Job Description
The
Science Communications Director translates complex vision science and retinal research into clear, compelling content that drives fundraising success, advances our mission, and enables internal teams and the broader community to communicate research impact with confidence.
This strategic, hands-on role leads science content strategy, ensures accuracy, and creates materials—including podcasts, articles, and donor communications—that inspire major donors, strengthen corporate partnerships, and engage the community with accessible science messaging.
Primary Responsibilities: T he following are representative of the duties and responsibilities associated with this position and are not meant to be an all-inclusive list: Scientific Content Strategy & Production
- Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive scientific content strategy to support fundraising and education initiatives.
- Write and publish approximately 40 science-focused articles annually highlighting research updates, clinical trials, and the Foundation’s impact.
- Translate complex research findings, press releases, and technical announcements into clear, accessible summaries for staff and fundraising teams.
- Curate and maintain white papers and technical resources on the Foundation’s website to position the organization as a thought leader.
- Review all science-related marketing materials for accuracy and clarity.
- Develop internal education materials to equip fundraising teams with confidence in discussing science.
- Ensure all content adheres to plain language principles for universal accessibility.
- Integrate “Why the Foundation” and “Why Give Now” messaging across all scientific content.
- Collaborate with marketing teams on science-driven fundraising campaigns.
Scientific Partnerships & Training
- Partner with the science leadership team to ensure accuracy, alignment with research priorities, and consistency in messaging.
- Coordinate with scientists to translate research into donor-friendly language.
- Build and maintain relationships with biotech partners, researchers, and industry stakeholders.
- Develop and deliver science training for staff, including onboarding and ongoing education.
- Create talking points and scripts for fundraising events and donor engagements.
- Support quarterly webinars and major organizational events with science content.
- Produce training materials that enable staff to confidently answer donor questions about research.
Development Support & Donor-Facing Content
- Create compelling, donor-facing science content that inspires major gift commitments.
- Develop quarterly science briefings and research updates for major donors in collaboration with the science team.
- Support major gift proposals with persuasive research narratives and impact stories.
- Prepare donor call materials, including research backgrounds, talking points, and impact summaries.
- Deliver personalized research updates for principal and transformational gift donors .
- Collaborate with development teams to tailor content to donor interests.
- Provide science messaging for community fundraising activities and events.
- Contribute research summaries for corporate and foundation grant proposals.
- Optimize science content for digital platforms to drive donor engagement and conversion.
Podcast Strategy & Production
- Serve as executive producer and potential host for the Eye on the Cure podcast (26 episodes annually).
- Develop podcast content strategy showcasing Foundation-funded research and donor-supported breakthroughs.
- Manage sponsor relationships and identify new sponsorship opportunities.
- Create exclusive podcast content for donor stewardship.
- Highlight donor-funded research breakthroughs to demonstrate impact.
- Coordinate guest selection based on donor interests and organizational priorities.
- Collaborate with social media teams on podcast promotion and engagement.
Essential Qualifications: - 7–10+ years of experience in science communications, including direct support for fundraising and development teams.
- Advanced degree in biological sciences, genetics, vision science, or a related field strongly preferred.
- Proven track record of creating content that drives fundraising success, with measurable impact.
- Exceptional ability to translate complex scientific concepts into compelling, donor-focused narratives for lay audiences at an appropriate reading level.
- Strong project management skills with experience handling multiple deadlines and deliverables.
- Outstanding writing and verbal communication skills; comfortable and skilled in podcast hosting and audio content creation.
- Knowledge of plain language principles and accessibility standards for written and digital content preferred.
- Portfolio of donor-facing science content (e.g., proposals, stewardship materials) demonstrating effectiveness.
- Experience working collaboratively with fundraising professionals, scientists, and marketing teams; strong cross-functional partnership skills.
- Proficiency with AI tools, podcasting platforms, CMS, and digital analytics.
- Solid understanding of digital fundraising strategies, including optimization and content conversion.
Position Specifics: - Location: Columbia, MD, home-office based
- Full-time, Exempt
- Reporting to: VP, Marketing Communications
- Salary range $120,000-$140,000. The salary range is what we reasonably expect to pay for this role. The range considers a wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to geographic market, depth of experience, and internal equity.
- Annual Bonus Eligibility up to 8%
Application Requirements: Along with your resume and cover letter, please include
one writing sample (300–500 words max) that demonstrates your ability to communicate complex scientific or technical concepts to a non-specialist audience. Examples could include impact reports, articles, donor updates, or similar materials. Previously published work or original content is acceptable.
Job Tags
Full time, Home office,