SFGATE Copy Editor

SFGATE Copy Editor

Under the direction of SFGATE’s copy desk chief, the copy editor will work with our digital team to raise the standards of the site for clean, concise prose. You’ll be asked to edit consistently at a high level, demonstrating expertise in grammar and style. You’ll also conceive solutions to common copy problems and help to implement them. You’ll also need to understand when to escalate issues and when to solve them at the individual or team level.

Why SFGATE?

Launched in 1994, SFGATE.com was one of the first large-market media sites in the world and served as the exclusive digital home of the San Francisco Chronicle for 19 years. In 2019, the Chronicle (which can now be found online at the paywalled sfchronicle.com) and SFGATE officially became two separately run entities with their own editorial staffs and independent newsrooms.

Today, SFGATE is a digital-only publication that reaches more than 28 million readers every month and tells the stories of the people, places, and ideas that make San Francisco, and the Bay Area at large, the weird and wonderful place that it is. We help readers navigate their day, whether it’s by keeping them updated on big breaking news, guiding them to interesting local experiences, or sharing a part of the Bay they haven’t seen before. 

The site is home to seven verticals: Culture, offering a unique mix of the entertainment news you actually need, and the underground stories from hidden corners of the Bay Area you want; Local, the premier destination for everything that life in San Francisco encompasses (from wildly expensive real estate to schools to what it’s like to live above a raucous bar); Sports, covering the intersection of sports and culture; Travel, covering everything from flight deals and travel news to hotel hacks and under-the-radar day trips; Politics, where we keep you up to speed on all local, state and national politics that have implications in the Bay Area; Food Drink, where we tell you the backstory of the people behind the bar and in the kitchen; and News; plus, SFGATE has satellite editors covering Lake Tahoe, California Parks, the Central Coast, Hawaii and Disneyland.

What we’re looking for:

• Keen proofreading eye and strong attention to detail
• Excellent English language skills and deep knowledge of grammar and style rules
• Professional experience with standard style guides, such as the Associated Press Stylebook
• Phenomenal headline writing skills and the ability to take a complex story and distill it down to a handful of words
• An affection for language and an understanding of the impact it can have in our community
• Ability to communicate and interact professionally with culturally diverse writers, editors and staff
• Ability to prioritize and balance multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to manage time effectively and meet deadlines
• Previous experience with a content management system
• Ability to work effectively in a small organization with an emphasis on teamwork
• Ability to work legally in the United States
• Ability to live in/commute to the San Francisco Bay Area 

Who you are:

• You have 3 to 4 years of professional copy editing experience
• You have a bachelor's degree in English, journalism, creative writing, comparative literature, communications or related fields from an accredited college or university, or equivalent, with a record that demonstrates suitable preparation for this position
• You’ve read SFGATE and have an understanding of the brand and voice

As part of its continued efforts to maintain a safe workplace for employees, Hearst Newspapers requires that all employees who receive a written offer of employment be fully vaccinated (as defined by the CDC) against the coronavirus by the first day of employment as a condition of employment, to the extent permitted by applicable law. Hearst Newspapers will consider requests for reasonable accommodations on an individual basis in accordance with applicable legal requirements