How to hire a script editor

How to hire a script editor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step script 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 script editor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new script editor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a script editor job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your script 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 script 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a script editor to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a script editor that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of script editor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Script Editor	Description	Hourly rate
   Script Editor	Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.	$15-43
   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:

   • Keyboard
   • Proofread
   • Custom Actions
   • MLA

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage international man-made fiber market research/publishing company and supervise editorial content and sales of industry statistical journal.
   • Review submitted manuscripts, brainstorm & implement promotional strategies, track community involvement, and plan literary events with the editor-in-chief.
   • Read and copyedit manuscripts for publication

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, script editors' average salary in nebraska is 53% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level script editors earn 64% less than senior-level script editors.
   • Certifications. A script 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 script editor's salary.

   Average script editor salary

   $54,191yearly

   $26.05 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level script editor salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

4. Writing a script editor job description

   A script editor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a script editor job description:

   Script editor job description example

   Pixelogic Media Partners, LLC provides distribution services and technology solutions to the entertainment industry. We help studios, broadcasters and digital retailers localize and distribute their feature and episodic titles to global audiences on-time and with superior quality.
   
   Our service offerings cover end-to-end workflows including language services such as scripting, subtitling, access services, dubbing, text and metadata localization in over 50 languages. Our technical services master and prepare this content in all distribution products including digital cinema, digital media and physical media (Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD).
   
   To date, we serviced thousands of titles for iTunes, Google Play, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, Movies Anywhere and others. We also authored thousands of Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD discs. Our research and development team works on cutting-edge technologies such as 4K, high dynamic range (Dolby Vision, HDR10+), artificial intelligence and machine learning, software automation and our proprietary end-to-end operating platform branded as pHelix.
   
   Be part of building innovative solutions to service our media and entertainment clients and help us fulfill their content distribution needs. Join us if you're passionate about entertainment, innovation and customer service excellence!
   Shifts Available:
   
   Tuesday - Saturday: 9am-6:00pm
   
   Requirements
   
   Responsible for creation of dialogue list scripts and/or spotting lists
   
   Annotate key English phrases to high quality of our translation products
   
   Maintain quality standards for accuracy and speed
   
   Work specified on-call schedule, in addition to regular schedule
   
   Must be punctual, dependable and flexible, and possess a team attitude and willingness to adapt to last-minute changes to programming and industry.
   
   Other duties as assigned.
   
   Qualifications
   
   Bachelor's or Master's Degree, preferably in English, linguistics and language study majors and/or Entertainment and Media
   
   Film/Broadcast Captioning and Scripting experience required
   
   Knowledge of professional scripting, subtitling, and audio software highly desirable
   
   Comfortable with computers, Microsoft Office and using different software
   
   Excellent reading skills, spelling/vocabulary and grammar
   
   Ability to handle multiple tasks while focusing on a high amount of attention to detail
   
   Ability to perform under pressure with changing priorities

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right script editor for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with script editors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit script editors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your script editor job on Zippia to find and attract quality script editor candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as problogger, media bistro, journalismjobs.com, content writing jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit script editors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 script editor

   Once you've found the script editor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new script editor. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a script editor?