Editor, Features (National Geographic)

Job Position(s): Editor, Features (National Geographic)

National Geographic is hiring a Features Editor based across New York and Washington to lead editorial development for its print and digital platforms. This role sits within the features department and is responsible for commissioning, developing, and editing long-form journalism across science, history, archaeology, technology, and medical science. It suits an experienced editor with a track record in magazine or digital editorial who knows how to shepherd a story from pitch to publication across multiple formats.

About the Role

The Features Editor works within National Geographic’s editorial team to build story packages, assign and edit freelance writers, and develop new franchise concepts that serve the brand’s core mission of helping readers understand the planet and their place in it. On any given day, that means reviewing pitches, editing draft copy, working through fact-checking stages, and coordinating with graphics and production teams on package assembly. The role reports to the Senior Manager of Features and carries real responsibility for both creative output and workflow management.

Key Responsibilities

• Commission, develop, and edit features and story packages across National Geographic’s print and digital editorial platforms.
• Build new editorial franchises and identify fresh angles on topics central to the publication’s science, history, and exploration coverage.
• Manage production workflows to ensure pieces meet word counts, deadlines, and factual accuracy standards at each stage of the editorial pipeline.
• Develop and maintain relationships with freelance writers, with a deliberate focus on bringing in new voices and perspectives to the contributor pool.
• Work closely with graphics teams to shape complicated data or concepts into clear, compelling visual storytelling.
• Assist the Senior Manager on feature management tasks including contracts, scheduling, and production stage tracking.

What You Bring

• Four or more years of editing experience at a media organization, with demonstrated growth in editorial responsibility over time.
• Proven expertise in at least one of the following subject areas: science journalism, archaeology, history, technology, or medical reporting.
• Strong knowledge of the National Geographic brand, its editorial standards, and its long-form storytelling approach.
• An established network of freelance writers and the editorial judgment to match the right voice to the right assignment.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously across different production stages without missing deadlines.

Why This Role

National Geographic is one of the few remaining editorial brands with a genuine global audience and the budget to support serious long-form journalism across both print and digital. This Features Editor position puts you at the center of that editorial operation, with real commissioning authority and the scope to shape coverage across a wide range of disciplines. The role is available in two locations, New York and Washington, giving candidates in either market a viable path in.

Apply now for the Features Editor role at National Geographic and bring your editorial background to one of the most recognized names in science and exploration journalism.