Assistant Editor

Lookout Santa Cruz is expanding our team and impact. We are proud to have won the breaking news Pulitzer in 2024 for coverage of unprecedented flooding in January 2023.

We seek a half-time assistant news editor, experienced and mission-oriented, in further building Lookout’s service to our community.  

About Lookout Local: We are building a modern company of journalists and friends in a collaborative, in-office, community-centric environment. With our successful Lookout Eugene-Springfield launch, we now plan Lookouts 3-5 and are building a pipeline of ambitious talent.

Our mission is to repopulate news deserts, not by protesting financially driven chains, but by creating better local news and local news products, ones that earn both membership and advertising dollars every day. We are building robust local news companies — meant to serve their communities and last. We stand for trustworthy, local, independent journalism. Apply today to join the team.

Learn more about Lookout:

Lookout Santa Cruz: https://lookout.co/
Lookout Eugene-Springfield: https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/
Lookout Expansion coverage
Lookout Pulitzer coverage

Application Process: Please send your resume and cover letter to jobs@lookoutlocal.com and put “Assistant Editor” in the subject line.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• Good PTO allowances
• An opportunity to make a significant impact on and contribute to the revival of local journalism.
• A collaborative and mission-driven work environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Lookout Eugene-Springfield is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Position Overview: 

The Assistant Editor, for the Managing Editor, will aid in the story editing process daily. Within a daily schedule, the editor will both work with the managing editor, opinion editor and correspondents to produce ready-for-publication content, both story- and information-based.  We prefer the position be based in Santa Cruz, but may be open to remote work.

Reports to the Managing Editor

Responsibilities:  

• Assist with editing stories and Op-Eds that require more intensive editing and/or handle edits on daily stories
• Assists with providing a second pair of eyes for copy
• Assists with interns, including editing copy, answering questions, training them on systems
• Monitors breaking news, assist with writing briefs
• Handles the newsroom day-to-day on certain days and times, as needed
• May contribute reporting and/or writing, from longer-term projects or features.
• Provides editing relief and other newsroom management assistance during breaking news events, particularly those that happen outside of regular business hours
• Directs the newsroom day-to-day in absence of managing editor.

Qualifications:

• An excellent, experienced story editor, capable of spotting red flags, reporting holes, buried leads, structural problems and missed opportunities in stories. Must be more than a copy editor, with excellent news judgment and great writing skills.
• Excited about – and experienced with – editing younger journalists. Patient and collegial.