Deputy News Editor

• Location: New Scientist Headquarters, HSK, London, W8 5HY
• Contract Type: Full Time/Permanent/Hybrid – 3 days/week in the office

Closing Date: 31 st October, 2026

About The Role

We seek an ambitious and driven Deputy News Editor to join our news team. The job is to commission and edit world-class science and technology news stories, shape our overall news coverage and strategy, and help set our expert reporters up for success.

The successful candidate will have a track record of publishing must-read exclusives, fast-paced breaking news, original off-diary reports and insightful analysis. They will know when to go big on a story and when to ditch one altogether, and they will have an eye for unique angles that will appeal to readers. They will have strong digital experience, regularly working on stories in unconventional formats.

The successful candidate will also be a skilled strategist who thinks through the bigger picture and will help to set the overall direction of our news team. They will have substantial management experience and they will know how to drive a culture of ambitious, agenda-setting journalism.

The successful candidate will love science and technology journalism and have an insatiable fascination with the world.

The role reports to our Executive Editor/News Editor. It is full-time and will require working three days a week in our London office.

To apply, please submit a CV and a cover letter outlining your vision for the New Scientist news team (this should be no more than two pages long).

Main Responsibilities

Commission, edit and publish world-class science and technology news stories

Work closely with reporters on original, agenda-setting journalism, including exclusives, investigations, breaking news, analysis and off-diary stories

Line manage reporters, providing regular feedback and support

Help set the overall editorial direction of the news team, identifying key and emerging areas we should go big on

Ensure we have must-read news stories every day

Be a senior editorial leader within the editorial team

Deputise for Executive Editor/News Editor, taking overall responsibility for the news team as required

Experiment with different storytelling formats and approaches

Maintain New Scientist’s high standards and editorial voice

Be driven by the data, using analytics to make sure we are producing the engaging journalism that our audience and subscribers want

Person Specification

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

You have significant experience:

Editing science and/or technology journalism (not academic journals or branded/marketing content)

Setting strategy and direction for editorial teams

Commissioning and editing exclusive, agenda-setting journalism

Breaking news and covering major stories

Managing and mentoring journalists

Using audience data to inform editorial decisions

Working for a high-quality journalism brand

You understand:

What makes a New Scientist news story

What the most important topics in science and technology are right now

How to read scientific research and work out what’s important for a general audience

What makes content premium

Modern digital publishing and workflows

Libel law and how it relates to journalism

Desirable

A degree in a STEM subject

Skills & Behaviours

Exceptional news judgement and strong editorial instincts

Excellent writing and editing skills

Ambitious and highly driven

Proactive with the ability to take action and get things done

Strategic and big picture thinking

Highly collaborative

Extremely high standards

Willing to challenge the consensus and take calculated risks

Organised and efficient

Appreciates the art of storytelling and crafting a narrative

Collaborative and communicative, enjoys working with a team

Good interpersonal skills, able to get the best out of writers and nurture new talent

Adaptable and open to new ways of working/ideas

About New Scientist

New Scientist is a magazine brand for the insatiably curious, asking the big-picture questions about life, the universe and what it means to be human. From artificial intelligence to climate change, the latest innovations in health to the mysteries of quantum physics and the human mind, New Scientist covers the ideas and discoveries that matter.

Since our publication was founded in 1956 for “all those interested in scientific discovery and its social consequences”, it has expanded to include newsletters, videos, podcasts, holidays and live events. Our headquarters are in London, UK, and we also have staff in the US and Australia.

Working for New Scientist

New Scientist is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applications to New Scientist will receive due consideration regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.

Package Description

Our benefits package increases the longer you’ve been with us. Here’s what to expect:

25 days holiday increased +1 day a year up to 30 days

Upon joining you will be automatically enrolled onto the Pension Plan at the minimum level of 4% employee contribution, 4% Company contribution.

Life cover under the Pension Plan of up to 4x your basic salary.

DMGT Discounts (for discounts on online shopping, vouchers and reloadable cards)

Subsidised canteen

Onsite gym (Northcliffe House only)

Onsite nurse and GP clinics (Northcliffe House only)

Our Employee Assistance Programme

Healthcare with Healix

Employee Assistance Support

Invites to NS Events

Our Commitment

We are committed to increasing diversity and maintaining an inclusive workplace culture. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability.

We are Disability Confident Committed. Please let us know if you require any recruitment documentation in other formats or if you require reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process. Please be assured that any such information will be held separately to your recruitment application and will not be considered as part of the selection process.