Misinformation Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Full-Time County Contractual

Position open to all qualified candidates.

Location: 3 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401

Hours: 40 hours per week

Benefits: Participation in the County’s group health plan including prescription, dental, and optical, paid holidays and sick leave. Optional deferred compensation program at employee's own expense.

Nature of Work:

Seeking a proactive, creative, strategic and mission-driven Digital Content Specialist. Digital platforms are the front lines of public health. This role is critical to modernizing our Department’s voice, combating health misinformation, and ensuring our community receives important health information in real-time. As an architect of the Department’s digital ecosystem and lead for our social media presence, the candidate will transform our online presence from a passive information stream into a dynamic tool for public health defense. Responsible for "social listening," rapid-response crisis communication, and creating targeted content that reaches our most vulnerable and underserved populations.

Essential Job Functions

• Digital Strategy and Content Creation (40%)
  • Strategic Planning: Develop and execute a comprehensive annual social media content calendar for all major platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, etc.) using a deep knowledge of social media trends and platform best practices.
  • Editorial Execution: Write, edit and optimize clear, engaging digital content.
  • Multimedia Production: Design high-quality visual assets and produce short-form video content to explain complex public health initiatives.
• Web Accessibility and Compliance (15%)
  • Accessibility Leadership: Act as the lead for the Office of Communications on upcoming Web Accessibility changes (WCAG 2.2 and updated federal/state regulations) for social and digital media.
  • Remediation and Collaboration: Work closely with our Department’s webmasters to ensure all digital assets—including PDFs, videos and web copy—meet or exceed ADA and Section 508 standards to ensure equitable access for residents with disabilities.
• Social Listening and Misinformation Mitigation (20%)
  • Monitoring: Conduct daily "social listening" to identify emerging rumors, health myths or public relations threats.
  • Fact-Checking: Deploy approved, scientifically accurate content in real-time to counter misinformation that jeopardizes public health campaigns (e.g., vaccinations, disease prevention).
  • Community Management: Manage public comments and inquiries, fostering a helpful and transparent "source of truth" for the community.
• Crisis Communications and Emergency Response (15%)
  • Rapid Deployment: Act as the lead digital responder during public health emergencies (outbreaks, environmental hazards), ensuring immediate 24/7 messaging.
  • Inter-Agency Coordination: Coordinate with the Joint Information Center (JIC) to ensure message consistency across all digital platforms during active crises.
• Data Analytics and Targeted Outreach (10%)
  • Equity-Based Targeting: Execute platform-specific targeting to reach diverse and underserved populations regarding priority programs.
  • Reporting: Track and report on metrics/analytics (Reach, Engagement, CTR, KPI), using data to pivot strategies for maximum public health impact.

The position may be designated as Emergency Essential at the time of the emergency, meaning that the employee may be required to report to work or remain at work to continue agency operations during an emergency situation. During the emergency, the employee may be asked to do a task that is outside the normal day-to-day job responsibilities. No employee will be asked to perform a task that the employee has not been trained to do or is outside the scope of the employee’s legal practice. The Health Officer may excuse or require the employee’s presence as circumstances and conditions warrant.

Education:

Associate degree AND/OR Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, graphic design, digital journalism, digital marketing, public health or health communications from an accredited college or university.

Experience:

• Organizational Social Media Management: The complexity of the Department’s digital ecosystem requires experience managing formal business or organizational accounts, rather than personal profiles. Must possess proven experience in developing strategic content calendars and actively managing community engagement to maintain a professional, authoritative public-facing presence.
• Multimedia Production and Software Proficiency: To meet the demand for rapid, high-quality visual communications, must demonstrate advanced proficiency in industry-standard software, specifically Adobe Creative Cloud (Premiere Pro, Photoshop) and Canva. A digital portfolio or reel of produced short-form video content is required to prove ability to visually translate complex public health initiatives.
• Data Analytics and Platform Tracking: Must have practical experience utilizing analytics platforms (such as Meta Business Suite, Google Analytics or Zencity). The ability to track and analyze key performance indicators (Reach, Click-Through Rate, Engagement Rate) is essential to ensure outreach strategies are data-driven and effectively targeted toward diverse and underserved communities.
• Crisis and Rapid-Response Communication: Public health emergencies require immediate and accurate digital messaging. Must possess experience operating in high-stress, rapidly evolving information environments (such as government, healthcare or journalism) to ensure the Department’s communications remain reliable and composed during active crises.
• Specialized Accessibility Compliance: A critical requirement for this role is applied knowledge of digital accessibility standards (WCAG, Section 508 and ADA compliance). Experience in creating equitable digital content—such as applying alt-text, utilizing closed-captioning and remediating documents—is mandatory to mitigate legal/compliance risks and ensure all residents have access to vital health information.

Notes:

This is a grant-funded position, currently secured for a one-year term. It is an exceptional opportunity for a creative professional looking to make a massive, immediate impact in public health, build a dynamic portfolio of meaningful work and serve the community. This position offers a competitive salary of $70,000 and includes a comprehensive benefits package. This is a hybrid position with excellent opportunities for professional development.

Desired or Preferred Qualifications:

• Education: An Associate (community college) or Bachelor’s degree in communications, digital marketing, public health, public relations or a related field is preferred.
• Public Health Interest: A foundational knowledge of, or strong interest in, public health and community wellness.
• Canva Mastery: Advanced experience in using Canva for rapid-turnaround graphic design and brand consistency.
• Zencity: Experience using Zencity or similar community engagement and social listening platforms to track public sentiment and reach.
• Bilingual Skills: Proficiency in Spanish is highly desirable.
• Expert Editing: Ability to translate technical medical/scientific language into plain, actionable language for the general public.
• Crisis Aptitude: Ability to maintain composure and accuracy under extreme pressure during public health emergencies.
• Cultural Competence: Demonstrated ability to tailor messaging for diverse socioeconomic and ethnic communities within Anne Arundel County.
• Special Requirements Status: This is a County Contractual position.
• Availability: Must be available for evening and weekend work during emergency activations or high-priority public health events.
• Travel: Must be able to travel to various locations throughout the county for field assignments, events and content capture (mileage is reimbursed).
• Physical Demands: Ability to carry light equipment (such as cameras, tripods or promotional materials) while on location.

An Equal Opportunity Employer
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