External Relations Professional

At IBM Research, we invent things that matter to the world. Today, we are pioneering the most promising and disruptive technologies that will transform industries and society. Our scientists are charting the future of artificial intelligence, driving breakthroughs like quantum computing that will allow us to process information in entirely new ways, leading global industries in advancing the capabilities of semiconductors, and taking on the most daunting challenges across what we have coined “hard tech.”. With more than 3,000 researchers in 12 labs located across six continents, IBM Research is one of the world’s largest and most influential corporate research labs. 

 Are you passionately up-to-date on emerging and future trends in technology? Can you translate the complex into simple, clear and intuitive communication? Do you act with an urgency that says the work matters, because it does? If yes, let’s talk. 

 We are seeking an extraordinary External Relations Professional with the right experience, enthusiasm, media relationships, and insight to help our team amplify the innovative progress driven by IBM Research – specializing in supporting IBM’s breakthroughs, news and advancements across quantum computing, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and hybrid cloud. 

 To be successful, you will have a “sleeves rolled up” attitude and an insatiable curiosity to explore, learn, and distill complex scientific breakthroughs into interesting, and relevant storytelling opportunities that align with IBM’s strategy. Working closely with IBM researchers and the broader IBM communications team, you will help to craft strategies to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with media and influencers, secure media engagements and coverage, develop content, execute news announcements, and plan press events and briefings.

Your role and responsibilities

Reporting to the Director of Marketing and Communications for IBM Research, you will play a key role in advancing storytelling initiatives that complement both IBM’s research and corporate PR agendas and promote how IBM’s emerging technology breakthroughs and client collaborations – help drive IBM’s innovation story and pioneer the industry at large. The right candidate must be a self-starter, comfortable with working independently as well as with cross-company and multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced environment.

 Responsibilities:
 

• Support the IBM Research communications team to drive IBM’s story, mindshare and thought leadership across key technologies through strategic and thoughtful storytelling campaigns, including those sometimes focused on quantum, AI, hybrid cloud, security, and next-generation computing technologies.
• Develop written content, including media plans, messaging, FAQ’s, blogs, pitches, press releases, and other materials to support the communications goals and objectives of IBM Research and the broader marketing, communications and citizenship function.
• Maintain an innate curiosity into the technical milestones of IBM and turn these achievements into compelling external stories that showcase how these breakthroughs hold the potential to transform industries.
• Build trusted and collaborative relationships with IBM researchers and scientists to both serve as a communications advisor and conduct regular story-mining.
• Partner with corporate communications colleagues, geographic communications teams, internal communications experts, social media colleagues, and others across the company to maintain cohesive messaging in support of IBM’s global strategy.
• Collaborate with marketing, content, and social teams to drive communications around integrated campaigns.
• Monitor, measure, and report periodically on media coverage resulting from campaigns and outreach.
• Identify media movements and trends a

Required education

Bachelor’s Degree

Preferred education

Bachelor’s Degree

Required technical and professional expertise

• 6+ years in technology media relations, marketing communications, or similar experience in-house or in an agency setting.
• Aptitude for planning and executing integrated and scalable media campaigns.
• Hands-on experience building and driving stories with reporters and producers.
• Experience in presenting to and offering strategic guidance to business leaders and executives.

Preferred technical and professional experience

• Ability to synthesize complex technologies, products, and market challenges.
• Expanded and timely knowledge of emerging and enterprise technologies and key industry players.
• Experience in building out concepts and content with supporting creative, social and internal communications teams.

In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.
Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.

Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on-going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can-do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.

Are you ready to be an IBMer?

IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.

Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business. 

At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

IBM is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

IBM offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program. Eligible employees may have access to:

• Healthcare benefits including medical & prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, and mental health & well being
• Financial programs such as 401(k), cash balance pension plan, the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan, financial counseling, life insurance, short & long- term disability coverage, and opportunities for performance based salary incentive programs
• Generous paid time off including 12 holidays, minimum 56 hours sick time, 120 hours vacation, 12 weeks parental bonding leave in accordance with IBM Policy, and other Paid Care Leave programs. IBM also offers paid family leave benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law
• Training and educational resources on our personalized, AI-driven learning platform where IBMers can grow skills and obtain industry-recognized certifications to achieve their career goals
• Diverse and inclusive employee resource groups, giving & volunteer opportunities, and discounts on retail products, services & experiences

The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job-related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year. 
This position is eligible for participation in an IBM Sales Incentive plan. Actual incentive opportunity will be based on performance and the eligible Target Incentive, as addressed in the applicable plan, all of which is subject to change. The compensation range listed for this position is the IBM Reference Salary that is used when you are not actively participating in a sales plan. Your actual base pay plus incentive opportunity will be determined by the Incentive Plan assigned to you.
We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.
This position was posted on the date cited in the key job details section and is anticipated to remain posted for 21 days from this date or less if not needed to fill the role.

IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

Job Title

External Relations Professional

Date posted

25-Aug-2025

Job ID

52582

City / Township / Village

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, Yorktown Heights, New York

State / Province

New York, North Carolina

Country

United States

Work arrangement

Hybrid

Area of work

Enterprise Operations

Employment type

Regular

Contract type

Regular

Projected Minimum Salary per year

105,000.00

Projected Maximum Salary per year

182,000.00

Position type

Professional

Travel required

No Travel

Company

(0147) International Business Machines Corporation

Shift

General (daytime)

Is this role a commissionable/sales incentive based position?

No