Lead Editor

spectrum-science-communications; United States; Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Monthly cell phone reimbursement

Flexible time off

Sabbatical after 7 years

Parental leave (13 weeks)

Job summary

Spectrum Science is seeking a Lead Editor to provide expert editorial and proofreading support for clinical trial marketing and patient recruitment materials. You will guide editors, ensure accuracy, and uphold editorial standards across multi-channel deliverables.

Responsibilities include overseeing freelance editors, refining processes, and ensuring client-ready output while complying with branding and regulatory guidelines. Strong attention to detail and collaboration are essential.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of editorial, quality control, production, or operations experience in healthcare marketing, pharmaceutical advertising, or regulated communications.
• Understanding of clinical trial recruitment and retention materials preferred.
• Experience reviewing regulated and compliance-sensitive content.
• Exceptional attention to detail with the ability to identify editorial errors and broader executional risks.
• Strong knowledge of proofreading, editorial standards, and quality assurance workflows.
• Familiarity with MLR/legal/regulatory review processes preferred.
• Experience in fast-paced agency or marketing environments.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and tight deadlines while maintaining accuracy.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Experience overseeing or coordinating freelance of fulltime editorial resources preferred.
• Experience developing or supporting editorial and creative quality standards, processes, and best practices.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and proofing platforms such as Ziflow.
• Understanding of print and digital workflows.
• Ability to review content and functional execution, including links, forms, and routing logic, while applying AMA standards.
• Familiarity with accessibility standards and QA best practices.
• Process-oriented mindset focused on operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Experience reviewing print production files for accuracy, completeness, and consistency with approved creative and production specifications.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive editorial and proofreading review of clinical trial marketing and patient recruitment materials throughout creative development and prior to client delivery or launch.
• Review materials for: Grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, formatting, accuracy, clarity, content consistency, AMA and applicable editorial standards, protocol and IRB-approved language adherence, regulatory and legal requirements, brand and style guideline alignment, cross-channel consistency, links, dates, references, DISCLAIMERS, contact information, and other critical details.
• Validate that requested edits, comments, and approvals are accurately incorporated and align with approved source materials.
• Review deliverables across email, web, digital and social advertising, print, patient recruitment materials, and presentations.
• Review both content and visual execution, identifying formatting, layout, hierarchy, consistency, and image/copy alignment issues.
• Partner with Creative, Client Services, Delivery, and Production to resolve editorial issues and ensure materials are accurate and client-ready.
• Ensure deliverables are editorially polished, accurate, consistent, and client-ready.
• Support and improve the editorial review process, identifying opportunities to catch issues earlier and improve consistency throughout development.
• Develop, maintain, and reinforce editorial standards, processes, checklists, style guides, and best practices to improve consistency and reduce errors and rework.
• Provide editorial oversight and guidance to freelance editors and proofreaders, including training, reviewing work, providing feedback, and helping ensure consistent application of editorial standards.

Job description

At Spectrum Science, our mission—connecting humankind to its best healthlife—comes to life through a culture rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. We believe breakthrough ideas happen when diverse perspectives are embraced and people are empowered to challenge what’s possible.

Join our team of award-winning health-focused experts across advertising, clinical trial experience, communications, consulting, media, medical communications, and patient engagement. Together, we create the momentum that moves science, brands, and careers forward.

About the Role

The Lead Editor provides expert editorial and proofreading support across clinical trial marketing and patient recruitment materials, ensuring content is accurate, consistent, and aligned with editorial, regulatory, brand, and style standards.

The role also helps strengthen and evolve editorial processes, standards, and best practices to improve consistency and quality across deliverables. This position provides editorial oversight and guidance to freelance editors and proofreaders, including training, reviewing work, and providing feedback to ensure consistent application of editorial standards.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive editorial and proofreading review of clinical trial marketing and patient recruitment materials throughout creative development and prior to client delivery or launch.
• Review materials for: Grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, formatting, accuracy, clarity, content consistency, AMA and applicable editorial standards, protocol and IRB-approved language adherence, regulatory and legal requirements, brand and style guideline alignment, cross-channel consistency, links, dates, references, DISCLAIMERS, contact information, and other critical details.
• Validate that requested edits, comments, and approvals are accurately incorporated and align with approved source materials.
• Review deliverables across email, web, digital and social advertising, print, patient recruitment materials, and presentations.
• Review both content and visual execution, identifying formatting, layout, hierarchy, consistency, and image/copy alignment issues.
• Partner with Creative, Client Services, Delivery, and Production to resolve editorial issues and ensure materials are accurate and client-ready.
• Ensure deliverables are editorially polished, accurate, consistent, and client-ready.
• Support and improve the editorial review process, identifying opportunities to catch issues earlier and improve consistency throughout development.
• Develop, maintain, and reinforce editorial standards, processes, checklists, style guides, and best practices to improve consistency and reduce errors and rework.
• Provide editorial oversight and guidance to freelance editors and proofreaders, including training, reviewing work, providing feedback, and helping ensure consistent application of editorial standards.

Desired Skills and Qualifications

• 5+ years of editorial, quality control, production, or operations experience in healthcare marketing, pharmaceutical advertising, clinical trial marketing, or regulated communications.
• Understanding of clinical trial recruitment and retention materials preferred.
• Experience reviewing regulated and compliance-sensitive content.
• Exceptional attention to detail with the ability to identify editorial errors and broader executional risks.
• Strong knowledge of proofreading, editorial standards, and quality assurance workflows.
• Familiarity with MLR/legal/regulatory review processes preferred.
• Experience in fast-paced agency or marketing environments.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and tight deadlines while maintaining accuracy.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Experience overseeing or coordinating freelance of fulltime editorial resources preferred.
• Experience developing or supporting editorial and creative quality standards, processes, and best practices.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and proofing platforms such as Ziflow.
• Understanding of print and digital workflows.
• Ability to review content and functional execution, including links, forms, and routing logic, while applying AMA standards.
• Familiarity with accessibility standards and QA best practices.
• Process-oriented mindset focused on operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Experience reviewing print production files for accuracy, completeness, and consistency with approved creative and production specifications.

The anticipated salary range for this position will be $80,000-$100,000. Salary is based on job-related factors such as: years of relevant experience, qualifications and/or certifications. Spectrum reserves the right to modify this pay range at any given time.

We want to ensure our employees are living their best (health and professional) life and offer a variety of benefits and perks which support our flexible work environment.

• All positions are remote friendly. At Spectrum, you choose where you work. We are a hybrid work environment with options to work in one of our three offices (D.C., New York, and Chicago), remotely from anywhere in the United States, or a combination.
• No matter where you work, you’ll benefit from the monthly cell phone reimbursement.
• Flexible time off. Take the time you need in addition to company holidays, voting time, jury duty and bereavement. We also offer a Sabbatical Program after 7 years of service.
• 13 weeks paid Parental Leave, inclusive of adoption and foster care placement.
• Continuous learning and development through Greatest Potential Self (proprietary talent program), tuition reimbursement programs, and in-house 1:1 coaching with access to talent and productivity-based assessments.
• Bring your friends to work at Spectrum and earn a generous referral bonus.
• Medical concierge service to assist with scheduling appointments, finding care, estimating and resolving claim issues, etc.
• Thorough onboarding including accessible conversations with leadership.
• 401k with company match and 1:1 Financial Coaching and Education.
• Wellness benefits including medical, dental, vision, as well as science-backed meditation and mindfulness tools through Headspace.

Spectrum is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Spectrum is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact [e-mail]