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Editor

Location Washington, D.C.
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Note: We will pay a $3,000 bounty to whoever refers the applicant we hire for this role.

About IFP

The Institute for Progress (IFP) is a non-partisan think tank focused on innovation policy. Our organization works to accelerate and shape the direction of scientific, technological, and industrial progress. IFP works with policymakers across the political spectrum in Washington, D.C. to make it easier to build the future in the United States. You can read more about our vision and mission in our founding essay written by co-founders Alec Stapp and Caleb Watney.

The Role

We’re seeking a curious, entrepreneurial, and opinionated lover of writing. You may be an experienced editor, but you may also be an excellent fit for this role without formal editorial experience.

You’ll partner with our policy experts to turn their drafts into pieces that change minds across DC. You’ll coach both new and experienced writers to become better communicators. You’ll also innovate on our systems to help the team consistently ship great products.  

This is a hard role: you’ll work with people who know a lot more about their issue areas than you, and you’ll have to push back when their writing doesn’t achieve its goals. If that sounds fun, this role is for you. You will report to our Editorial Director, Santi Ruiz. 

The Specifics

Qualifications

  • You are extremely detail-oriented and committed to producing high-quality work. You care a lot about getting to the right answer.
  • You read a lot, across a wide range of genres and mediums.
  • You have excellent writing and editing skills and the ability to work under tight deadlines.
  • You have an entrepreneurial mindset and a self-starter attitude. People around you call you “high-agency” or “energetic.”
  • You’re interested in building processes that help this team create consistently great products.
  • You don’t mind asking dumb questions. You have a sense of humor.
  • You are comfortable having conversations through disagreement, and you know when to make a decision. You can disagree and commit gracefully.
  • Ideally, you have a familiarity with a range of policy topics and an interest in continuous learning. A professional background in public policy is not required, but a basic literacy in American public policy is. Familiarity with AI or biotech policy is a plus.
  • You’re creative about argumentation. You can see both sides of an argument; really, you can see many sides. You’re willing to experiment and to play with language.
  • We are looking for someone who cares about creating work for public consumption. If you have experience creating or producing public-facing work, we will consider that a plus. You should be comfortable working in (or ready to become comfortable with) Google Docs, Descript, WordPress, and LLMs.
  • This is a full-time role with a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package. We will prioritize candidates based in Washington, D.C. or New York City.

Responsibilities (in rank order)

1. Editing (roughly 70% of the role)

  • Edit a wide range of work: op-eds, econ papers, slide decks, policy memos, Substacks, etc. 
  • Coach junior writers across their time at IFP to both develop their own voice and to comfortably write in IFP’s
  • Ensure consistency and quality across all IFP written materials
  • Provide opinionated edits for various IFP materials on tight deadlines

2. Process Improvement (20%)

  • Work with vertical team leads, editorial, executive, and policy development teams to build better process for writers
  • Experiment with that process to help us improve our efficiency and the quality of our output as IFP grows substantially
  • Manage broader projects (like the Atlas of Innovation, or The Launch Sequence) as needed with team leads

3. Additional Projects (10%)

  • Take initiative on new projects aligned with team priorities
  • Contribute to research and writing efforts as needed
  • Assist with internal design projects or partnerships with external organizations

Salary and Benefits

  • IFP offers a highly competitive compensation package determined by a variety of factors when formulating an offer, including but not limited to: roles and responsibilities, work experience, education/training, skills, and expertise. We expect the salary for this role to be at least $110,000, with the potential for more based on experience.
  • Our benefits package for full-time employees includes
    • Unlimited PTO + paid holidays
    • Generous health, dental, and vision coverage for you and dependents
    • 3 months of fully paid parental leave
    • A 5% annual employer retirement contribution

Applying

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a deadline of Monday, January 19th.

Apply