This position works within National Geographic’s Education division, and is an integral part of the team building the new digital resource library for educators. The Research Specialist works under the supervision of the Project Manager and supports the rest of the team in developing digital educational resources for this library.
The Research Specialist conducts content research--finding information and sources to inform, cite, and verify the accuracy of a variety of instructional assets such as photographs, videos, articles, idea sets, classroom activities, educator guides, explorer profiles, infographics, maps, quizzes, and other resources, and clearing those resources, as needed, with the legal team. Further, the Research Specialist will undertake web production tasks in partnership with the digital team to build assets in the resource library using templates in the National Geographic Society content management system. The Research Specialist also assists in cataloging and indexing resources and research findings as appropriate, coordinating team activities with the Digital Asset Management (DAM) System build-out.
- Locate print and online sources to help add depth to, verify assertions from, and otherwise enhance digital resources that are a part of the Resource Library for educators. Support the resource library team in creating and copy-editing content. Work with other education team members, and staff from other divisions, to identify the best sources, materials, and research protocols to support the work. (40%)
- Assist in the organization and indexing of resources that are used or created for inclusion in the resource library, adding/revising metadata as needed to resource records in the DAM. Information may include citations, sources, rights or licensing information, and more. (40%)
- Learn and use preferred National Geographic style and rights clearance processes for quality assurance purposes, and to ensure grammatical accuracy, journalistic standards, and adherence to style for an education audience. (15%)
- Stay current on National Geographic’s mission and values, and participate in department-wide initiatives. Stay up-to-date on research and development in K-12 education, and educational technology. (5%)
- 3+ years experience working in formal or informal educational settings and/or developing educational materials.
- Education and experience may be combined to meet experience requirements.
- Ability to work on multiple projects with changing priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment is essential.
- Excellent written, verbal, and digital communication skills.
- Highly effective organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Experience and knowledge about education and teaching.
- Experience with typical editorial/research processes and strong research skills. Proficiency in Office Suite and Adobe Creative Suites.
- Knowledge of HTML and Flash development a plus.