Senior Features Photo Editor (National Geographic)

Job Position(s): Senior Features Photo Editor (National Geographic)

Disney is hiring a Senior Features Photo Editor for National Geographic, based in Washington, DC. This role sits within the editorial photography department and is responsible for commissioning, producing, and editing photography across print and digital feature stories, from initial concept through to publication. It is a strong fit for an experienced photo editor who has built a career in visual journalism and knows how to manage complex photographic assignments at the highest editorial level.

About the Role

The Senior Features Photo Editor works inside National Geographic’s editorial team, contributing to the brand’s most ambitious long-form and special-edition projects across both print and digital publishing workflows. Day to day, this person is selecting photographers, driving creative direction, managing production timelines and budgets, and shepherding deliverables through the full editorial process alongside editors, writers, and designers. The role carries real ownership over the visual identity of feature stories, including domestic and international assignments.

Key Responsibilities

• Commission and edit photography for feature stories across print and digital platforms, maintaining consistency with National Geographic’s editorial standards and visual journalism traditions.
• Lead photographer selection and creative direction for domestic and international assignments, including all production planning and budget oversight.
• Drive visual development for special editorial packages, franchise projects, and high-profile editorial series from pitch through final delivery.
• Ensure accuracy and completeness of all photo deliverables, including captions, credits, usage rights, and metadata, in line with digital asset management protocols.
• Identify and cultivate working relationships with photographers and visual storytellers across the global photojournalism community.
• Collaborate with writers, researchers, designers, and producers throughout the editorial production workflow to ensure visual and editorial alignment on every story.

What You Bring

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in photo editing, visual storytelling, and commissioning within editorial media.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex photographic assignments across multiple productions or editorial platforms simultaneously.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, including Adobe Bridge and Lightroom, and familiarity with digital asset management systems.
• Strong background in photojournalism, documentary photography, or editorial photo production at a major media outlet.
• A bachelor’s degree in Photography, Journalism, Visual Communications, Art, Media Studies, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Why This Role

National Geographic, under Disney, remains one of the few editorial brands where photography is still treated as a primary storytelling medium rather than a support function, giving this role genuine creative weight. The hiring range for this position in Washington, DC is $97,000 to $130,000 per year, with a bonus and long-term incentive units potentially included in the compensation package, alongside a full range of medical and financial benefits. For a photo editor who wants to work at the intersection of documentary storytelling and global editorial publishing, this is a rare staff-level position with real scope.

Apply now for the Senior Features Photo Editor role at National Geographic and bring your editorial vision to one of the most recognized names in visual journalism.