About the Role
Under the general supervision of the Director of Botanical Gardens, the Botanical Content Specialist is responsible for communicating technical botanical information with internal and external audiences to support the education, research, and outreach initiatives at The Huntington. The position will support the Huntington’s development of high-quality content by conducting scientific and archival literature reviews, curating content from various sources, collaborating with plant experts, and synthesizing the information into accessible digital, video, curriculum, interpretive and written products that maintain a consistent, high-quality, and strategically aligned institutional standard. This position is expected to work collaboratively across the institution, especially with the Education, Communication and Marketing, and Botanical Gardens staff, and will actively foster interdepartmental collaborations.
Essential Duties
- Seek information and stay current regarding research, scientific advancements, and trends in the fields of plant science, conservation, and horticulture.
- Conduct scientific and archival literature reviews, identify, and synthesize technical information, and create summaries and highlights for other departments to use with their audiences. Ability to distill technical content into short, compelling narratives to communicate complex topics and subject matters to multiple audiences, including public, students and professional audience.
- Serve as a liaison to departments to aid in editorial, communications, and interpretive planning.
- Develop key messages and narratives, based on the most recent scientific standards, that aid The Huntington to communicate the importance of plants in daily life, current plant research, and horticulture practices.
- Interact with and establish excellent working relationships with a broad range of scientists, curators, practitioners, and experts to identify and solicit appropriate content.
- Develop content that aids the development of interpretation and educational curricula.
- Support existing programming and communication channels by reviewing, validating, and synthesizing content to convey accurate botanical knowledge and expertise.
Other Duties
- Assists with events related to plant conservation and research, including outreach.
- Assist with content related to grant and funding proposals.
- Understand media ecosystems, and work with and through the Communications and Marketing team, collaborating with and learning from those with specialized experience.
- Work independently and efficiently on assigned projects.
Candidate Requirements and Experience
Knowledge, skills, and abilities:
- Bachelor’s degree in plant science, conservation science, horticulture, environmental science or related field and 5 to 7 years of experience in communicating complex topics. Familiarity with developing curriculum for k-12 audiences preferred.
- Strong skills at conducting scientific literature, primary source resources, and technical reviews using archives.
- High proficiency with tools in the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and familiarity with video/photo editing software
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, proven ability to build rapport with experts and professionals. Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
- Knowledge of current best practices of informal learning and science communication.
- Ability to communicate clearly through written and verbal forms.
- Excellent project management skills and the ability to navigate organizational complexities to ensure projects meet agreed-upon deadlines at high levels of quality.
- Ability to connect issues to personal experiences and relate effectively with people of various backgrounds and ages. Skills in working with people from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and cultures.
Compensation & Benefits
We provide competitive compensation, generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees including:
- Pay Rate/ Range: $75,000-$80,000 annually. Negotiable and commensurate on experience.
- Medical, Dental, Vision
- 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
- Hybrid remote work schedule available for applicable positions
- Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and holidays
- Discounts for staff in The Huntington Store and restaurants
- Free admission to various museums and cultural institutions
- Free passes each month to welcome family and friends to visit the grounds
The Application Process
Please submit a cover letter and CV/resume as a single PDF attachment.
You will have the opportunity to submit additional documents on the “My Experience” section of the application.