Senior Communications Manager, Science Technology

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was founded by Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg in 2015 to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from eradicating disease and improving education to addressing the needs of our local communities. Our mission is to build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone.

The Team

CZI supports the science and technology that will make it possible to help scientists cure, prevent, or manage all diseases by the end of this century. While this may seem like an audacious goal, in the last 100 years, biomedical science has made tremendous strides in understanding biological systems, advancing human health, and treating disease. 

Our vision is to build the future of science by advancing biomedical research and leveraging advances in AI. We identify big scientific challenges that can accelerate research and lead to significant discoveries that positively impact health and medicine. Our current focus is to understand the mysteries of the cell, which we believe will help us achieve our science mission. One of our grand challenges is to build an AI-based virtual cell model, helping the scientific community better understand when and why a cell becomes diseased or healthy. 

CZI’s overall work in science includes open-source software development, grantmaking programs, and discovery-driven research at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network, or what we call our Build, Fund, Do approach. The CZ Biohub Network includes the San Francisco, Chicago, and New York Biohubs and the Chan Zuckerberg Imaging Institute. CZI also collaborates with institutional partners like the Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural & Artificial Intelligence at Harvard University. Join us in accelerating science.

This role sits on the Brand and Communications team and reports to the Director of Science Communications. In this role, you will advance CZI’s communications in support of our science technology work, partnering closely with CZI’s science technology team and staff at our scientific institutes across the CZ Biohub Network to develop, coordinate, and execute strategic communications in support of science technology goals and priorities. You will also support the overall Brand and Communications team and our colleagues across Science with positioning and storytelling for CZI as an established leader in AI-driven biological research.

The Opportunity

Artificial intelligence has enormous potential to accelerate the pace of scientific discovery. CZI is leveraging AI to accelerate scientific research, including by building virtual cell models to help scientists explore the molecular underpinnings of human health and disease. These models will have broad applications for biomedical research, disease diagnosis, and therapeutic development.

The Senior Communications Manager, Science Technology role at CZI is an opportunity for an experienced communications professional to lead CZI’s rapidly growing science technology communications – from topics such as AI to open source software to hardware – for a fast-paced and innovative philanthropic organization on the cutting edge of technology development for biomedicine. As part of the Brand and Communications team, you will help build trust, credibility, and engagement with the scientific community to champion and contribute to our science mission.

The right person will have strong domain expertise at the intersection of science and technology, experience working with science and technology reporters, and the desire and ability to collaborate cross-functionally with science, engineering, product, and brand and communications teams.

What You'll Do

• Create and execute integrated communications strategies for CZI’s work in science technology, including for tools built in-house and through partnerships with CZI’s grantees, AI residents, and CZ Biohub Network researchers 
• Partner closely with science technology leaders at CZI to identify thought leadership opportunities and provide executive communications guidance on speaking engagements, press requests, and other public-facing opportunities
• Develop media and stakeholder outreach strategies and manage activities related to science technology, including proactively sourcing and pitching stories about CZI’s work in AI and developing and maintaining relationships with members of the media (with a focus on science and technology reporters)
• Collaborate across functions and teams to create and support or manage content development related to CZI’s science technology work, including press releases, statements, memos, blogs, social media, website content, product marketing, and other communications materials
• Establish metrics for success and mecha