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Purdue University
Media Relations Specialist for Indianapolis
🇺🇸
Hybrid - Indianapolis, Indiana
🕑
Full-Time
💰
TBD
💻
Communications
🗓️
September 1st, 2026
Public Relations
Higher Ed
Edtech.com's Summary
Purdue University is hiring a Media Relations Specialist for Indianapolis. The specialist develops media relations strategies that pitch and place stories about Purdue faculty, researchers, and academic initiatives in the Indianapolis market. Writing news releases, cultivating reporter relationships, and supporting media events fill out the position's day-to-day work.
Highlights
- Develop media plans that pitch Purdue research and academic initiatives to Indianapolis and statewide press.
- Write high-priority news releases and feature stories.
- Cultivate relationships with city and statewide media outlets.
- Partner with the Provost's Office, faculty, and researchers to surface story opportunities.
- Support media events showcasing Purdue teaching, research, and innovation.
- Shoot, produce, and edit video to support media coverage.
- Assess media value, audience fit, and channel strategy across earned, owned, and internal communications.
- Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, journalism, or public relations, plus 2 years of writing or communications experience.
Media Relations Specialist for Indianapolis Full Description
Req Id:
43829
Job Title:
Media Relations Specialist for Indianapolis
City:
West Lafayette
Job Summary
The Media Relations Specialist for Indianapolis serves as a key member of the Office of Communications team under the Purdue Brand Studio umbrella, advancing the university's top strategic initiative through compelling storytelling and media engagement. The position develops and executes media relations strategies that elevate the work of Purdue faculty, researchers, and academic initiatives in Indianapolis, helping increase awareness of the university's growing impact across the capital city and central Indiana region.
Reporting to the Assistant Director of External Media Strategy, the Media Relations Specialist for Indianapolis partners closely with Purdue leadership, including the Provost's Office, along with faculty, researchers, and campus communicators to identify story opportunities and secure earned media placements. The position is responsible for developing strategic media plans, writing high-priority news releases and feature stories, cultivating relationships with city and statewide media, and supporting media events that showcase Purdue University's teaching excellence, impactful research, and cutting-edge innovation in Indianapolis.
This is a hybrid position. It will primarily include on-campus work in Indianapolis, along with occasional meetings and/or support work for the Purdue Communications team in West Lafayette. The candidate will have to live within a reasonable driving distance of both the West Lafayette and Indianapolis campuses.
What We’re Looking For:
Education and Experience
Qualified candidates will need:
- Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, journalism, public relations, or related field.
- Two (2) years of experience in writing, editing or communications.
Skills:
- Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with proficiency in AP style.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects with tight deadlines.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
- Video shooting, production, and editing experience.
- Strong leadership qualities, organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Comfortability serving as a trusted go-to person for media and Purdue leadership.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across units, including the highest levels of executive leadership.
- Ability to assess media value, audience fit and channel strategy across earned, owned and internal communications.
- Strong news judgement and discretion in sensitive, fast-moving issues
Nice to Have:
- Experience in the Indianapolis media market.
- AI proficiency for compiling data, providing updates on media results.
- Experience in higher education communications or familiarity navigating large work teams and structures.
- Established track record of earned media success.
- Journalism experience to better understand what media is interested in.
- Strong analytics proficiency to properly measure communications effectiveness.
- Experience using Meltwater or another media monitoring service
Additional Information:
Purdue will not sponsor employment authorization for this position
A background check will be required for employment in this position
FLSA: Exempt (Not Eligible For Overtime)
Retirement Eligibility: Defined Contribution Waiting Period
Who We Are:
Purdue is a community built on collaboration, with global perspectives, Boilermaker pride and endless opportunity to live, learn and grow. Join us and contribute to our culture.
Career Stream
Compensation Information:
Professional 2
Pay Band S065
Job Code # 20003617
EOE
Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access university
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