Communications Specialist

About Waag

For nearly 30 years, Waag Futurelab has been researching how technology can be used to drive socially responsible innovation. Notable Waag projects have led to, among other things, the Fairphone, the most sustainable and fair smartphone in the world, and De Digitale Stad, one of the very first social media platforms in the Netherlands, which was recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Both Code and Make are multidisciplinary teams that initiate and carry out projects that invite reflection on the social impact of technology. 

What will you be doing?  

You will develop, coordinate, and implement marketing and communication activities for two groups within Waag Futurelab: Code and Make. Make focuses on digital fabrication, textile innovation, bio-design, and art & science. Code focuses on design research that incorporates social considerations into the design of new technology, and strives for a fair and transparent internet where public values are respected, and for technology that brings people together and supports sustainability. 

The senior communications specialist we are looking for will be responsible for marketing and recruiting audiences and participants for public and expert meetings organized by Make en Code, as well as media relations and reporting. You will work to optimize the (online) reach and impact of our activities and ensure that the (online) portfolio of project results—such as (public) reports, publications, and visual materials—is kept up to date. You will also contribute strategic insights regarding relevant target audiences for communicating the final results of Make and Code’s projects, thereby increasing the social impact of our work. 

Thanks to you, Waag Futurelab’s target audiences learn about the activities and information resulting from the research projects. You don’t do this alone, but in collaboration with the project leads from Make and Code and Waag’s communications team—which includes a designer, web editor, program developer, and producer—with whom you’ll work to bring this to life.

Responsibilities

• You will help promote the vision and mission of Waag Futurelab and will have the freedom to create various forms of communication and content;
• You will write engaging and inspiring content about Waag projects and the topics addressed in the Make and Code groups (for example, for the website, blogs, or reader submissions);
• You will promote events that contribute to the various research projects; 
• You will provide reports on your communication activities in collaboration with national and international research partners, such as museums, universities, and industry;
• You maintain a network of stakeholders who can help increase the social impact of Code and Make’s projects;
• You maintain a network of journalists who write for various media outlets on topics relevant to Code and Make;
• You will be responsible for keeping the project portfolio of the Code and Make research groups up to date.

What are you bringing?

• Proven experience spanning several years in developing and implementing multimedia communication strategies (social media campaigns, communication plans, blogs, promotional copy for events, newsletters);
• Able to work under pressure and switch between different projects and clients;
• Be able to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team and with a team of communicators;
• Strategic insight into target audiences and key stakeholders who can help increase the impact of projects by Code en Make and Waag as a whole. 
• Fluency and accuracy in writing in Dutch and English (C2 proficiency); 

What do we offer? 

• Waag has two stunning office locations in the heart of Amsterdam: the historic buildings Het Pintohuis and De Waag on Nieuwmarkt.
• Waag is an organization that offers opportunities for development and growth. Employees have access to a training budget;
• Waag offers a casual work environment and a good pension plan
• Openness, honesty, and inclusivity are the values that guide Waag in its commitment to being a good employer and in selecting the right candidate to enhance Waag’s diversity.
•  Depending on relevant knowledge and experience, the salary range for a 40-hour workweek is €2,960–€4,670 (UFO pay grades 10 and 11). 
• Flexibility in the workplace: sometimes at home, sometimes at the office, sometimes at a partner’s location.

Diversity is crucial to making technology and society more open, fair, and inclusive. That is why we encourage candidates from diverse cultural backgrounds to apply. Even if you feel you don’t meet all the requirements, we still encourage you to apply. Some qualities can’t be captured in bullet points. 

Deadline: September 1, 2023

If you have any questions about this job opening, please contact Lucas Evers at lucas@waag.org

Recruitment agencies are asked to refrain from contacting us regarding this job opening.