Science Website Media Manager, Writer, Editor
The Genetic Literacy Project (geneticliteracyproject.org) is seeking an Editorial Content Manager with experience in research, writing and editing to join our team. The best candidates will be familiar with the science field and experienced in critical thinking. She/he will need to be proficient in Word Press, Mail Chimp, and various other technologies that are necessary to manage a daily news site. There are some social media responsibilities but this is NOT a social media position. The position is half time. Depending upon performance, this position could be full time with benefits.
The GLP is a mostly web-based, non-partisan educational outreach nonprofit founded 13 years ago to challenge mis- disinformation about breakthrough science innovation. Our eclectic readership includes the public, journalists, policymakers, and scientists. The site gets about 2 million page views a month and has considerable influence in the media, among polcy think tanks, in the agricultural community, in academia, and in biotechnology, farming, vaccine development and
Its original focus has been bio-medicine—such things as ‘designer babies’, CRISPR gene editing, vaccines and vaccine denialism—and the agricultural biotechnology revolution (farming, food production, GMOs, CRISPR gene editing, use of farm chemicals, sustainability) that has helped quadruple food production over the past 75 years. More recently we’ve expanded our focus to include other positively disruptive technologies such as AI, nuclear and alternative energy, and climate-related issues. Our registered non-profit name is Science Literacy Project, and we are slowly expanding our editorial focus.
The GLP produces an online ‘Daily Digest’ (Monday-Friday) news feed encapsulating breaking/interesting stories in our space written by other media. Each week we carry numerous feature stories, many from our stable of writers/scientists. We proeduce a weekly podcast and an X Space on relevant issues. We have a range of specialized editorial products such as infographics and videos that are widely read. Our editorial team is well-respected for working cooperatively with editors and writers, who have complete editorial independence.
The ideal candidate would have editorial (but not necessarily technical) experience in science (genetics and biotechnology) and be versed in the often-contentious controversies over food/farming (agricultural crop biotechnology, crop chemicals, sustainable agriculture); and biomedicine (CRISPR gene editing to battle diseases, gene therapy, and vaccine hesitancy).
More recently, we’ve extended our scope to cover the contentious debates around climate change and food security, gene drives to contain killer pests such as disease-carrying mosquitoes, synthetic biology, public health and vaccine hesitancy, and artificial intelligence (AI). Although most people welcome these innovations, adoption is being hindered by antiquated regulations and some are under attack, often from both the left and the right, but for different reasons.
The successful candidate would have a commitment to nuanced, solution-driven storytelling, editing skills, and an interest in translating wonky science, policy, and media issues for a wider audience. She/he should be comfortable producing podcasts and creating short-form video news content for social media, including scripted speaking on science controversies. You would also need a working familiarity with basic AI-driven research, which is helpful in producing stories for our podcast and videos. Our goal is not just posting; we are looking for someone to engage on social media, including creating and participating in conversations with readers.
The Editorial Content Manager would also interact with our Social Media Director in producing content on a variety of platforms, possibly including (but not exclusively) Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter/X, Threads, BlueFly, Reddit, Facebook, LinkedIn, Reals, etc. Our goal is to broaden our readership to include Gen Z, Millennials and GenX’ers.
Responsibilities include:
- Managing/editing the daily presentation of the GLP site.
- Identifying, researching and editing Daily Digest capsules each day focused (broadly) on food/farming and biomedicine/AI.
- Soliciting, editing and preparing features.
- Partnering on social media.
- Monitoring, moderating and responding to social media comments.
- Scheduling daily/weekly social media posts and newsletters.
This position offers flexibility, allowing work from home at your pace. It sometimes requires availability in the mornings (before 9 AM ET), although much of the work can be done at one’s own schedule. Estimated time commitment is 4 hours a day. Our home page is fresh each day, but some work can be done on the weekend.
There are opportunities for expanding hours and even becoming full-time with benefits. There are also opportunities to take on broader editorial responsibilities such as more in-depth involving in social media, writing orignal journalism-focused stories, video content creation, and grant outreach. There is tremendous opportunity to learn and grow.
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The GLP is committed to communicating solutions-based science and (this is what distinguishes us!) challenging purveyors of mis/disinformation. We expose science denialism, whether it’s vaccine disinformation campaigns from the Hollywood left or Trumpian right or biotechnology-related propaganda promoted by corporations or activist anti-GMO ideologues. The GLP believes biotechnology, AI and other new teachnologies are forces for constructive innovation. We take no prisoners in our reporting.
The GLP is the most-read online resource on biotechnology and other breakthrough policy issues, with 25,000-50,000 daily page views, upwards of 20 million views annually. We strive to be a resource for the public, media, researchers, policymakers and regulators. We are not ideological or partisan; our moniker is “Science Not Ideology”. We have no agenda other than to dispell science myths and misunderstandings. We encourage our independent writers, almost all freelancers, to take independent positions on controversial issues when appropriate.
Our board includes a former president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), head of pediatrics at Mass General Hospital for Children/Harvard Medical School and one of the nation’s leading bioethicists. We have worked with a range of outreach groups from the Brooking Institute and Aspen Institute on the moderate left to the American Enterprise Institute and CATO on the moderate right, and we want to expand our non-partisan associations, engagement and partnerships.
We require a writing proficiency evaluation that we have devised as part of the interview process. We will send it to you if we believe you are a good match for the GLP. It should take no more than 20 minutes. Return it via Indeed or through email if you have established contact by this juncture.