JOB POSTING

Copywriter

Posted: Open to internal and external applicants

Reports to: Senior Communications Manager

Status: Full-time, hourly, benefitted position

Hours of work: Standard Monday–Friday workweek, 8am–5pm. This position works a hybrid schedule with at least 2 or 3 days on site
each week, including Thursdays and Friday. This may change to adhere to Aquarium personnel policies overtime.

Date needed: July 2023

Posting expires: Open until filled

Position description:

The Seattle Aquarium, a leading marine conservation organization, seeks a full-time writer to join the Marketing, Communications and Public Relations (MarComPR) team. In this role, you will work with Aquarium colleagues to write and edit copy that is accurate and inspiring. Your work will support the Aquarium’s public communications, fundraising, advocacy and engagement with communities that have traditionally been marginalized from marine conservation work, including the BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disability and other communities. You will be part of a communications group within the larger MarComPR team that handles a high volume of content and messaging-related projects.

Key functions:

• Write original, compelling, accurate and inclusive copy for a range of audiences, including the public, donors, guests, partners and others. Projects will include both print content (reports, brochures, signs, invitations, letters, activity handouts, postcards) and digital content (blogs, digital ads, emails, forms, web copy, photo and video captions).
• Edit copy written by others to ensure that it reflects the Aquarium’s voice, tone and in-house style standards. Follow the Aquarium’s style guide and Associated Press style.
• Serve as a backup “in-house reporter” to the senior copywriter, identifying and researching compelling stories for the Aquarium’s blog and newsletters. Build relationships with other teams across the Aquarium to support this process.
• Balance a high volume of writing and editing tasks, staying organized and meeting deadlines.
• Proofread print and digital designs to ensure they are free of typos and errors.
• All Aquarium staff and volunteers are expected to participate in advancing and integrating into their work diversity, equity, inclusion and regenerative practices in alignment with our S.A.L.I.S.H. Values.
• Assist with other duties as assigned.

Required skills and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum one year of professional experience in a writing-centric role.
• Experience crafting clear and accurate copy for the public.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, including understanding of how to use style guides as a reference.
• Strong interest in user-centric plain language and enthusiasm for written language. Strongly preferred: second language proficiency.
• Excellent time and project management skills including ability to balance competing deadlines, analysis, organization and attention to detail.
• Experience using office software, including Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams).
• Ability to build relationships in order to collaborate as part of a team while also working independently; ability to negotiate edits diplomatically and effectively with other colleagues within the Aquarium.
• Demonstrated understanding of the Aquarium’s mission and values, including regenerative and equity work.
• Interest in conservation, sustainability and ocean health.

Working conditions:

• When on site, most of the work is performed in a typical office setting at a computer workstation in a semiprivate work area.
• Fine motor movements in fingers/hands to operate equipment and to work on computers.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, color and depth perception for proofreading print and digital materials and writing/editing photo captions and video closed captions.

Salary and benefits: $60,000 to $65,000 dependent upon experience. Full-time staff are eligible for the Seattle Aquarium’s comprehensive benefits package to include medical, vision, dental, an employer-funded health reimbursement account, medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, 403b retirement fund with employer match, access to a subsidized ORCA pass, a Seattle Aquarium Family Plus membership and generous paid time off.

How to apply: The Seattle Aquarium is committed to expanding a diverse, equitable, and inclusive conservation movement. We are invested in building an Aquarium with a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, languages, cultural ways of knowing, and life experiences. We know research shows that society has conditioned communities of color, trans and gender non-conforming people, immigrants, people with disabilities, and other marginalized candidates to more frequently not apply to a job because they don’t feel that they meet all of the qualifications listed even if they are qualified. If you meet some of the requirements and you are passionate about our mission and our ocean, we encourage you to apply and look forward to learning more about you.

Interested candidates should upload a résumé, cover letter and writing sample to our online application to be considered. Application review will begin immediately.

SeattleAquarium.org/careers

Please let us know if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for this job by emailing us at jobs@seattleaquarium.org.

Note: Must pass a background check, upon job offer, to be eligible for this position.

About the Seattle Aquarium:

The Seattle Aquarium is a conservation organization working to regenerate the health of our one ocean. We work among global leaders to advance animal wellbeing, marine and ecosystem science, public policy, field conservation and education that benefits our one ocean. We thoughtfully bring the ocean to life for the public with experiences that inspire awe, empathy and conservation action. We present extraordinary habitats, marine life and educational programs that engage and delight all members of our local and global communities. Our work is integral to a healthy future for marine life, people and the planet.

Our passionate staff increases awareness and drives the change needed to preserve and protect our marine environment by providing an inspiring visitor experience, engaging daytime and evening events, conservation education programs for people of all ages and backgrounds, community outreach to marginalized populations, research that advances understanding of animals in our care and their counterparts in the wild, advocacy and policy work, an award-winning volunteer program, high-impact marketing and communications, and more.

Our values, developed in conjunction with our staff, include commitments to adopting and promoting sustainable practices, creating awe-inspiring experiences, constantly learning and improving, fostering an inclusive community, maintaining scientific credibility through evidence-based practices and honoring our unique place by using our location and history as a lens for larger understanding.

Proudly accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, we’re among the top 10 aquariums in the U.S. by attendance, and we welcome over 850,000 people each year. Guided by our mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment, we’re working to substantially increase our conservation impact by expanding our campus with a new building, the Ocean Pavilion. Learn more at SeattleAquarium.org.

Regarding COVID-19:

Open daily, the Aquarium prioritizes the health and safety of our staff and visitors, embracing science to guide our operations. We maintain high standards of cleanliness, and all high-touch surfaces (like windows, railings, restrooms and elevators) are continuously cleaned.

Please note: All Aquarium staff and volunteers must provide proof of vaccination or approved medical or religious exemption by the date of hire. If you have questions about this policy or for information regarding the exemption process, please contact the Human Resources department at jobs@seattleaquarium.org.

Timeline:

We anticipate the following recruiting schedule for those candidates who are selected for consideration. The following dates are preliminary and subject to change. We will work with candidates to set interview dates. If hired, relocation assistance is not available.

• Interviews completed during June 2023.
• Start date: July 2023.