Salary compliant with CAO-WVOI (Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Research Institutes) scale 10 or 11 depending on relevant experience.
• The freedom to fulfil your role and space and opportunities for your personal (talent) development with the help of the NIOZ Academy.
• 338 annualized holiday hours for a full-time 40-hour work week.
• Pension scheme via ABP, 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.33%.
• 2nd class public transportation travel is reimbursed 100%.
• Employment benefits plan to exchange a portion of your salary for days off or vice versa, or can be used to purchase a bicycle with tax benefits.
• We offer relocation expenses for employees coming from abroad and support with finding accommodation.

Royal NIOZ COS is located on the beautiful island of Texel in the World Heritage Wadden Sea. Texel offers sun, wind and beach, and a diverse but moderate level of facilities, including a thriving tourist industry, shops, sports facilities, primary schools and a high school. It is connected to the mainland by an hourly to half-hourly ferry service, with crossings taking 20 minutes. The Royal NIOZ is situated next to the ferry terminal.

MORE INFORMATION

Please apply online at www.workingatnioz.com  Your application should contain:

• a cover letter describing your motivation for being the ACTNOW Communications Officer.
• a sample portfolio of your past material that demonstrates your experience/expertise in any or all of the above roles of the position.
• a CV or resume.

For additional information about this vacancy, please contact Felix Colas (Project Manager) at felix.colas@nioz.nl or Prof. Myron Peck (Scientific Coordinator) at myron.peck@nioz.nl. For  additional information about the hiring procedure, please contact working@nioz.nl.

The closing date for this vacancy is the 20th of December.