Freelance Copyeditor and Fact-checker

Come work with me at Shelterforce! We're looking for a part-time copyeditor and fact-checker.

• 22-25 hours a week
• Paid vacation time
• Remote

Posted by: Lillian M. Ortiz, Director of Editorial Operations

Shelterforce is seeking a part-time, remote copyeditor and fact-checker.

Shelterforce is a national, nonprofit publication that reports on the intricacies of affordable housing, tenant organizing, community development, urban planning, and related topics. Our online-only publication has many devoted readers, thanks in part to our 51-year history in the field.

We publish about four in-depth articles each week, and several series each year that examine crucial themes in the housing and community development worlds. We call these our "Under the Lens" series.

Our content includes reported articles written by in-house staff (editors and our investigative reporter) and freelance reporters. We also publish explainers, op-eds, lessons from volunteer writers in the field, photo essays and poetry, interviews, and more.

Job description

The copyeditor will review all content for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and consistency errors, and ensure it adheres to our style. (We generally use AP Style, with some exceptions, and have an in-house style guide.) Our articles typically range from 1,000 to 3,000 words, and the copyeditor will also work on shorter types of content, such as the text accompanying infographics, poems, or fundraising letters.

The copyeditor will also perform basic factchecking for articles.

Other responsibilities include

• Uploading and scheduling articles on our website. This includes optimizing posts, adding AI audio to articles, ensuring new authors are added to our system, and related tasks.
• Finding photos for articles by writing to sources, or using stock or Creative Commons photos, etc. The copyeditor also writes alt text for images.

The copyeditor also

• Weighs in on headline brainstorms.
• Cleans up webinar and interview transcripts.
• Takes a turn facilitating our monthly staff meeting.
• Helps maintain the online content archive.
• Participates in Shelterforce's annual in-person staff retreat.

Requirements

This position requires exceptional editing and writing skills, including mastery of English grammar and excellent attention to detail, as well as a commitment to improving readability. Comfort with and commitment to inclusive language required.

Previous news editing and factchecking experience is required, and an interest in the issues Shelterforce covers is strongly preferred.

Knowledge of Microsoft Word and WordPress are essential. Comfort with numbers is highly desirable, and familiarity with Slack, Dropbox, and Asana is helpful.

Job details and applying

This is a part-time hourly employee position at 22-25 hours a week, depending on workload. Exact start and end times are negotiable, but should include a regular 22 hour schedule that involves some availability during business hours each day of the week.

Shelterforce also offers editing services to other organizations in the field, and the copyeditor is sometimes involved in, or even takes the lead on, those projects.

No health benefits. Generous paid time off and a paid week when the office closes in late December. Pay rate of $25/hour.

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to [click apply] by Aug. 21 (reviewed on a rolling basis). Your application will be reviewed by a human, not AI; do us the courtesy of likewise writing your cover letter yourself.

Finalist candidates will be given a paid freelance copyediting assignment as a final step in the process.