Editor, Research Team

OpenAI•Seattle, WA

4d•$223,000 - $247,000

About The Position

As Editor, Research, you will help define the editorial voice of OpenAI’s research films. You will personally edit films that introduce new models, demonstrate emerging capabilities, and tell the stories behind the research. You will lead the editorial approach across assigned projects, guide collaborators, and set a high standard for cinematic storytelling and craft. Working alongside researchers, filmmakers, and production, design, and product partners, you will shape concepts, develop narratives, test ideas through prototypes, and help plan shoots and demonstrations with the finished film in mind. You will bring clarity, humanity, and emotional depth to complex, evolving subjects while preserving their meaning and technical accuracy. This is a hands-on leadership role. You will be responsible for editorial execution from concept through delivery, provide creative direction and actionable feedback, mentor editors, and lead external collaborators. You will also strengthen shared workflows and practices that help the studio deliver work across formats, platforms, markets, and timelines.

Requirements

At least 8 years of relevant editing experience.
A portfolio demonstrating exceptional cinematic storytelling and the ability to make complex ideas compelling and accessible.
Experience leading editorial projects and guiding other editors or external partners, with examples of how that direction improved the work.
Strong narrative instincts and precise execution; ability to build films from varied material, including interviews, demonstrations, live-action footage, and model-generated content.
Deep engagement with editing craft and ability to take responsibility for the quality and progress of work beyond one’s own timeline.
Ability to articulate why an edit works, give specific and constructive feedback, and help others find solutions while encouraging their creative ownership.
Advanced proficiency in professional editing software and strong understanding of post-production, including media workflows, motion graphics, sound, color, VFX, finishing, localization, versioning, archival, and delivery.
Experience delegating work, onboarding collaborators, and coordinating editorial contributions across a project.
Ability to build trust with researchers and creative partners, understand unfamiliar technical ideas, and translate feedback into clear editorial decisions under deadline pressure.
Ability to balance creative ambition with schedules and resources and provide structure that helps teams do their best work.
Curiosity about AI research and emerging creative technologies, and enthusiasm for using cinematic storytelling to reveal new capabilities and the people behind them.

Nice To Haves

Experience with research, science, technology, documentary, or demonstration-driven films.

Responsibilities

Lead editorial work from concept through final delivery, personally editing research launch films, cinematic demonstrations, and stories about the people behind the work, while directing other editors’ contributions on assigned projects.
Take responsibility for narrative quality and continuity through development, production support, editing, finishing, and delivery.
Set editorial direction across assigned projects and translate creative goals into a clear approach for internal editors and external partners.
Shape stories with filmmakers and researchers by developing concepts, treatments, scripts, interview questions, and demonstration coverage; use assemblies and prototypes to identify the strongest narrative and inform production needs.
Lead editorial reviews, explain creative choices, synthesize feedback, and develop focused revisions that preserve the accuracy and context of demonstrations and technical explanations.
Lead, delegate to, onboard, and mentor editors and editorial collaborators, providing actionable feedback and supporting their storytelling, technical skills, and independent judgment.
Partner with production to scope editorial work, assess resources, estimate effort, set schedules, recommend talent, brief external partners, surface risks, and resolve competing priorities.
Guide work through finishing with motion designers, sound designers, composers, colorists, and VFX artists, preserving creative intent through final delivery.
Strengthen editorial workflows and shared standards for project setup, technical specifications, media organization, version control, reviews, secure asset handling, handoffs, archival, and delivery quality.
Guide adaptations, cutdowns, platform variations, and localized versions, reviewing narrative clarity, cultural context, and consistency of meaning, tone, and emotional impact.
Evaluate new tools and approaches, including AI-enabled creative tools, share findings, and partner with editorial leadership on testing and adoption.
Collaborate with researchers to understand complex capabilities, develop compelling stories, and ensure edits accurately represent the underlying work.
Partner with editorial and post-production leadership to build and maintain a strong team, identify talent, mentor collaborators, and foster creative excellence and collaboration.