Copy Editor – News – Part Time

• Location: Worldwide
• Contract
• Allows Remote

BioNews is looking for professional copy editors with experience in news publications (digital or print) to join its growing freelance team on a remote basis. Our daily publications need individuals to help us ensure that text is accurate, well-written, and ready for publication, and that tough science or scientific jargon is phrased in clear and everyday English that speaks to our audience of patients and caregivers.

We are looking for candidates who can:

• Assist in producing smart, context-filled stories on tight deadlines and understands the distinction between news writing and other forms of print and online writing.
• Have a tactful approach when dealing with authors and the ability to retain the author’s voice after editing.
• Along with science department, ensure all articles are scientifically accurate and readable for our audience.

Profile of Who We Are Looking For:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism or related discipline.
• Three to five years minimum of professional copy editing experience in journalism preferred. Experience working across digital media a strong plus.
• Strong knowlege of AP style.
• Excellent English writing and grammar skills, an eye for detail, and the ability to maintain high-quality work under tight deadlines.
• Responsible, organized, and reliable in work habits; solid communication, organizational, analytical, and planning skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and willingness to collaborate with colleagues within and across other teams to meet deadlines and objectives.
• Capable and driven to quickly learn new approaches and continually upgrade current skill set.
• Must be very flexible and able to work in a self-directed, rapidly changing environment.

Responsibilities:

• Work closely with health journalists, columnists, medical writers, and science department to edit articles for external audiences on specific disease-related sites.
• Carefully fact-checks articles for accuracy and completeness of report; edits for grammar, style and spelling, and rewrites or adjusts headlines and body type as necessary.
• Checking that all science terms and processes are defined in everyday English that readers will understand.
• Completes all tasks required for online publication, including checking tags, keywords, links, and adjusting search engine headlines and summary sentences.
• Ensuring the text is in line with BNS style
• Raising queries with the science editors or authors for clarification, when necessary
• Checking rewritten or substantially altered sentences or paragraphs for accuracy (if science is affected) with source material and science editors
• Being alert to any potential legal problems in the text (news, columns, clips, etc.), such as libelous statements or breach of copyright, and discussing them with the news editor and/or publisher, if required.