Senior Editor, Output, Tibetan Desk (Washington D.C)

Radio Free Asia•Washington, DC

2d•$87,000 - $118,500•Hybrid

About The Position

Radio Free Asia (RFA) is a private, nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, DC, that provides accurate, uncensored news to audiences with restricted access to independent journalism. The Senior Editor, Output is the Tibetan Desk’s final editorial gatekeeper and publishing manager during the DC shift. The role is responsible for fact-checking, copy editing, SEO headline optimization, packaging content across text and audio, and executing final publication across platforms. This position is hybrid, with three days in the office and two days remote each week. It is a full-time, exempt role based in Washington, DC. The work is sedentary and performed at a desk using standard office equipment. Some flexibility in work hours is required to accommodate international time zones. Applicants must already possess work authorization; company sponsorship is unavailable. Applicants must include a cover letter.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree or above in journalism, political science, economics, or a related field; or at least 7 years of professional journalism experience, including significant time in news editing, assignment editing, or senior reporting in a digital, broadcast, or multimedia newsroom using the language of the served desk.
Demonstrated experience as an editorial lead within a news team, guiding reporters and producers through the production cycle, making real-time editorial decisions, and maintaining accountability for output quality under deadline pressure.
Deep substantive knowledge of Tibet and its diaspora communities, including the political landscape, geopolitical dynamics, and key actors.
Ability to manage a high-volume publishing workflow under deadline pressure.
Sound editorial judgment and the ability to identify accuracy problems, sourcing gaps, standards violations, and format errors quickly and consistently.
Familiarity with CMS platforms and multiplatform publishing workflows.
Professional, proven experience with real-time analytics platforms such as Chartbeat, Google Analytics, or YouTube Studio, and the ability to turn audience data into immediate editorial decisions under deadline pressure.
Demonstrated multiplatform publishing experience, including web, social media, video, shortwave, and audio formats, with particular emphasis on digital video journalism.
Demonstrated proficiency in written and spoken Tibetan, including the ability to write, edit, review, and approve clear and accurate Tibetan-language news stories; assess interview materials and quoted speech; and ensure consistency with professional newsroom and RFA editorial standards.
Strong written communication skills for editorial guidance, reporter briefings, and shift handoffs.
Existing work authorization; the company does not sponsor work authorization for this position.
A cover letter must be included with the application.

Nice To Haves

Established professional networks within Tibet or the Tibetan diaspora community.
Experience in a follow-the-sun or distributed newsroom with cross-time-zone coordination.
Familiarity with safety and security protocols for journalists working on sensitive stories or in restrictive environments.
Comfort and experience with video production and editing, ideally including the hands-on ability to edit and produce publication-ready Tibetan-language news videos from raw footage.

Responsibilities

Review and edit stories before publication to ensure accuracy, sourcing integrity, compliance with editorial standards, and proper formatting across web, social, shortwave, and video platforms.
Manage the desk’s publishing queue during the DC shift by sequencing stories, coordinating publication timing, and maintaining steady output across platforms.
Apply and uphold RFA’s editorial style guide, language standards, and visual guidelines.
Escalate standards concerns to the Standards Editor, safety concerns to the Safety Director, and legal concerns to General Counsel before publication.
Maintain CMS discipline by ensuring published content has accurate metadata, captions, tags, and cross-links.
Prepare end-of-shift handoff notes for the desk’s counterpart in Dharamshala, including the status of stories in progress, outstanding edits, follow-up needs, and audience highlights.
Work with the Senior Producer and Producer on A/V output to ensure broadcast and video content meets technical and editorial standards before airing or publication.
Contribute to training and standards development by flagging recurring issues to the Editor in Charge and helping desk journalists follow RFA’s editorial and format standards.
Cover senior editorial responsibilities on the desk as directed by the Editor in Charge during absences or surge periods.
Monitor real-time audience analytics during the shift using tools such as Chartbeat, YouTube Analytics, and Meta Business Suite, and use performance data to adjust story sequencing and placement.
Rewrite or test alternative headlines on underperforming stories during the publishing window to improve click-through and readership.
Optimize short-form video titles and thumbnails using live engagement data, including views, retention, and click-through rate, before and after publication.
Flag high-performing stories to the Editor in Charge for possible amplification through social media, newsletters, or cross-desk sharing.