Associate Editor, Ranger Rick Outreach

NWF•Reston, VA

4d•Remote

About The Position

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is seeking an Associate Editor for Ranger Rick magazine. This role is responsible for conceiving, researching, writing, editing, and shaping feature articles and columns for the monthly issue of Ranger Rick. The Associate Editor will also assist with editing other Ranger Rick titles, including Zoobooks and Dinosaurs. Key responsibilities include writing, editing, and providing art direction for Ranger Rick Adventures comics, ensuring all Ranger Rick copy is accurate, grammatically correct, and adheres to style guidelines. The position also involves researching and writing one aquatic or prehistoric feature article per issue, managing its editing process, and creating companion online content such as quizzes, videos, social media posts, and website promotions. Additional one-off editing tasks are also part of the role.

Requirements

5+ years of experience planning, writing, and editing for a national publication, including writing for children preferred
2–3 years of experience writing about science, nature, or the environment strongly preferred; educational background in wildlife biology or similar may be substituted.
2–3 years of experience writing for digital or social media audiences preferred
Ability to analyze sophisticated scientific research and translate it into accurate, accessible language at or below a fifth-grade level
Strong research, writing, and editing skills with a talent for copy that's both entertaining and educational
Comfort collaborating with video, photo, audio, streaming, and digital editors, and experience adapting editorial content across formats and online platforms
Familiarity with reviewing editorial feedback survey data, online analytics, and audience trends to clearly inform and articulate the value and impact of our storytelling
U.S. citizen or have valid work authorization to work in the U.S.

Responsibilities

Research and write original features and columns, including scripts for “Ranger Rick Adventures” comic stories, that are appropriate for the Ranger Rick age range (7-12) and meet the magazine’s high standards of originality, style, readability, and accuracy.
Consult experts while developing and completing each article.
Provide design director with ideas and research for all art and maps for stories involving art.
Provide photo editor with a list of photo needs for stories involving photos, including possible sources for photos.
Edit article to final product.
Build and maintain a file of article ideas in various editorial categories.
Keep current on news and scientific discoveries relating to each category, coming up with original angles for covering these categories and writing memos on how these stories would work.
Screen submitted queries and manuscripts, presenting queries, manuscripts and ideas to staff.
Find and cultivate freelance writers, assign articles to them, and work closely with authors on developing article ideas.
Edit or rewrite freelance manuscripts for style, accuracy, and readability.
Review all copy written or edited by other staffers and make suggestions for improvement.
Edit all laid-out stories on PDFs.
Assist as needed in the editing and updating of Zoobooks and Ranger Rick Dinosaurs magazines.
Work closely with the photo editor and designers in developing story approaches and layouts.
Contribute to all planning, production, idea, and title meetings, and regularly contribute any ideas that will lead to overall improvement of the magazine.
Write digital quizzes to complement published feature stories.
Research ideas for videos that link out from feature stories; review and edit video scripts.
Attend 8-10 meetings on average per month.