The mission ( of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It’s why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It’s why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination. And it’s why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it’s worth paying for.
Job Description
The New York Times is seeking a news assistant to work in a floater role that will involve learning several different news assistant jobs throughout the newsroom. Floaters fill in on various jobs to cover other employees’ vacations, leaves and other types of time off, as well as filling in on night or weekend jobs that don’t have a regularly assigned news assistant.
The ideal candidate will be a quick learner who is versatile and able to rotate easily from one job to another. Organizational skills and a desire to learn new skills are critical to success in this role. Flexibility is also key as floaters do not have a set schedule; a floater’s schedule varies week to week and will include nights, weekends, and holidays. Schedule changes occur regularly and being cooperative with changes and quickly responsive to calls/emails from Newsroom Operations managers are required.
Responsibilities:
You will assist editors in producing various newsletters and other online content
You will handle layout of some parts of our print newspaper
Screen and sort mail, send out newspapers, answer telephone calls and manage other incoming information for the assigned department
Maintain department documents, including spreadsheets and various listservs that contain reliable information of reporter locations
You will use multiple proofreading and fact-checking skills along with various audience-related tasks, i.e. SEO and URL verification
For publication in listings, review and confirm background facts for events submitted to The Times, seek out appropriate upcoming events, select events and edit content for space requirements
Determine accuracy of data, correcting apparent errors as needed and calling attention to news developments the material may disclose
Manage desk social media accounts at the direction of editors
Write and/or reword caption information attached to incoming pictures or other material submitted by photographers so that editors can write captions for publication
Gather, prepare and archive content, including, but not limited to, a wide variety of tables, listings, captions, summaries, photos, graphics and other content elements accurately and efficiently, repackaging, reformatting and appending assigned content as needed for immediate publication in any and all media
Demonstrate support and understanding of our value of journalistic independence ( and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world
You may be called upon to help ensure the smooth administrative operation of the assigned desk by performing a variety of tasks under the supervision of desk editors and/or the operations manager, including:
Helping to maintain varied departmental files and personnel and other office records including work and vacation schedules, timebanks, whereabouts lists and payroll records
Assisting editors and operations managers with processing of freelance and staff payments
Learning and utilizing evolving administrative tools and working with editors and operations managers to help create and apply newsroom policies on the assigned desk
Basic Qualifications:
2 plus years of professional experience
Strong grammar and communication skills
Familiarity with Google Workspace (Google Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides)
Strong organizational skills
Ability to multitask and prioritize to meet deadlines
Ability to quickly learn and apply new skills
Preferred Qualifications:
B.A or B.S degree
A passion for learning about new tools and journalism formats
Versatile skills in writing
The job will be based in New York and is represented by the NewsGuild of NY.
The annual base pay salary for this role is between $66,300.00 and $67,000.00.
The New York Times is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce, one that reflects the varied global community we serve. Our journalism and the products we build in the service of that journalism greatly benefit from a range of perspectives, which can only come from diversity of all types, across our ranks, at all levels of the organization. Achieving true diversity and inclusion is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing for our business. So we strongly encourage women, veterans, people with disabilities, people of color and gender nonconforming candidates to apply.
The New York Times Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of an individual's sex, age, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation or affectional preference, gender identity and expression, disability, genetic trait or predisposition, carrier status, citizenship, veteran or military status and other personal characteristics protected by law. All applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected characteristics. The New York Times Company will provide reasonable accommodations as required by applicable federal, state, and/or local laws. Individuals seeking an accommodation for the application or interview process should email . Emails sent for unrelated issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.
The Company will further consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable "Fair Chance" laws.
The New York Times Company follows the pay transparency and non-discrimination provisions outlined by the United States Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. Click here ( for details.