Assistant Editor, Pristine Seas (Science and Innovation) (Fixed-Term)

Company: National Geographic Society
Location: Washington
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

How You’ll Contribute The National Geographic Society (NGS) invests in a diverse, global community of National Geographic Explorers who are leading a new age of exploration in support of our mission: to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world through science, exploration, education, and storytelling. These bold individuals represent more than 140 countries, and their vast array of backgrounds, perspectives, and fields bring us to the far reaches of the globe. Within NGS, the Science & Innovation team is a department that oversees the Society’s grantmaking efforts in science, conservation and technology, develops and manages major mission programs, and establishes programmatic partnerships with like-minded non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Over the last twelve years, Pristine Seas, National Geographic’s flagship ocean conservation program has helped to inspire the protection of 26 of the last wild places in the ocean, encompassing more than 6 million square kilometers of ocean. We are seeking an Assistant Editor, Media, Pristine Seas to support and scale our approach over the next decade to inspire the protection of up to 40 new places. Additionally, we aim to cultivate and expand a network of best-in-class partners to build a community of support for protected areas. The Pristine Seas media team produces world-class, award-winning documentary films that inspire the creation of marine protected areas and further the mission of the National Geographic Society. The Pristine Seas media team creates a wide array of media with tangible conservation impact at the highest standard of quality. This is a fixed-term position for a period of six-years, contingent upon grant funding. Your Impact Post Production Coordination (50%) Work alongside, and under the direction of, the Senior Editor to ingest and prep offline projects for editors Ingesting, transcoding, syncing, grouping, project organization, and creating files for transcription Prepping review outputs and links for producers Prepping for online, for color and for sound mix Sourcing stock footage, music, SFX, etc. for editors and producers as requested. Prepping projects for final online: source the original hi rez footage, create AAF, XML, OMF, ProRes & h.264 transcodes for mixer and colorist. Managing hard drives and all of the Pristine Seas media across and between film projects to share media inside and outside of the team while ensuring integrity of media. Help satisfy footage requests from inside and outside of Pristine Seas. Editing (25%) Overcut audio and picture with final graphics renders, stock footage, music etc. Create and QC final deliverables to spec. Create stock and music cue sheets. If needed, perform assemblies/rough cuts of scenes at the discretion/direction of the Editor/Producer of the project. Edit short form content such as trailers, expedition recaps, social videos, and other short form material as needed. Project Management (25%) Help archive/backup raw footage and final film materials to various online and local storage environments. Promptly and effectively communicate and escalate issues to relevant project leads when necessary. What You’ll Bring Educational Background Bachelor’s degree preferred Minimum Years and Types of Experience 2 years of experience in a post-production environment, preferably as an Assistant Editor. Necessary Knowledge and Skills Solid understanding of the processes and workflows of media production. Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to appropriately prioritize tasks. Above average proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, especially Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Media Encoder. Any experience with creative editing in Premiere is a plus. Experience working in Mac OS, with footage from many camera types, including RED Experience servicing multiple editors and project supervisors on different projects simultaneously is a plus Exceptional technical abilities Ability to multi-task and problem solve effectively The Assistant Editor must be able to communicate effectively, prioritize tasks, and work well as a part of a team, with ownership over some independent tasks. Supervision No Direct Reports Salary Information The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry-specific market data for similar-sized nonprofit organizations. The salary range for this position accounts for a wide range of factors including but not limited to organizational need; specific skill sets; experience and training; certifications; and more. At the National Geographic Society, individuals are typically hired at or near the starting point of the salary range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. The salary range for this position is $60,800.00 - $64,000.00. In addition, the National Geographic Society offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; engaging and comprehensive wellness program; 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment; flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year) and 10 days of sick leave; 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31 (May not apply to all roles that are required to work during high volume seasons or essential workers. Please check with the hiring manager for confirmation.); paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits; learning and development opportunities; Lifestyle Spending Account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy; employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit; and a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks. Job Designation Resident - Our Resident category recognizes that certain staff need to be physically present at Base Camp to do their work. Some Resident staff must be at Base Camp every day to do their jobs, while others may only need to be physically present onsite some of the time to meet looming deadlines or to get work done and may require a unique schedule. As such, this category has been revised to provide maximum flexibility depending on what’s required for each individual role. The days Resident staff come into the office will be determined by their teams and workflow, and they should work with their supervisors to determine their specific schedule. And throughout the year, their schedule may be adjusted based on cyclical work cycles, deadlines, and/or ebbs and flows of work. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. W e encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.

Keywords: National Geographic Society, Washington DC , Assistant Editor, Pristine Seas (Science and Innovation) (Fixed-Term), Design, Graphic Design & CAD , Washington, DC