Digital SEO Specialist

Job Summary



As an SEO Specialist, you will play a pivotal role on the University of Utah Marketing and Communication's Digital Team, serving as the subject matter expert driving organic search visibility, technical site performance, and content discoverability across our university's web ecosystem. Reporting directly to the Associate Director of Digital Research and Operations, you will work in direct, daily partnership on strategic search initiatives—aligning search engine optimization with broader marketing, web accessibility, and digital governance goals.



This role requires a balance of technical execution, SEO strategy and analytical insight. We are looking for a collaborative, proactive professional with strong hands-on SEO experience who thrives on solving technical web challenges and elevating university digital experiences.



Learn more about the great benefits of working for University of Utah: benefits.utah.edu



Responsibilities



Key Responsibilities:





- Strategic Collaboration: Work in close, daily partnership with the Associate Director of Digital Research and Operations and the digital research team across all core SEO initiatives, establishing search performance benchmarks and aligning optimization efforts with university digital goals.
- Digital Campaign & SEO Synergy Reporting: Partner with content strategy and research teams to analyze and report on organic search results, landing page performance, and organic traffic impact driven by high-traffic digital advertising campaigns.
- Technical SEO & Site Hygiene: Conduct regular technical site audits across large-scale university web properties to identify and resolve issues related to crawlability, indexability, site speed, mobile usability, canonicalization, site architecture, and structured data.
- Keyword & Content Optimization: Perform comprehensive keyword research and intent analysis to guide content creators, web managers, and research teams. Optimize metadata, headings, on-page copy, and internal linking structures to maximize organic visibility.
- Search Analytics & Optimization: Track, analyze, and report on organic search performance, keyword rankings, backlink profiles, and conversion funnels using Google Analytics (GA4), Search Console, and enterprise SEO software.
- A/B Testing & Search Experimentation: Design and execute SEO experiments, testing title tags, meta descriptions, and structural layout changes to improve click-through rates (CTR) and user engagement.
- Branded Dashboard Development: Collaborate directly with the research team to design, build, and maintain branded, campus-partner-facing dashboards in Looker Studio and Tableau, ensuring data visualizations follow university brand standards and UI/UX best practices.
- SEO & Accessibility Integration: Collaborate with web and content teams to ensure on-page SEO strategies align seamlessly with digital accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 Level AA) and core web vitals.





Minimum Qualifications



EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).



Search Engine Optimization Specialist, III: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly related work experience.



Preferences



Qualifications & Experience





- Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Computer Science, Information Design, Information Systems, or a related field
- SEO Experience: Experience in technical and on-page search engine optimization, with a proven track record of managing enterprise or multi-domain web environments. Higher education or agency experience is strongly preferred.





Technical Stack





- SEO Tools: Expertise in SEO and GEO tools such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, Google Search Console, and Google Trends.
- Analytics, BI & Campaign Tracking: Hands-on experience with Google Analytics (GA4), Webmaster Tools, and tracking SEO impact for high-traffic paid digital media campaigns.
- Dashboard Design & Branding: Experience creating branded data visualizations and dashboards (Looker Studio, Tableau) with strong design principles and brand alignment.
- CMS & Web Standards: Proficiency with WordPress (including SEO plugins like Yoast), HTML/CSS, basic JavaScript understanding, and structured data implementation.
- Accessibility & Operations: Working knowledge of digital accessibility guidelines (WCAG) and project management platforms.





Key Traits We're Looking For





- Fast & Careful: You pay close attention to details while responding quickly to user needs.
- Curious: You love to learn and are always looking for ways to refine your craft.
- Proactive: You take charge. You don't wait for problems to happen; you actively hunt for solutions.
- Resilient: You keep your cool and handle high-pressure situations with patience and a calm attitude.
- Collaborative: You are a true team player who understands that we're stronger when we work together.
- Humble: You're open to listening, receiving constructive feedback, and changing course with ease.





Special Instructions



Requisition Number: PRN46138B



Full Time or Part Time? Full Time



Work Schedule Summary: Monday through Friday, 9:00 – 5:00 pm



Department: 00339 - Marketing & Communications



Location: Campus



Pay Rate Range: $68,000 - $78,000



Close Date: 11/26/2026



Open Until Filled



To apply, visit https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/208900



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