Part-Time Copy Editor, West Coast

About the position

The Guardian is a global news organization seeking a part-time copy editor to join the Guardian US copy desk. This team edits and produces nearly all content published by Guardian US, including breaking news, social media posts, and podcast pages. The role is primarily focused on editing and preparing articles for weekend publication, requiring strong multitasking skills and the ability to prioritize tasks. Weekend editors contribute to story selection and coverage discussions, possess excellent news judgment, and communicate effectively with colleagues. Core duties include editing copy and writing headlines, with additional responsibilities such as editing the Guardian US homepage, sending mobile alerts, editing live blogs, managing story timelines, and optimizing content framing for readers.

Responsibilities

  • Copy edit a wide variety of stories: breaking news, US politics, international news, culture pieces, wellness articles, analysis, investigations, features and more.
  • Ensure all copy follows Guardian style and is free of spelling and grammatical errors.
  • Communicate with desk editors and reporters if any questions arise when editing copy.
  • Communicate with weekend editors and copy desk colleagues about workload and work together to prioritize which tasks need to be completed first.
  • Liaise with digital editors on any coverage that might be needed for editing homepages or live blogs, and sending mobile app alerts.
  • Work with the visuals and audience desks to guarantee that stories have the needed artwork and that they’ve followed best practices for SEO optimization.

Requirements

  • Experience in breaking news environments.
  • The ability to maintain calm under pressure, and to value accuracy over speed.
  • Experience editing copy in a newsroom.
  • Familiarity with Slack, Gmail, Gchat or similar tools for communicating with colleagues in different locations.
  • Familiarity with CMS tools.
  • Excellent communication skills – the abilities to be responsive and to share ideas or voice disagreement while maintaining respect.
  • An understanding of the Guardian and the types of stories that we cover.
  • A passion for writing headlines clearly, concisely and accurately.
  • Thoughtful news judgment – the ability to consider which stories are necessary for our readers to be aware of.
  • Experience with editing homepages or sending breaking news alerts.
  • General enthusiasm for journalism and the news, and an interest in reading a variety of publications.
  • This position includes one weekend day.

Benefits

  • Access to a broad range of tools and solutions for personal and professional growth.
  • Support for the pursuit of professional qualifications through vocational courses and apprenticeships.
Back to blog

Other Jobs To Apply

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...