Director / Senior Director, Head Writer

Lila Sciences•Cambridge, MA

3d•$168,000 - $272,000

About The Position

Lila Sciences is seeking a highly organized, newsroom-trained Senior Writer / Editorial Lead to join our MarCom team, a trusted team that works closely with scientists, engineers, and leadership. You’ll help build and keep our editorial program moving quickly and credibly, ensuring our narratives are accurate, timely, and accessible to both technical and non-technical audiences. This role sits at the heart of translating complex science into trustworthy, high-impact stories.

Requirements

5+ experience in a newsroom or newsroom-like environment, with demonstrated editorial judgment and high standards.
Proven experience running an editorial process end-to-end.
Strong portfolio of science and/or technology writing.
Demonstrated ability to translate complex science and engineering into accurate, compelling stories.
Exceptional editing skills: structure, clarity, tone, sourcing, and fact discipline.
Familiarity with AI for science domains (drug discovery, chemistry, materials, automation)

Nice To Haves

Experience writing or editing academic papers, textbooks, or long-form technical educational content, especially in biology, scientific software, or technology.
Experience commissioning or collaborating on visuals, data storytelling, and multimedia.
Advanced degree (MS/PhD) or degree in biology or another science-related field is a bonus, as is experience writing for or within research organizations and PhD-level technical communities.

Responsibilities

Partner with senior C-suite leaders to shape Lila’s editorial agenda, priorities, and long-term strategy.
Build and manage a bench of writers (contract and, over time, full-time), assign stories, and oversee briefs, drafting, and revision.
Write and edit marquee pieces for high visibility, while developing scalable processes to sustain quality as the program scales.
Collaborate with scientists, engineers, and leadership to translate complex work into credible narratives that resonate across stakeholders (customers, partners, government, investors, and potential hires).
Create layered content that can be repurposed across formats (social posts, blogs, technical briefs, talks).
Own Lila’s external writing standards, voice, and editorial integrity.
Determine what is timely, relevant, and differentiating for Lila to publish; decide what not to publish.
Develop an editorial calendar aligned to business priorities and scientific milestones.
Lead a small editorial team and a pool of contractor writers.
Provide clear briefs, fast feedback, and coaching through drafting and revisions.
Establish norms for sourcing quality, fact-checking, and timely delivery.
Produce high-quality articles, explainers, technical overviews, case studies, and scripts with accuracy and narrative clarity.
Interview senior executives (CEO, CSO, CTO, and other scientific leaders) to develop articles, op-eds, Q&As, and narrative updates about Lila’s research, platform, and scientific milestones.
Ghostwrite and co-write content for leaders while preserving individual voice, point of view, and technical precision.
Convert complex internal material (talks, research readouts, memos) into externally appropriate thought leadership, ensuring confidentiality and responsible framing.
Prepare leaders for publication workflows: outlines, talking points, review cycles, and rapid revisions under time constraints.
Prove ability to build trust with PhD scientists and technical leaders, translating complex research into clear, accurate stories.
Shape stories and assets for distinct stakeholder needs: Customers: practical outcomes, workflows, reliability, and real constraints. Partners: joint innovation stories, integration narratives, and shared roadmaps. Government/public sector: public benefit, validation, safety, and responsible use. Investors: differentiation, defensibility, and platform trajectory. Candidates: mission, rigor, and the problems they will own.
Create layered content where a core narrative can be repurposed into multiple depths (social post → blog → technical brief → talk track).
Establish lightweight workflows for intake, review, fact-checking, and approvals that protect confidentiality without slowing everything down.
Pressure-test claims with internal experts.
Ensure clear framing of what is validated vs. exploratory.
Maintain journalistic standards and strong editing discipline (AP style where applicable).
Stay current on breakthroughs across AI, drug discovery, chemistry, materials science, automation, and compute.
Proactively surface story angles that help audiences understand the broader landscape and Lila’s role in it.
Oversee development of visuals (figures, diagrams, infographics) and short-form video concepts that enhance comprehension.
Partner with design and creative teams to make complex science legible and engaging.