Publications Specialist

Rice University•Houston, TX

7d•$55,000 - $61,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Transnational Asian Studies (TAS) and the Chao Center for Asian Studies (CCAS) seek a versatile and technically proficient Publications Specialist to lead the end-to-end management of the Transnational Asia journal and oversee the digital presence of the Center’s various programs, including TAS, Houston Asian American Archive (HAAA), and CCAS. The Publications Specialist will also drive the communications strategy by designing high-impact promotional materials, managing social media communities, and overseeing the technical execution of hybrid and online events. By blending editorial rigor with technical operational support, this position ensures that the Center’s research, events, and brand remain accessible and engaging to a global audience. The ideal candidate is a proactive "digital generalist" who is equally comfortable navigating the nuances of scholarly publishing and the technical back end of website management. The ideal candidate should possess a unique blend of editorial precision—necessary for managing journal peer reviews and copy-editing—and creative flair for designing social media graphics and promotional content. We are looking for someone with the technical agility to work with HTML/CSS and digital archiving (DOIs), as well as the interpersonal poise to host high-visibility webinars and collaborate with international authors and student content creators. A successful candidate will be highly organized, capable of balancing the steady rhythm of an annual newsletter and journal cycle with the fast-paced demands of live event production and real-time social media engagement. If you enjoy a role where your work shifts from technical site migrations to creative brand strategy in a single day—and you possess the flexibility to adapt your schedule to the journal’s peak periods, including occasional “crunch time” work on evenings or weekends—you will thrive in this position.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted
1+ years of related professional experience (not as a student or volunteer)
In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted
Strong oral and written communication skills
Familiar with technology, social platforms, current and future trends
Organized and creative
Analytical and problem-solving skills
Ability to take direction and work to meet expected deadlines and schedules
Demonstrated team player

Responsibilities

Manages the Transnational Asia journal
Coordinates the solicitation, review, and copy-editing of articles for the journal
Communicates with authors and reviewers to ensure that quality standards are met
Formats journal articles for publication in both PDF and HTML
Publishes journal articles, which may contain text, visuals, and video
Archives journal articles with a DOI for each article
Maintains and improves the CCAS, TAS, HAAA, and Transnational Asia websites
Implements technical upgrades
Creates pages and content types using HTML and CSS
Migrates websites to new platforms as they’re adopted
Ensures information is up to date
Curates news and events
Creates and manages distribution of promotional materials for CCAS, TAS, HAAA, and Transnational Asia programs and events
Designs flyers, social media graphics, YouTube thumbnails, Zoom welcome screens, etc.
Creates LiveWhale listings for events
Maintains external and internal email lists
Writes and sends promotional emails
Writes and posts social media posts
Creates annual TAS newsletter
Manages social media communities for CCAS and TAS
Writes content used to engage constituents and grow channels
Curates digital content
Provides customer service to constituents across digital channels
Participates in the development of the digital communication and brand strategy
Manages new student content creator pilot program
Hosts Zoom component of all hybrid or online events
Creates and manages Zoom registration
Performs technical run-throughs prior to the event
Records and edits recordings for Zoom webinars
Manages editing of subtitles for recorded lectures
Uploads lecture recordings to CCAS YouTube channel
Performs all other duties as assigned