How to hire a science editor

How to hire a science editor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step science editor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a science editor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new science editor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your science editor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a science editor for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect science editor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of science editors.

   Type of Science Editor	Description	Hourly rate
   Science Editor	Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.	$16-51
   Editing Internship	An editorial intern is responsible for assisting the editorial department of an organization with publishing various media and digital content. Editorial interns shadow tenured editorial staff on researching stories, validating information, writing captivating articles, interviewing target audiences, and screening submitted manuscripts... Show more	$12-21
   Editorial Internship	An editorial intern is responsible for assisting the editorial team in publishing digital and media content, writing articles, and managing readers' reviews. Editorial interns must have excellent knowledge of the industry they work for, suggesting the latest trends and featured topics, taking notes of the tenured employees' advice and observations, and actively joining brainstorming sessions... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • SEO
   • Chemistry
   • Proofread
   • House Style
   • Writing Articles
   • Mathematics
   • Press Releases
   • Editorial Changes
   • Copyedit
   • State Standards

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage editorial team to create secondary-education textbooks.
   • Participate in monthly meetings with editorial staff, editor-in-chief, and president to generate compelling story ideas.
   • Analyze FrameMaker source document and provide feedback to XML architects to improve accuracy of conversion.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your science editor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A science editor salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, science editors' average salary in nebraska is 59% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level science editors earn 68% less than senior-level science editors.
   • Certifications. A science editor with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a science editor's salary.

   Average science editor salary

   $62,220yearly

   $29.91 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level science editor salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average science editor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$92,543	$44
   2	California	$79,894	$38
   3	District of Columbia	$75,208	$36
   4	Massachusetts	$72,414	$35
   5	Texas	$60,584	$29
   6	North Carolina	$58,704	$28
   7	Wisconsin	$53,616	$26
   8	Oregon	$51,795	$25

   Average science editor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Washington Post	$101,852	$48.97	5
   2	UTMB HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS	$69,603	$33.46
   3	University of Texas System	$69,007	$33.18
   4	RELX	$55,734	$26.80	12
   5	Research Square	$55,653	$26.76
   6	UWorld	$55,480	$26.67	2
   7	Gannett	$55,209	$26.54	7
   8	Paramount	$51,754	$24.88	28

4. Writing a science editor job description

   A good science editor job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a science editor job description:

   Science editor job description example

   Application Instructions
   
   Please list all professional experience and explain any gaps in employment history. All of your application materials, which may include PDF files of work samples and/or links to audio, video, photography or graphics, must be uploaded to the field labeled Resume/Cover Letter/Work Samples to be considered for the position.
   
   Job Description
   
   The Washington Post is looking for an experienced assignment editor to work with its Health and Science team.
   
   The successful candidate must have the ability to handle daily news, deliver high-end accountability and enterprise stories and work collaboratively within a large newsroom. This editor, who will handle a range of breaking and enterprise stories about health and science, should be able to explain complicated developments in simple ways while capturing the awe and wonder of scientific discoveries and innovations. We are also looking for someone with a desire to tell stories in innovative ways, especially drawing on the visual richness of health and science topics.
   
   This editor, who will join a team of three other editors, will work an afternoon/evening shift and will play a pivotal role in shaping the team's coverage for the day ahead, including communicating with The Post's news hubs in Seoul and London about overnight news.
   
   This position is based in our Washington newsroom.
   
   Interested candidates should upload a résumé with links to their work and a cover letter outlining the experience they would bring to the position to our jobs portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by 09/05/2022 will be prioritized. Your cover letter should be addressed to National Editor Matea Gold, Deputy National Editor Philip Rucker, Health & Science Editor Stephen Smith, and Managing Editor Steven Ginsberg.
   
   The Post strives to provide its readers with high-quality, trustworthy news and information while constantly innovating. That mission is best served by a diverse, multi-generational workforce with varied life experiences and perspectives. All cultures and backgrounds are welcomed.
   
   Ever wondered if what you are doing will Impact Tomorrow? At The Washington Post, every employee shapes the way we deliver the news. Find the career that's right for you
   #washpostlife

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find science editors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   To find science editor candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as problogger, media bistro, journalismjobs.com, content writing jobs.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting science editors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new science editor

   Once you have selected a candidate for the science editor position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new science editor first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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