Washington, DC (In-Office) | Contract (Full-Time, 6 months with potential conversion) | Competitive Rate
About the Role
A fast-growing, audience-supported digital media company known for its podcasts, newsletters, and video coverage of politics and democracy is hiring a Video Editor on a full-time contract basis. Reporting to the Head of Video, this editor will handle post-production on full-length video podcast episodes and cut short-form clips for social platforms.
The work moves at the speed of the news cycle. Episodes and rapid-response clips often need same-day turnaround, sometimes within hours of recording. The editor will collaborate closely with hosts, producers, and the social team to ensure every episode looks and sounds polished and reaches audiences while the conversation is still live.
This is a six-month contract engagement. As it progresses, the team will evaluate fit and performance with the possibility of converting the role to a full-time staff position. The team works together in person five days a week at a DC office.
What the Role Covers
- Editing full-length video episodes from raw multi-camera and remote recordings into polished episodes for YouTube and other platforms
- Turning around episodes and rapid-response clips on tight, often same-day deadlines
- Blending in-studio and remote footage into a cohesive visual style
- Packaging vertical clips for social platforms
- Applying editorial instincts to identify the most compelling moments from complex political discussions while preserving context
- Keeping long-form conversations visually engaging with punch-ins, split-screens, varied pacing, titles, lower thirds, and captions
- Finding and integrating news footage, archival video, and images in partnership with producers, with proper usage and attribution
- Mixing audio, syncing audio and video, and color-correcting footage to a consistent quality standard
- Inserting ad reads and sponsor assets accurately and on schedule
Qualifications
- 3+ years of professional video editing experience, with long-form podcast or interview content as a primary focus
- Experience editing short-form social video
- Comfort working in a fast-paced production environment with quick-turnaround deadlines
- Experience with multi-camera editing and remote recordings (Riverside, Streamyard, or similar)
- Experience cleaning, mixing, and color-correcting footage for web and social
- Proficiency in Adobe Premiere (motion graphics proficiency a plus)
- Strong understanding of video, social, and audio platforms and what drives engagement
- Editorial judgment with an instinct for which moments matter and how to clip them without stripping context
- Interest in politics, current events, and media
- Strong communication skills and a team-first attitude
Compensation and Benefits
- Competitive contract rate
- Potential path to a full-time staff role with full employer-sponsored health plans, 401(k) with employer match, generous PTO, commuter benefits, and Employee Assistance Program
Visit Mediabistro for full details and application instructions.