Copy Chief

Scientific American, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Scientific American is seeking a creative Copy Chief to lead copyediting, fact-checking and production across our print magazine, anthologies and digital platforms. This is a hands‑on leadership role for someone who has a command of and love for the English language.

The Copy Chief will be meticulous and adept at maintaining house‑style rules, but they will also have keen editorial judgment and know when to zoom out and ensure a piece of writing is stylish, fluid and engaging.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of copyediting and managing copydesks for publications with print and digital platforms.
• Degree in English, Creative Writing, Journalism or related field.
• Strong editorial judgment and ability to maintain house style.
• Experience leading a team under tight deadlines.
• Familiarity with print production workflows and digital publishing processes.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the copydesk, managing staff (copy editors and production personnel) and freelancers to ensure articles and multimedia are impeccable and accurate and align with SciAm's rigorous standards
• Rethink and streamline copyediting and fact-checking workflows for print and digital to build unified, platform-agnostic processes that keep every department working from the same playbook
• Maintain Scientific American's house style across platforms, including print, digital, multimedia and social media
• Manage production schedules and work across departments to ensure deadlines are met
• Serve as a final quality check for grammar, syntax, clarity, consistency and accuracy

Skills

Copy editing

Fact-checking

Production management

Editorial judgment

Team leadership

Workflow optimization

Strong English

Education

Degree in English/Creative Writing/Journalism

Tools

Adobe InCopy

Contentful

Bynder

Airtable

Job description

About Scientific American

Scientific American covers the most important and exciting research, ideas and knowledge in science, health, technology, the environment and society. It is committed to sharing trustworthy knowledge, enhancing our understanding of the world and advancing science. Founded 1845, Scientific American is the oldest continuously published magazine in the United States. It has published articles by more than 200 Nobel Prize winners and reaches more than 20 million people around the world each month through its website, print and digital editions, newsletters and app. It reaches millions more through social media and other platforms.

About the Role

Scientific American is seeking a creative, detail-oriented Copy Chief to lead copyediting, fact-checking and production across our print magazine, anthologies and digital platforms. This is a hands‑on leadership role for someone who has a command of and love for the English language.

The Copy Chief will be meticulous and adept at maintaining house‑style rules, but they will also have keen editorial judgment and know when to zoom out and ensure a piece of writing is stylish, fluid and engaging. They will have an ear for language and an eye for good prose. They will thrive in a fast‑paced environment where multitasking and frequent communication with multiple people in different departments are the norm.

What You’ll Do

• Oversee the copydesk, managing staff (copy editors and production personnel) and freelancers to ensure articles and multimedia are impeccable and accurate and align with SciAm's rigorous standards
• Rethink and streamline copyediting and fact‑checking workflows for print and digital to build unified, platform‑agnostic processes that keep every department working from the same playbook
• Maintain Scientific American's house style across platforms, including print, digital, multimedia and social media
• Manage production schedules and work across departments to ensure deadlines are met
• Serve as a final quality check for grammar, syntax, clarity, consistency and accuracy

Who You Are

• You have a command of the English language and thrive on making copy more engaging and readable
• You hold a degree in English, Creative Writing, Journalism or a related field
• You have at least 5–10 years of experience copyediting and managing copydesks for publications with both print and digital platforms. You’re comfortable and confident editing long, complex feature stories on scientific subject matter. Though a science degree isn’t required, intellectual curiosity and a willingness to dig into unfamiliar material are essential
• You have people‑management experience and know how to lead a team through tight, recurring deadlines.
• You understand both print production workflows (proofs, page flow, press schedules) and digital publishing processes.
• You have experience with programs used for print and digital publication and workflow. Familiarity with Adobe InCopy, Contentful, Bynder and/or Airtable is helpful but not required
• You are familiar with The Chicago Manual of Style
• You have sharp judgment about when a rule should bend for clarity or voice and when it shouldn’t

Scientific American is an enthusiastic equal opportunity employer that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We celebrate diverse perspectives and are committed to fostering a culture where differences are valued, and innovation thrives.

Reasonable accommodation is available for qualified individuals with disabilities, upon request when contacted for an interview.

We thank all candidates for applying.

Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Please note: Our hiring process does not involve the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for candidate screening or decision‑making. All evaluations are conducted by our human resources team and hiring managers.