Features and Real Life Writer

DailyMail.com; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Health, dental, vision, life insurance

401(k)

Paid time off

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Daily Mail seeks an experienced US Features journalist to join our New York newsroom as a Real Life Writer, focusing on compelling real-life and 'As Told To' features across showbiz, crime, health, politics, and more. The role requires 3+ years of features experience, exceptional storytelling and interviewing skills, and the ability to deliver polished copy quickly in a fast-paced digital newsroom.

Onsite in New York, you will collaborate with editors and photo editors to identify stories,

Qualifications

• 3+ years of features experience at a reputable outlet.
• Excellent interviewing and storytelling skills.
• Ability to deliver engaging copy quickly in a fast-paced newsroom.
• Strong editorial instincts and knowledge of audience.
• Experience with real-life and 'As Told To' features is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Write 1,000-1,400-word features across real life, showbiz, celebrity, crime, health, politics, and other subjects.
• Develop 'As Told To' and real-life features from interviews and case studies.
• Pitch strong, original story ideas daily.
• Identify interviewees, experts, and sources; conduct interviews.
• Turn complex or sensitive subjects into accessible digital features.
• Collaborate with editors and photo editors; source images.
• Build and publish stories using a CMS; meet deadlines.
• Contribute to follow-up and enterprise features as needed.
• Ensure reporting meets editorial, legal, and ethical standards.

Skills

Storytelling

Interviewing

Editorial judgment

Deadline-driven

News research

Digital journalism

Tools

Content Management System (CMS)

Image sourcing

Job description

We're hiring: US Features / Real Life Writer | New York City

DailyMail.com is growing its US Features desk and is looking for an experienced, dynamic Features / Real Life Writer to join our New York newsroom.

This is an opportunity to tell compelling human-interest stories that resonate with millions of readers, with a particular focus on real-life and \"As Told To\" features, alongside coverage spanning celebrity, showbiz, crime, health, politics, and other news-driven subjects.

We're looking for a journalist with 3+ years of features experience, exceptional storytelling and interviewing skills, strong editorial instincts, and a proven ability to deliver engaging copy quickly in a fast-paced digital newsroom.

Location: New York, NY - Onsite. Employment: Full-Time. Salary: $90,000-$110,000. Department: Editorial - Features.

Posted by: Sonia J., Talent Acquisition Leader

About Us

The Daily Mail reaches over a billion people globally every month. Renowned for its agenda-setting exclusives, breaking news, incisive commentary, and in-depth investigations, we deliver a unique editorial blend spanning showbiz, royals, lifestyle, health, sport, money, and more.

Our extensive reach, influence, and reader loyalty make us a premium destination for more than 300,000 digital subscribers across the UK, US, Australia, and beyond. The Daily Mail also maintains a powerful presence across social media, engaging more than 150 million followers and delivering more than 6 billion video views each month across platforms including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat.

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced, dynamic features journalist to join the growing US Features desk in our New York office.

As a US Features / Real Life Writer, you will focus primarily on compelling real-life and \"As Told To\" features, while also producing impactful, engaging journalism across showbiz, celebrity, crime, health, politics, and other news-driven subjects.

Working closely with editors, photo editors, and colleagues across the newsroom, you will identify compelling stories, develop case studies and interviews, and produce highly engaging features at speed. This role requires excellent storytelling skills, strong news judgment, creativity, and the ability to deliver polished copy to tight deadlines.

The Features department plays a crucial role in helping the Daily Mail achieve its North Star goal of 1 million global subscribers by 2028, producing journalism that attracts, retains, and delights readers.

What You'll Do

• Write fast, engaging 1,000-1,400-word features across real life, showbiz, celebrity, crime, health, politics, and other news-driven subjects.
• Develop compelling \"As Told To\" and real-life features based on original interviews and case studies.
• Pitch strong, original story ideas on a daily basis.
• Identify and secure compelling case studies, interviewees, experts, and sources.
• Conduct interviews and research to uncover distinctive and engaging stories.
• Turn complex or sensitive subjects into accessible, compelling digital features.
• Work closely with photo editors to source and select images that effectively illustrate articles.
• Build and publish stories using a content management system.
• Work quickly and accurately to tight editorial deadlines.
• Collaborate with editors and colleagues across the newsroom to maximize the reach and impact of features.
• Contribute to follow-up coverage and enterprise features as required.
• Restructure and adapt opinion or other editorial content where appropriate.
• Ensure all reporting meets the highest editorial, legal, and ethical standards.

About You

The ideal candidate is an experienced features journalist with a strong instinct for compelling stories and a proven ability to produce engaging journalism at speed. You are naturally curious, creative, and confident in finding the human angle that will make a story resonate with a large digital audience.

You have excellent interviewing and storytelling skills, understand what makes a strong real-life feature, and are comfortable working in a fast-paced newsroom where priorities can change quickly.

• Minimum 3 years of experience as a feature writer at a newspaper, news website, magazine, television news show, or comparable newsroom.
• Proven experience producing compelling, impactful features for a digital or mass-market audience.
• Experience writing real-life and/or \"As Told To\" features is highly desirable.
• Strong knowledge of the DailyMail.com brand, editorial voice, and audience.
• Understanding of the types of stories that attract, retain, and delight subscribers.
• Outstanding writing, interviewing, research, and storytelling skills.
• Ability to generate compelling story ideas consistently and work quickly under pressure.
• Strong online research skills and familiarity with digital research tools.
• Excellent editorial judgment and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple stories and competing deadlines.
• Experience covering real life, crime, celebrity, showbiz, politics, health, or human interest is a plus.
• Experience restructuring opinion articles is advantageous.
• Experience working with content management systems is desirable.
• Flexibility to work outside standard hours when required.

What We Offer

• Fast-paced, collaborative newsroom environment in our New York office.
• Competitive salary of $90,000-$110,000.
• Comprehensive benefits package.
• Health, dental, vision, life insurance, and 401(k).
• Generous paid time off.
• Professional development opportunities.
• The opportunity to produce features read by millions of readers worldwide.
• The chance to work on high-impact real-life stories and help shape the Daily Mail's features agenda.