About The Narwhal

The Narwhal is an award-winning online magazine that publishes in-depth and investigative journalism about the natural world in Canada. 

Think of us as part newsroom, part non-profit and part startup. As a non-profit, reader-funded news organization, our goal isn’t to sell advertising or to please corporate bigwigs — it’s to bring evidence-based news and analysis to the surface for our readers. We’re part of a revolution in public-interest journalism that is reinvigorating the relationship between readers and the journalists who work on their behalf — and we want you to join us.

The storytellers in any society hold tremendous power. At The Narwhal, we recognize that this power represents both a privilege and a responsibility and we aim to use this power for the public good. The Narwhal is working to build an inclusive and equitable team that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage applications from communities traditionally underrepresented in this field. 

About the gig

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Type: One-year contract

Start date: July 14, 2025

Application deadline: May 16, 2025

Since 2018, The Narwhal has grown rapidly, becoming a home for award-winning, context-rich journalism about the natural world. We are searching for an Assistant Editor who is keen to jump in and help get things done. If you identify as a word nerd who loves copy-editing and story layout and is excited to make our journalism shine, we want to work with you. 

The ideal candidate will be passionate about the power of journalism to bridge divides, tapped into what’s happening in the environmental world and motivated to help out wherever it’s needed. 

•  You’ll join a team of top-notch journalists from across the country and report to the Managing Editor.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and respond to messages from readers
• Copy edit articles and other copy, sometimes with tight deadlines
• Assist with maintaining The Narwhal’s house style guide
• Fact check articles and other copy
• Source and resize images
• Assist with story layout
• Assist with the production of newsletters
• Write, create and publish content on social media
• Generally contribute to the rollout of content, including outreach to promote content with stakeholders
• Assist with creating and maintaining the image library
• Contribute to structural edits, as needed

What to expect

• Selected candidates will be invited to a first-round interview by mid-June
• Following that, there will likely be a paid assignment and selected candidates will be invited to a second and possibly third interview
• Candidates will meet a mix of team members during the interview process. 
• The hiring committee will consist of three interviewers in each session
• All interviews will be conducted online via Zoom 

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years of professional editing experience 
• Copy editing experience 
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrated ability to work in a deadline-driven environment and juggle multiple tasks
• Experience with WordPress and Google Analytics
• Strong knowledge of CP Style
• Comfortable laying out stories and sharing them on social media  
• An understanding of trauma-informed journalism 
• Familiarity with solutions journalism and a commitment to complicating the narrative 
• Familiarity with The Narwhal

Nice to haves:

• Familiarity with photo editing and Google Drive

 We offer the following benefits:

• Group health, vision, dental benefits, a health spending account and Employee Assistance Program after three months
• 3% base GRSP contributions after three months
• Professional development opportunities
• A flexible workplace with a vibrant, collaborative culture
• Work from home stipend or opportunity to work from a shared office
• 20 vacation days per year, plus your birthday off
• Organization-wide holiday shutdown in December
• 10 personal days per year
• Two-month top-up program for EI-protected leaves (eligible after one year of employment)

Benefits are subject to change at any time at the discretion of The Narwhal.

When it comes to compensation, research shows wide disparities in how candidates negotiate, which is partially responsible for wage gaps between groups of people. At The Narwhal, we have a transparent and competitive salary grid for our entire team. We developed this approach because we wanted to remove the guesswork around compensation and put everyone on an equal footing. The posted salary range is in line with our grid and is not negotiable. 

The Narwhal is working to build an inclusive and equitable team that reflects the communities we serve. People who identify as being from marginalized communities, including Indigenous Peoples, racialized people, people with disabilities, people identifying as 2SLGBTQ+, and people from low-income backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply. Disability-related accommodations are available for candidates taking part in our hiring process. We will ask candidates selected for an interview about any accessibility needs ahead of the scheduled interview.