Staff Editor, Health And Science

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It’s why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It’s why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination. And it’s why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it’s worth paying for.

Note for US based roles: Any offer of employment is contingent on providing proof of Covid-19 vaccination prior to your start date, subject to approved medical and/or religious exemptions, in accordance with applicable law.

Times Opinion is looking for a staff editor to contribute to its health and science coverage. This is a critical role in Opinion, with the potential to help shape debates over everything from the evolving coronavirus pandemic to the state of reproductive health care to the coming forays into outer space.

This editor needs to be creative and to be able to work with both writers and non-writers — leading scientists, doctors, researchers — make their case to the world.

This editor will work with Opinion’s health and science editor, as well as our award-winning graphics, video and audio teams to develop storytelling that’s urgent, heart-tugging and accessible.

We’re looking for a skilled editor who is eager to continue to learn and grow — someone with a wealth of curiosity and sharp editorial judgment who can work on both guest essays in response to breaking health and science news as well as longer form pieces. A background in science or health journalism is a plus but not a requirement; a passion for the subject is. This editor must be a team player, able to collaborate with other editors and our audience team to find ways to deepen our engagement with Times readers and find new audiences for our work.

Responsibilities Include

• Coordinating with the audience team to maximize the reach and impact of the work.
• Supporting the health and science editor in further developing a network of outside writers, including the most prominent people on this beat, while cultivating new voices on the biggest news and ideas.
• Helping to assess and calibrate Opinion’s health and science coverage, considering news value; the range and diversity of writers; and the tension between productivity versus impact and influence.
• Finding fresh angles into the stories most on readers’ minds, about which they are most curious.
• Collaborating with other editors on the vision, audience and priorities for Times Opinion’s coverage of the pandemic and other issues.
• Reading, reviewing and promptly responding to unsolicited submissions.
• Working with our network of contributing writers.
• Commissioning and editing smart, forward thinking guest essays, from experts, policymakers and others, that advance the debate and anticipate and react to news.
• Using social media, reader call-outs, reporting or other creative means to reach readers with different experiences to share in the health and science sphere.
• Occasionally developing, pitching and helping execute high-impact enterprise pieces; including collaboration with multimedia teams, including design, photo, graphics, audio and video on how to best tell these stories.

Basic Qualifications

• A passion for science and health
• At least 3 years of editing experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with writers with a scientific or academic background is preferable. Please include links to a few of your published pieces in your cover letter

This is a Guild position.

The annual base pay range for this role is between $109,521.19 and $112,000.00.

The New York Times is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce, one that reflects the varied global community we serve. Our journalism and the products we build in the service of that journalism greatly benefit from a range of perspectives, which can only come from diversity of all types, across our ranks, at all levels of the organization. Achieving true diversity and inclusion is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing for our business. So we strongly encourage women, veterans, people with disabilities, people of color and gender nonconforming candidates to apply.

The New York Times Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of an individual's sex, age, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation or affectional preference, gender identity and expression, disability, genetic trait or predisposition, carrier status, citizenship, veteran or military status and other personal characteristics protected by law. All applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected characteristics. The New York Times Company will provide reasonable accommodations as required by applicable federal, state, and/or local laws, and will consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable "Fair Chance" laws.