Westat is an employee-owned corporation providing research services to agencies of the U.S. Government, as well as businesses, foundations, and state and local governments. Westat's research, technical, and administrative staff of more than 2,000 is located at our headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, near Washington, DC.

Job Summary:
Westat is hiring Communication Specialists to join our dynamic, award-winning health communication team. We are seeking a professional with experience in strategic communications, public health and/or social marketing campaigns. The successful candidate should have an understanding of content creation, partnership engagement, social media strategy, and communications research. Experience in successfully targeting diverse populations, including children, young adults, and underserved populations. 

Job Responsibilities:
•    Support account teams in the development and implementation of strategic communication and partner engagement plans.
•    Conduct research, identify, and engage partners (medical professional societies, patient advocacy organizations, and industry) to support public health campaigns and health education marketing initiatives. 
•    Draft accurate, compelling, audience-appropriate print, web, and social media content on a range of important and emerging public health topics, including chronic and infectious diseases, and disease prevention. 
•    Work with multimedia designers to create a range of print and electronic products, including infographics, GIFS, and video animations. 
•    Support partner engagement activities and tracking. 
•    Maintain client relationships and proactively identify and propose solutions for project challenges.
•    Assist with marketing and business development initiatives, including the creation of proposal timelines, and compliance matrices.
•    Other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications:
•    A Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, or related field. 
•    A minimum of 8 years of experience providing communications, social media, media outreach, and/or partnership engagement support for public health/healthcare and/or communications programs and campaigns. 
•    Experience implementing social media strategies on current and emerging social platforms.

Preferred Qualifications:
•    Experience working with federal public health clients is highly preferred. 
•    Communications or PR agency experience. 
•    Experience with multicultural marketing and communications.
•    Experience supporting federal public health education clients. 
•    Experience developing proposal responses.

Candidates should have excellent oral and written communication and organizational skills, be detail oriented and able to work in a team environment. Applications should include links to work samples.

Westat offers a well-rounded and comprehensive benefits program focused on wellness and work/life balance. Eligible employees may participate in:

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Paid Parental Leave
• Vacation Leave
• Sick Leave
• Holiday Leave
• Professional Development
• Health Advocate
• Employee Assistance Program
• Travel Accident Insurance
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Short Term Disability Insurance
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• Life and AD&D Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Savings Account

Westat is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, genetic information, gender identity or expression, or any other protected status under applicable law.