Science Writer

Essentially Simple; United States; On-site; USD 1,500 - 1,800; Full time

Job summary

Science Buzz is seeking contributing writers with subject-matter expertise in Earth Science, Biology, Physics, Astronomy, and Chemistry to produce posts on recent discoveries and to outline content for infographics.

Contributors should communicate complex ideas clearly, be familiar with leading journals, and be comfortable with formats that engage readers, including listicles and explainer pieces. Flexible deadlines and bylines are offered.

Qualifications

• Expert in a scientific domain, not necessarily a PhD or professional experience.
• Able to understand leading journals and assess significance of new research.
• Able to write clearly about complex topics without relying on jargon.

Responsibilities

• Produce high-quality posts on recent discoveries and research in Earth Science, Biology, Physics, Astronomy and Chemistry.
• Outline content for infographics and related visuals.

Skills

Science expertise

Clear writing

Job description

Science Buzz is a pre-launch blog that’s focused on making research in the physical sciences accessible to a general audience. We're looking for contributors with subject matter expertise in Earth Science, Biology, Physics, Astronomy, and Chemistry (and their sub-disciplines) to produce high-quality posts on recent discoveries/research, as well as guides and outlining content for infographics.

About you

• You're an expert in some scientific domain. That doesn't necessarily mean you have a Ph.D. or have worked in the field professionally; we're happy to hire passionate amateurs. It does mean that you're familiar with the leading academic journals in the subject and have the background knowledge to understand the significance of new research.
• You can write clearly about complex topics. This means you know the Jargon of the field, but can communicate what is essential without relying on it.
• You understand the elements of producing viral content and aren't averse to formulas when they work (e.g., listicles).

Pros of working with us

• Get paid to learn and write about something you're genuinely interested in
• All work published under your byline
• Flexibility: we rarely have strict deadlines and are happy to work with people who aren't able to contribute regularly.

What we look for

• Typical article length of 800 - 2,000 words. We're open to longer pieces but will typically solicit them from contributors who we've worked with previously.
• Coverage of a topic that hasn't been widely reported on other blogs or in the press.
• We want to cover research that has been published in the last year, though this is not a hard rule.
• Relevance: our goal is to make science engaging, the primary way to do that is by illustrating how it connects to the lives of our readers.
• A sense of humor or whimsy.

Rates

Our starting rate is $150 per published article. Ideally, we would like contributors who can write several articles per week but are open to working with talented writers who as well.