Science Writer

**Job Advert Summary**:
**Communications and Engagement Unit**

The strategic vision of the Communications and Engagement Unit is aligned to the three-fold mandate of the Impact Centre, which is to work towards the relevance, visibility and impact of HSRC research as noted in the HSRC Impact Strategy. In contributing to this mandate, the unit aims to enhance awareness and appreciation of the HSRC brand (research and human capital) among stakeholders, research users and consumers, internally and externally. The unit’s activities include executing all internal and external communications to enhance the reach and possible uptake of HSRC research. The unit also maintains the institution’s brand quality and reputation.

This is a permanent contract to be based in either Cape Town, Pretoria or Durban.

**Minimum Requirements**:
**Key requirements**
- A bachelor’s degree (NQF 7), preferably in journalism, communication, or the social sciences;
- Three to five years of non-fiction writing experience;
- Familiarity with the concepts and methods in research in the social sciences and humanities;
- An ability to comprehend academic writing and make it accessible for different audiences;
- Excellent writing, interviewing, and organisational skills;
- Ability to work simultaneously on several projects and write to tight deadlines;
- Competent in the use of various software packages (i.e., Word, Excel);
- Ability to travel for assignments as required;
- A valid South African driver’s licence

**He/she also**:

- Maintains high standards of clarity, accessibility, eloquence and quality in their writing and language use including in the reviewing, editing, and proof-reading processes;
- Adheres to professional principles and ethical imperatives;
- Has a good sense of newsworthiness and exercises sound editorial judgment in their work; and
- Strictly adheres to deadlines and copes well with sometimes intense work demands.

**Commendations/advantages**
- Ability to work and write in more than one official language or in more than one international language;
- An appreciation for diversity and the value of including diverse evidence/experience-based views.
- An ability to interface with people at all levels within the organisation and in society.
- Experience in conducting radio interviews; directing videos and web design
- An honours or master’s degree, preferably in journalism, communication, or the social sciences.

**Duties and Responsibilities**:
**Key performance areas and responsibilities**
- For the _HSRC Review_ (the social sciences and humanities quarterly magazine of the HSRC aimed at the general public), write or rewrite approximately 6 long-form articles per quarter (approx. 1 200 words each); provide language editing and proofreading support to the editor, source photography and conceptualise graphs, infographics and other visuals.
- Write, rewrite and edit short articles (200 to 700 words), web content, media releases, newsletters, social media content, video scripts and other content as requested for various platforms aimed at internal and external audiences.

**In addition, he/she will**:

- Pitch story ideas that can be pursued across various formats, including print, online, and multimedia;
- Develop and grow a network of contacts throughout the HSRC to identify and address communications needs and channels of distribution;
- Write content that promotes the growth and use of the social sciences and humanities-centred knowledge in society.

Because we work in small and interconnected teams, the science writer may be called on to support other areas of work in the organisation in which their knowledge, creativity, flair, and insightfulness add value.