POSITION OVERVIEW:

This is an exciting opportunity for an emerging communications and marketing professional who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment and enjoys wearing multiple hats. The ideal candidate is equal parts storyteller, relationship-builder, content creator, and project manager.

The Marketing & Community Engagement Specialist will play a central role in strengthening AURP’s brand visibility, member engagement, digital presence, and event communications. This role works across strategic communications, membership engagement, event marketing, and content production to support AURP’s growing international network.

This position offers broad exposure to leaders in higher education, research commercialization, entrepreneurship, innovation districts, and economic development — making it an excellent growth opportunity for someone interested in future leadership roles within associations, innovation ecosystems, higher education partnerships, or nonprofit organizations.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Brand Storytelling & Strategic Communications
• Community & Membership Engagement
• Event Marketing & Program Promotion
• Content Production & Digital Media
• Marketing Analytics & Growth Strategy

ABOUT AURP www.AURP.org

Founded in 1986, the Association of University Research Parks (AURP) is a AURP is an international nonprofit organization that supports communities where innovation happens — places where universities, researchers, startups, businesses, and government partners work together to turn new ideas and discoveries into real-world solutions, companies, and jobs.

AURP members are dedicated to supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and the development of vibrant research and innovation communities - creating new and higher paying jobs, contributing to regional economic growth, and the impact of moving R&D to market (think cancer diagnostics and treatments, robotics and drone delivery, new building technologies for energy efficiencies, etc.). Our members include the United States’ leading universities, research parks, innovation districts, startups, corporations, and economic development organizations such as Stanford, Purdue, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, UCLA, Harvard and more.

We’re looking for a dynamic, creative, and highly organized Marketing & Community Engagement Specialist to join our collaborative team and help elevate AURP’s voice, member experience, and global impact these research discoveries contributed throughout the world.

Why Join AURP?

This position offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of:

• innovation and entrepreneurship
• higher education partnerships
• research commercialization
• technology ecosystems
• economic development
• global collaboration networks

You will gain broad hands-on experience across strategic communications, event marketing, digital engagement, and membership growth while working alongside leaders shaping the future of innovation communities worldwide.

Salary Range: $42,000-$52,000 Depending upon experience.

Office Location & Travel

• Remote or hybrid opportunities are available based on candidate location; Arizona resident preferred
• Limited travel required for conferences and events (approximately 2–3 events annually)

To Apply

Please submit:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Salary expectations
• Optional writing samples, portfolio links, or examples of digital content/campaign work

We look forward to learning how your creativity, communication skills, and passion for community-building can help advance AURP’s mission.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• 1–3 years of experience in marketing, communications, public relations, digital media, or a related field
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, marketing, public relations, or related discipline
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Experience with social media management, email marketing platforms, and digital communications
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a small team environment
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to high-quality work
• Comfortable learning new technologies and adapting to changing priorities

Preferred

• Experience working within associations, nonprofits, higher education, or mission-driven organizations
• Familiarity with membership organizations or community engagement programs
• Experience with event marketing and webinar platforms
• Knowledge of basic HTML, CMS platforms, and/or marketing automation tools
• Experience with podcast, video, or multimedia production
• Understanding of innovation ecosystems, research commercialization, entrepreneurship, or economic development

About Association of University Research Parks (AURP)

WHAT IS AURP? For over 40 years, AURP serves as a learning and leadership consortium, enabling real-time peer exchange, best practice sharing, and coordinated policy efforts. By convening stakeholders and fostering collaborative development, AURP ensures that success in one region can become a blueprint for others — ultimately driving economic growth and innovation across communities to support critical national initiatives. BUILD YOUR NETWORK BY JOINING OUR GLOBAL INNOVATION VILLAGE! ?AURP strengthens connections among leaders in place-based innovation ecosystems, facilitating executives and their communities achieve exceptional performance through growing small business startups, corporate associations and innovation discoveries, job creation with above-average pay, and regional prosperity. Gain access to premier events, professional development, and resources to sharpen your skills. By expanding relationships and shared discoveries of our members—we are BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF INNOVATION. WHAT IS A COMMUNITY OF INNOVATION University research parks are physical environments that can generate, attract and retain science and technology companies and talent in alignment ...with sponsoring research institutions that include, universities, as well as public, private and federal research laboratories. Research parks enable the flow of ideas between innovation generators such as, universities, federal labs, and non-profit R&D institutions and companies located in both the research park and the surrounding region. These environments are complex ecosystems of businesses, support assets and physical assets that link together. The exact linkages vary from park to park, making each environment distinct. Today there is an estimated 700 research parks across the globe making impacts in their local, region, national economies while advancing research for us all.

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