Senior Visual Editor
NPR
Washington, DCThis is a Full Time Job
OVERVIEW
Application Deadline: Please submit your application materials by Friday, November 6th, 2026, at 5:00 pm EST
Intro to Position
As a member of the Visuals team, the Senior Visual Editor will be primarily focused on editing and producing content for NPR’s Investigations and Long Form Podcast Unit and projects. This producer will primarily work on commissioning and editing photography and illustration for all NPR platforms. This is a temporary position and ends in June 2027.
This is an NPR editorial role covered under the terms of the NPR Ethics Handbook. All editorial staff are bound by this guidance. Editorial staff are defined as staff members who play a role in shaping the journalistic or creative direction of NPR's content, including events.
This is a union-represented role covered under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement with SAG-AFTRA.
Responsibilities
• Commission and edit original photography and illustrations for NPR stories and podcasts.
• Innovate, execute, assess and iterate visual projects for all platforms.
• Edit, research and license images for all NPR platforms including NPR.org, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and emerging platforms.
• Work with photographers, illustrators, agencies and vendors to process contracts and invoices from assignments.
• Handle photo imaging, captions and credits for stories you edit.
• Attend meetings as needed with the Visuals team, desks, podcasts and shows.
• Contribute to planning and creating strategic efforts to effectively reach new and existing audiences on digital platforms
• Coordinate with member station journalists and other content partners as needed in order to acquire, publish and distribute visual assets for NPR and other public media platforms.
• Effectively represents the interests and capabilities of NPR visuals with colleagues across the company
• Provide guidance and feedback to other Visual team members.
• Occasionally photo edit breaking news stories or large scale news events.
• Research, pitch, write and produce stories for NPR’s visuals blog, The Picture Show.
• Uphold the highest standards for NPR’s visual journalism and storytelling.
• Collaborate with NPR’s Instagram team on creating engaging visual content for the platform.
• Stay up to date with NPR broadcasts, podcasts, reporters, news wires, competition and internal communications to make sure our visual storytelling is optimized and smart.
• Additional duties as assigned by your manager.
The above duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of required responsibilities, duties and skills. Other duties may be assigned, and this job description can be modified at any time.
Required Skills
• Photographic storytelling experience, preferably with a major network or newsroom, studio or creative agency.
• Mastery of Adobe Creative Cloud programs related to video and photo design. (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Premiere).
• Ability to handle multiple and complex projects simultaneously under stringent time frames and changing priorities/conditions.
• Be well versed in copyright and ethical journalism practices.
• Extensive experience in content management systems.
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Excellent organizational skills to handle multiple assignments across different teams and timelines.
• Have a strong interest in current events.
• Ability to work independently and with members of a cooperative team.
Education Requirements
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in work experience
Work Location & Requirements
• SAG-AFTRA Hybrid Permitted: This is a hybrid permitted role. The employee will be required to be in the office at the Washington, D.C. location at least 2 days a week. The employee must also reside in Washington, D.C. / Maryland / Virginia.
Job Type
• This is a temporary (6-month) full-time position.
You may read NPR’s privacy policy to learn about how NPR may handle information you submit with any application.
Want more NPR? Explore the stories behind the stories on our NPR Extra blog.
Create a Job Alert
Interested in building your career at NPR? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.
Create alert
Salary/Benefits
$61.30 /hour USD
The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum hourly rate NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.
Benefits
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Voluntary retirement savings
Perks
• Access to health and wellness
• Financial well-being
Additional Information
NPR is a thriving, mission-driven multimedia organization that produces award-winning news, information, and music programming in partnership with hundreds of independent public radio stations across the nation. The NPR audience values information, creativity, curiosity, and social responsibility, which are also core principles for our employees. We are innovators and leaders in diverse fields, including journalism, digital media, IT, and development, and our work touches the lives of millions worldwide. NPR Visuals focuses on creating and distributing content that reflects and serves America, collaborating with teams across NPR, member stations, and content partners to engage audiences on platforms such as NPR.org, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. We are committed to building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is key to our success, with integrity and adherence to ethical standards as fundamental responsibilities for every employee.
