Editor (College Admissions)

cardinaleducation; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance reimbursement

Paid leave (2 weeks)

Performance-based bonuses

Commuter benefits

Paid team lunches

Company events

Job summary

Cardinal Education is seeking a creative, detail-oriented Editor to join our College Division. You will work one-on-one with students to develop introspective personal narratives and refine essays for college applications.

Requirements include an MFA in Creative Writing and 2–5 years of professional writing or editing experience, with strong non-fiction and narrative skills. The role includes peak-season deadlines and dedicated training to support growth.

Qualifications

• Excellent English writing and grammar with strong narrative abilities.
• Experience editing personal narratives and essays for college admissions is preferred.
• Ability to edit with minimal reliance on AI tools.
• Deadline-driven mindset with strong organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Work one-on-one with students to brainstorm, outline, develop, and condense highly introspective and compelling personal narratives.
• Edit student drafts for grammar, clarity, structure, flow, style, word count, and overall narrative coherence.
• Provide detailed written feedback that strengthens intellectual depth and authenticity for admissions.
• Support multiple rounds of revisions to ensure each submission meets quality standards.
• Collaborate with College Admissions Consultants and Editors to brainstorm, outline, condense, and refine essays.

Skills

Excellent English writing

Strong narrative editing

Education

MFA in Creative Writing

Tools

Google Workspace

Job description

About Us

Cardinal Education is a dynamic and collaborative educational consulting firm dedicated to providing students and families with superior academic support and admissions expertise. Our rapidly growing enterprise offers Educational Consultants and Editors the opportunity to make a significant impact while prioritizing exceptional experiences for families and providing substantial growth opportunities within the company.

Culture at Cardinal Education

Collaboration is key to our culture at Cardinal Education, where we value open communication and diverse perspectives to drive success. We foster innovation and learning through a supportive environment that encourages growth. Our team is passionate about education and creating a dynamic and inclusive workplace.

Job Overview

We are seeking a creative, motivated, and detail-oriented Editor to join our College Division. The ideal candidate holds an MFA in Creative Writing and possesses 2–5 years of professional writing or editing experience, with a strong foundation in creative nonfiction, personal narratives, and prompt-based work.

In this role, you will become an essential component of the College Division, working one-on-one with students to develop introspective and compelling personal narratives. You will work closely with College Admissions Consultants and Editors to brainstorm, outline, condense, and refine student essays for college applications.

Commitment during the college admissions season (August–December) is required due to increased assignment volume and fixed deadlines. Given the specialized nature of our industry, candidates can expect thorough training, structured resources, and ongoing feedback to support both professional and personal growth.

Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities

Editing & Student Engagement

• Work one-on-one with students to brainstorm, outline, develop, and condense highly introspective and compelling personal narratives.
• Edit student drafts for grammar, clarity, structure, flow, style, word count, and overall narrative coherence.
• Provide detailed written feedback that strengthens intellectual depth and ensures authenticity and adherence to admissions standards.
• Support multiple rounds of revisions to ensure each submission meets our rigorous quality standards.
• Create, edit, and proofread marketing and advertising materials as needed.
• Conduct topic research to support student content and contextual accuracy.

Business Development & Strategic Initiatives

• Serve as an integral part of advertising, public relations, and community outreach campaigns aimed at attracting clients and employee recruitment.
• Assist the Office of the CEO with major projects and initiatives by developing, coordinating, and managing project activities and timelines.
• Design and implement project protocols, templates, and procedures.
• Assist with the collection, analysis, and display of data in charts, tables, and other formats.
• Collaborate with educational institutions in professional development activities and participatory action research.
• Write and edit reports, briefs, and other materials, or engage in operations-oriented tasks to strengthen the College Division.
• Perform other duties customarily performed by individuals in similar positions, adapting to changing business needs as assigned by the Company.

Administrative & Logistical Coordination

• Manage assignment-related administrative tasks efficiently and independently.
• Communicate logistical needs and updates with consultants and editors.
• Organize send-outs of completed assignments to clients and draft email updates/reminders for assigned students.
• Schedule review meetings with Consultants and Editors, and take/distribute structured meeting notes.

Availability & Expectations

• Hours: Availability to work full-time, Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–6:00 PM Pacific Time. Occasional weekend work may be required during peak admissions season.
• Communication: High responsiveness via Slack, Gmail, and Zoom during working hours.
• Work Ethic: Ability to manage deadlines in a fast-paced environment, displaying strong personal accountability and ownership of assigned work. High level of flexibility and professionalism when receiving and implementing feedback.
• Integrity Standard: We do not permit the use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini) for student-facing content. AI-generated material can jeopardize a student’s application. Violation of this policy will result in immediate termination.

Qualifications

• Education: MFA in Creative Writing, preferably from the University of Iowa.
• Experience: 2–5 years of professional writing or editing experience in a deadline-driven environment. Experience in education consulting or college admissions is preferred but not required.
• Skills: Exceptional English verbal and written communication skills with a mastery of grammar and narrative structure. Strong analytical writing skills and the ability to edit and write skillfully without reliance on AI tools.
• Organization: Detail-oriented, highly organized, and comfortable balancing multiple projects simultaneously. Proficiency in Google Workspace and collaboration tools.
• Portfolio: A minimum of three writing samples required upon application (one creative piece and one research-based piece strongly encouraged).

Compensation & Benefits

• We are dedicated to attracting top talent and are committed to rewarding exceptional performance with substantial opportunities for compensation growth.
• Medical insurance reimbursement
• Two weeks of paid leave, including sick leave
• Performance-based bonuses
• Commuter benefits
• Paid team lunches
• Regular company and team-building events