AEO Specialist

We're looking for a hands-on specialist to own AI search visibility and performance analytics for our organic and AI-driven discovery programs. This is a hybrid role: half analytical (reporting, KPI tracking, performance insight) and half strategic (advising on insight-based optimizations). This role will report into the Director of SEO & AEO supporting our US Higher Education group.

This role suits someone who wants deep technical and strategic exposure to the emerging AI-search landscape – a strong track for someone early-to-mid career in SEO who wants to specialize in the AI-search side of the discipline.

Responsibilities

AI Search & Answer Engine Optimization (~50%)

• Partner with Digital Solutions to implement and maintain structured data, schema markup, and entity modeling to support visibility across search engines, AI Overviews, and answer engines
• Monitor citation presence, brand mentions and competitive share of voice across AI-generated answers using platforms such as Athena
• Conduct AI bot analysis – crawl behavior, retrieval patterns – to understand how LLMs access and use our content to recommend optimizations
• Partner with Content Strategists to structure pages (FAQ schema, answer-first formatting, topical clusters) for extractability by both traditional and generative search systems
• Stay current on evolving AI search behavior and flag emerging platforms or ranking factors worth testing

Analytics & Reporting (~50%)

• Own day-to-day reporting across SEO, AEO, and AI-visibility performance (organic traffic, rankings, citation share, LLM mention frequency)
• Build and maintain dashboards using Adobe Analytics, Google Search Console, SEMRush, and Athena
• Translate raw performance data into clear insight for cross-functional stakeholders – not just "what happened" but "what to do about it"
• Track KPIs tying organic/AI visibility to business outcomes (leads, program page conversions, enrollment funnel entry where attributable)
• Partner with content agency to recommend structured tests as applicable
• Support quarterly and annual performance reviews with trend analysis, testing outcomes, and prioritized recommendations

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Data Analytics, Communications, or related field
• 3–5 years of experience in SEO, analytics, or digital marketing performance roles
• Working knowledge of structured data/schema markup (JSON-LD preferred) and willingness to get hands-on with implementation
• Proficiency with Adobe Analytics, GA4 and Google Search Console required; experience with Semrush or similar platforms strongly preferred
• Familiarity with AI-visibility tools a plus – willingness to learn required
• Comfortable working with data: building reports, spotting trends, communicating findings to non-technical stakeholders
• Higher education or regulated-industry marketing experience a plus, not required

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Genuine curiosity about how AI search and answer engines work – this space changes monthly, and the role requires staying ahead of it, not just keeping up
• Detail-oriented enough to implement schema correctly, but able to zoom out to "does this move the KPI"
• Clear written communicator – this role produces reporting that non-technical stakeholders will read
• Comfortable operating without a fully mature playbook; AI-search best practices are still being written industry-wide
• Collaborative – this role sits at the intersection of SEO, Content, Development/Authoring, and Analytics, and needs input/buy-in from all of them regularly

What Success Looks Like in Year One

• Technical AEO (structured data, schema) implemented across priority pages yielding measureable improvement in AI visibility
• A standing reporting cadence (monthly/quarterly) that cross-functional stakeholders actually use in planning
• Building a track record of performance-based recommendations implemented on key platforms (web, social, video, etc)

Other

• Must be able to travel occasionally should a business need arise. For most roles travel would not be common. Travel may involve plane, car or metro. In accordance with ADA policies, reasonable accommodations regarding travel limitations can be provided. Travel will be more common for roles such as Account Executives (25 - 50%), senior leaders (10 – 20%) or Capella Core Faculty (5 – 10%). 
• Ability to work onsite in Corporate or Campus location (in a typical office environment) may be required based on role. If so, this would include being mobile within the office, including movement from floor-to-floor using elevators or stairs.
• If offsite or hybrid role, must have access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including privacy, reliable internet access, phone, ability to video conference, etc.) at a remote location.
• Faculty and Federal Work Study roles require access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including computer, privacy, reliable internet access, phone, ability to video conference, etc.) at a remote location.
• This role may require lifting, however reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with our ADA policies.
• Must be able to meet critical thinking and problem solving aspects aligned to job duties, as well as effectively communicating with co-workers.
• Must be able to work more than 40 hours per week when business needs warrant. Accommodations related to schedule may be considered. 
• Able to access information using a computer.
• Other essential functions and marginal job functions are subject to modification.

SEI offers a comprehensive package of benefits to employees scheduled 30 hours or more per week. In addition to medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans, SEI employees may take advantage of well-being incentives, parental leave, paid time off, certain paid holidays, tax saving accounts (FSA, HSA), 401(k) retirement benefit, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, tuition assistance as well as entertainment and retail discounts. Non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime pay, if applicable.

Careers - Our Benefits, Strategic Education, Inc

SEI is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture where individuals can grow their careers and contribute fully. We strive to attract talent with broad experiences, skills and perspectives. We welcome applications from all. While it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top end of the pay range at SEI, we offer a competitive salary.  The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate may vary depending on multiple factors including, but not limited to, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, geographical location, and internal pay equity. Our Talent Acquisition Team is ready to discuss your interest in joining SEI. The expected salary range for this position is below.

$75,800.00 - $113,700.00 - Salary

If you require reasonable accommodations to complete our application process, please contact our Human Resources Department at [email protected].