Locum News Editor or Senior News Editor, Nature

Job Title: Locum News Editor or Senior News Editor, Nature

Locations : London or Berlin – Hybrid Working Model 

Application Deadline: 12th June

About Springer Nature Group

Springer Nature opens the doors to discovery for researchers, educators, clinicians and other professionals. Every day, around the globe, our imprints, books, journals, platforms and technology solutions reach millions of people. For over 175 years our brands and imprints have been a trusted source of knowledge to these communities and today, more than ever, we see it as our responsibility to ensure that fundamental knowledge can be found, verified, understood and used by our communities – enabling them to improve outcomes, make progress, and benefit the generations that follow. 

About the Brand

Nature Portfolio is a flagship portfolio of journals, products and services including Nature and the Nature-branded journals, dedicated to serving the scientific community. Visit Nature.com and follow @Nature / @NaturePortfolio

About the Role

As Locum News Editor, Europe, you will be responsible for publishing around 150 news stories a year for the European news bureau at Nature , the world’s most authoritative science journal. 

Reporting to the Bureau Chief, Europe, you will commission and edit stories from staff and freelance reporters and will focus on growing Nature’s core audience of working scientists by identifying stories they will love.  

This role can be located in our Berlin or London offices on a hybrid working model. The position is offered on a fixed-term basis for 9 months, to start as soon as possible.

Role Responsibilities

• Commission, edit and publish news stories for Nature to tight deadlines — often within a day;   

• Assist the Bureau Chief, Europe, in generating original ideas for stories, with the goal of growing audience traffic; 

• Edit copy so it is clear, concise, accurate and engaging, including writing compelling headlines; judge when more information or reporting is needed; liaise with reporters and subeditors during editing; judge when copy is ready for publication; 

• Work with the art and multimedia teams on images, videos and infographics;  

• Identify and deal with legal, or other, sensitivities; 

• Use content management systems to publish stories online and in print; 

• Maintain broad knowledge of big issues in science, science policy, the scientific community and global current affairs. 

• Assist the Locum Bureau Chief, Europe, in supervising or directly managing reporters in Europe;  

• Step up to lead the bureau when the Locum Bureau Chief is absent;  

• Work closely with reporters, bureau chiefs and news editors in the US and Asia-Pacific region to ensure the news output is comprehensive;  

• Mentor and train junior staff, including interns.  

Experience, Skills & Qualifications:

Essential 

• Experience in science journalism;  

• Fast and accurate writer and editor, able to synthesise complex ideas and topics; 

• Enthusiasm for, and basic fluency in an array of science topics; 

• Good interpersonal skills and ease working with staff and freelance colleagues; 

• Excellent time management and organization; ability to work to strict deadlines and respond to breaking news as needed.  

Desirable 

• Newsroom or editing experience, preferably in a fast-paced environment and/or in digital publishing; 

• Experience using audience data to inform story choices and news strategy; 

• Management experience. 

To apply, you should include:

• A CV
• A cover letter explaining your interest in the post
• 3 clips of articles you’ve written or edited

At Springer Nature, we value the diversity of our teams and work to build an inclusive culture, where people are treated fairly and can bring their differences to work and thrive. We empower our colleagues and value their diverse perspectives as we strive to attract, nurture and develop the very best talent.

Springer Nature was awarded Diversity Team of the Year at the 2022 British Diversity Awards. Find out more about our DEI work here:

If you have any access needs related to disability, neurodivergence or a chronic condition, please contact us so we can make all necessary accommodation.

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