Chief Research & Editorial Lead

Firstwork; United States; Remote; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Firstwork is building AI-driven frontline workforce operations and is seeking a seasoned writer and content creator to shape the future of work. You will set research agendas, publish flagship reports, and maintain editorial standards while collaborating with data, engineering, and policy teams.

The role offers scope to produce CEO-level long-form content, engage with academics, and develop partnerships with industry bodies in a fast-growing, well-funded environment.

Qualifications

• Seven or more years in research, journalism, think tanks, policy, or a strategy function producing original published work.
• A portfolio with at least one piece that changed how someone thought about a subject.
• Quantitative comfort. You can interrogate a dataset and recognise when it won't support the claim you want to make.
• Real interest in labour markets, migration, regulation or the economics of work.
• The spine to hold a line on accuracy when there is commercial pressure not to.
• Editorial judgement. You can commission, edit and improve other people's work.
• Use of AI across the research process, on the understanding that it raises the verification bar rather than lowering it.

Responsibilities

• Set the research agenda
• Write and publish flagship reports and white papers
• Own editorial standards across everything Firstwork publishes
• Build data stories with our data and engineering teams
• Lead policy engagement on European labour and employment regulation
• Produce the CEO's long-form writing and speaking material
• Build partnerships with academics, institutions and industry bodies
• Manage a Content Producer who turns the research into video, graphics, podcasts and report design

Skills

7+ yrs research

Impactful portfolio

Quantitative analysis

Labour economics interest

Editorial integrity

Editorial judgement

AI in research

Job description

Firstwork is building AI-driven frontline workforce operations and is seeking a seasoned writer and content creator to shape the future of work. You will set research agendas, publish flagship reports, and maintain editorial standards while collaborating with data, engineering, and policy teams.

The role offers scope to produce CEO-level long-form content, engage with academics, and develop partnerships with industry bodies in a fast-growing, well-funded environment.