Senior Writer & Public Information Officer

About the role

The Senior Writer & Public Information Officer will partner with the Assistant Dean, Chief Marketing Communications Officer and the school’s Communications team to shape and execute a proactive media‑relations strategy for UCLA Samueli. This senior communications professional will leverage existing media contacts and the school’s monitoring platform to secure consistent, positive coverage of faculty research and school initiatives.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and maintain general, trade and topic‑specific media lists for UCLA Samueli.
• Identify and pitch news‑worthy stories from faculty research, robotics, AI/ML, climate, quantum computing and other emerging fields.
• Work with traditional and digital journalists to secure interviews and briefings, positioning faculty as go‑to experts.
• Write and edit press releases, web features, op‑eds, student/alumni profiles, e‑newsletters, marketing materials, presentations and school announcements.
• Draft speeches and talking points for senior school leadership.
• Manage and coordinate content for the school’s Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn channels.
• Create and run a proactive public‑relations program, including a speaker’s bureau to raise visibility for the Dean and other leaders.

Required profile

• Seasoned communications professional with extensive media‑relations experience.
• Proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Deep understanding of journalists’ beats and ability to match faculty expertise to media opportunities.
• Strong editorial judgment and ability to produce high‑quality written content across multiple formats.

Required skills

• Media relations and press‑release writing.
• Social‑media management (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn).
• Web‑content creation and editing.