Position Summary

The Writer/Editor will be one of two editors of Short Reads, Pew Research Center’s data journalism blog. The Writer/Editor will edit blog posts written by members of the Short Reads team and by researchers from across the wider organization, while also regularly writing blog posts based on Pew Research Center data, external data or both. The ideal candidate will have a strong news sense and editorial judgment; superb editing and writing skills; experience working in a fast-paced digital journalism environment; a talent and appreciation for data visualization and visual journalism; a comprehension of quantitative research; and an interest in understanding digital audience behavior and in building the value and audience for Pew Research Center’s work. While this is not a technical position, the Writer/Editor must have a solid understanding of how digital platforms work, familiarity with web content management systems including WordPress, and a basic understanding of HTML, graphics, social media platforms and web analytics. Candidates should have strong collaborative orientation and work well across functions and departments around the Center. This position reports to the Associate Director, Short Reads.

Primary Responsibilities

Editing the Short Reads blog and associated publications (60%)

• Work with blog team staff and researchers from across the organization to come up with ideas for blog posts on a wide range of research topics, with a focus on timeliness, relevance and accessibility for a general audience.
• Rigorously edit blog posts for structure, understandability, accuracy and neutrality, including in all headlines and infographics, and communicate all editorial changes to authors in a clear and professional manner.
• Help guide each blog post through the editorial process, working with authors, fact-checkers, copy editors, digital producers and others to ensure all key steps in the process are taken.
• Collaborate with others to produce the Center’s weekly newsletter of key research findings.
• Train and serve as a resource to staffers across the Center on writing and editing for digital platforms.

Conceiving of original ideas and writing new content for the Short Reads blog (40%)

• Develop ideas for blog posts that are grounded in Pew Research Center data and/or external data from government sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, etc.
• Research and write blog posts in an authoritative way, with an emphasis on making the Center’s research findings accessible and understandable to a general audience.
• Meet editorial deadlines to ensure that blog posts are relevant to the news cycle or to important external events.
• Help promote written work by responding to media requests or external speaking engagements as needed.

Education/Training/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree
• 5-10 years of digital journalism experience; candidates with at least 10 years of experience can be hired at the Senior Writer/Editor level
• Experience in a fast-paced work environment, with a strong preference for newsroom experience
• Broad familiarity with subjects covered by Short Reads and Pew Research Center
• Demonstrated facility with stories with a quantitative focus

Knowledge and Skills Requirements

• Exceptional editing and writing skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Excellent news judgment
• Knowledge of AP Style
• Knowledge of basic web production tools including WordPress, content management systems, web analytics and search engine optimization
• Knowledge of social media and emerging trends in digital communication
• Must be highly organized and able to juggle multiple projects under tight deadlines
• Must be proactive, collaborative and able to work in a cross-functional team, bridging technical and editorial skill-sets
• Must have strong interpersonal skills to relate effectively to staff at all levels

The typical starting salary for this position is $79,000

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location

Pew Research Center staff may work virtually from remote locations up to four days in a standard work week. Staff are required to be present in the Center’s Washington, D.C., office on at least one of two core days weekly (Tuesday, Wednesday) and one Thursday a month for an all-staff day.

Application Procedure

Click on the Apply button, and complete required fields. Both cover letter and resume are required.

When requested, please upload a copy of your resume/cv, as well as a copy of your cover letter in the section labeled Resume/Cover Letter. If the documents have successfully uploaded, you should see 2 attached files beneath the “Drop files here” box. Please make sure you have uploaded a resume AND a cover letter before moving on to the next page.

Knowledge and Skills Requirements

• Exceptional editing and writing skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Excellent news judgment
• Knowledge of AP Style
• Knowledge of basic web production tools including WordPress, content management systems, web analytics and search engine optimization
• Knowledge of social media and emerging trends in digital communication
• Must be highly organized and able to juggle multiple projects under tight deadlines
• Must be proactive, collaborative and able to work in a cross-functional team, bridging technical and editorial skill-sets
• Must have strong interpersonal skills to relate effectively to staff at all levels

Apply Here

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