Fellow, Opinion Copy Editor

Join the 2027 New York Times Fellowship class as a copy editor for the Opinion section in New York.

Copy editors are the last line of defense before publication of Opinion columnists, contributors and guest essayists. Basic duties include checking writers’ grammar, spelling and adherence to style and standards. An exceptional copy editor will also serve as an advocate for readers, ensuring that a story’s argument, logic, style and tone are sound. Opinion copy editors must balance enforcement of the standards of The Times with preserving a writer’s distinct viewpoint and voice. 

You have experience with copy editing and making editorial judgment calls. You can work collaboratively with story editors and fact-checkers. You are experienced digitally and enthusiastic about Opinion’s daily report — and open to working on stories from all points of view. You are platform agnostic and interested in working on copy for any medium. You are comfortable raising potential problems concerning standards and taste, and have good radar for when to push back on edits made by more senior colleagues.

The Opinion department is separate from the newsroom. This is an in-office position and includes regular attendance in the office four days each week. There may be some flexibility to work remotely per your departmental guidance. You may be required to work some nights, weekends and holidays as needed.

Finalists will be required to take an editing test.

Responsibilities:

• Copy edit story text, headlines, captions and other display copy, elevating articles on the sentence level for clarity 
• Ensure accuracy and consistency across a range of content, including editorials, guest essays and columns
• Polish, format and quality-check podcast transcripts, graphics and video elements
• Respond to changing priorities and demands based on department needs and the news cycle
• Participate in training and social programs designed for the fellowship
• Demonstrate support and understanding of our value of journalistic independence and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world

Basic Qualifications:

• No more than five years of full-time, professional journalism experience, excluding internships
• Experience editing articles, essays or scripts for publication
• Experience working on firm deadlines

Preferred Qualifications:

• Record of multiple journalism internships, or equivalent experience
• Comfort with a wide range of subject matter, from politics to science and culture
• Familiarity with content management systems and transcription tools

To apply, upload a résumé and cover letter. The application will prompt you when to upload materials. Applications that fail to include any of these materials or follow these instructions will not be considered.

You must be authorized to work in the United States. We will not sponsor work visas for the fellowship, but we will consider applicants with valid work authorization or a valid student visa that can be extended with Optional Practical Training.

You may apply to only one fellowship position per year. For instance, if you apply as an Opinion copy editor, you should not apply for any other positions in the fellowship. Duplicate applications will be discarded.

The application deadline is 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Nov. 20. 

The Times Fellowship generates a high level of interest, so we cannot acknowledge the status of applications upon receipt or during the vetting process, which can take eight weeks or more. We cannot accept applications that are mailed or emailed to us. We will contact you for interviews as needed.

The fellowship program will begin on or about June 7, 2027, and end on May 26, 2028, subject to satisfactory performance. There is no guarantee of a full-time position upon completion of the program.

For more information about the Times Fellowship, visit here.

This position is represented by the NewsGuild of New York.

REQ-02077

Additional Compensation and Benefits:

For roles in the U.S., dependent on your role, you may be eligible for variable pay, such as an annual bonus and restricted stock. Benefits may include medical, dental and vision benefits, Flexible Spending Accounts (F.S.A.s), a company-matching 401(k) plan, employee stock purchase plan, paid vacation, paid sick days, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement and professional development programs.

For roles outside of the U.S., information on benefits will be provided during the interview process.