Contract Academic Copy Editor Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Company Description
About Rock & Art
Rock & Art is an independent cultural journalism and knowledge platform exploring art, music, literature, identity, bodies, sexuality, politics and subcultures through critical, intersectional perspectives.
We are not a conventional news outlet or magazine. We practice slow journalism: research-driven, long-form and contextual work that seeks to understand culture rather than simply report on it.
Rock & Art is built around the belief that journalism can be a method of producing public knowledge. Our work connects cultural criticism, research, documentation and collective knowledge-building, creating an independent and lasting resource for readers, researchers and communities.
Our editorial practice is guided by intellectual curiosity, evidence, context, editorial independence, and a commitment to complexity and responsible representation.
We are currently building an international volunteer community of writers, researchers, editors, fact-checkers, knowledge curators and cultural contributors who want to help develop Rock & Art as a long-term cultural knowledge project.
This is a fully remote, worldwide volunteer opportunity. You can apply from anywhere in the world, provided you can collaborate remotely and communicate effectively with the team.
All positions are voluntary and unpaid. They are not employment positions and do not include salary, fees or financial compensation.
Job Description
About the role
We are looking for Volunteer Editors and Copy Editors to help shape, strengthen and refine Rock & Art's editorial work.
Editing at Rock & Art is not simply about fixing grammar.
A good editor helps a writer discover what an article is actually trying to say. They identify gaps in reasoning, strengthen structure, question unsupported assumptions, improve clarity and ensure that an argument remains coherent from beginning to end.
At the same time, copy editing ensures that the final text is accurate, readable and consistent.
Depending on your experience and interests, you may work primarily as a substantive/developmental editor, cultural editor, copy editor or proofreader. You do not need to perform every type of editing.
What you will do
Depending on your role, you may:

• Review submitted and commissioned articles.
• Evaluate structure, argument, narrative logic and editorial coherence.
• Identify areas requiring additional research or context.
• Question assumptions, generalisations and unsupported claims.
• Help writers distinguish evidence from interpretation or opinion.
• Assess whether an article delivers meaningful value to the reader.
• Suggest structural changes where necessary.
• Work collaboratively with writers through revisions.
• Copy-edit for grammar, syntax, spelling, punctuation and readability.
• Ensure consistency in terminology, tone and editorial conventions.
• Proofread final drafts before publication.
• Identify potential issues that should be escalated for fact-checking or legal/risk review.
• Apply relevant Rock & Art Editorial System (RAES) standards and workflows.
• Help ensure that individual articles contribute coherently to Rock & Art's wider body of knowledge.

You will not be expected to know RAES before applying. Relevant editorial frameworks, standards and workflows will be introduced during onboarding.
What we are looking for
We are interested in editors who understand that editing is both a technical discipline and an intellectual practice.
You may be:

• an experienced editor or copy editor;
• a journalist with strong editorial experience;
• an academic or researcher with experience working with complex texts;
• a professional writer with strong editing skills;
• a student or graduate in journalism, literature, languages, humanities, communications or a related field;
• an experienced independent editor building a portfolio;
• a subject specialist who has developed strong editorial skills within a particular cultural field.

Professional editorial experience is welcome but is not mandatory for every level of the role.
What matters most is your ability to work carefully with someone else's ideas without imposing your own unnecessarily.
Strong candidates will generally demonstrate:

• excellent written English;
• strong command of grammar, syntax and editorial conventions;
• excellent reading comprehension;
• structural and analytical thinking;
• attention to detail;
• sensitivity to voice and authorial intent;
• the ability to distinguish an editorial problem from a difference of opinion;
• intellectual honesty;
• respect for evidence and attribution;
• constructive communication;
• willingness to explain editorial decisions;
• openness to working within a shared editorial framework.

Experience with long-form journalism, cultural criticism, essays, academic writing, research or independent publishing is particularly valuable.
Our editorial philosophy
At Rock & Art, editing is not about making every writer sound the same.
We want to preserve individual voices while ensuring that the work meets shared standards of clarity, rigour and responsibility.
We believe:
Context must precede judgement.
Evidence matters more than assumption.
Clarity is respect.
Structure creates meaning.
Intellectual honesty matters more than certainty.
Editorial independence requires responsible judgement.
Representation requires responsibility.
An editor may challenge a writer's argument. They should not erase the writer's voice simply because they would have written the piece differently.
We value disagreement when it improves the work.
Qualifications
Additional Information
What you can expect from Rock & Art
Although this is an unpaid volunteer position, we want participation to be meaningful and professionally structured.
You can expect:

• a defined editorial role and workflow;
• access to Rock & Art's editorial standards and frameworks;
• collaboration with writers and researchers;
• editorial discussions around complex cultural subjects;
• constructive feedback and opportunities to develop your own editorial practice;
• attribution where appropriate for editorial contributions;
• the opportunity to build experience within an independent cultural journalism project;
• the possibility of taking on broader editorial responsibilities as the project develops.

We will not expect volunteers to maintain unrealistic workloads.
The scope and frequency of editorial assignments will be agreed according to availability and role.
Time commitment
This is a flexible volunteer role.
Editors may participate on an occasional, project-based or ongoing basis.
Assignments may vary considerably in length and complexity. A long-form research article may require substantially more editorial attention than a shorter piece.
Reliability is more important to us than volume. If you accept an assignment, we expect you to communicate clearly and respect the agreed timeline.
Important information about this opportunity
Location: Remote - worldwide
Position type: Volunteer
Compensation: Unpaid / no financial compensation
Employment status: This is not an employment position
Commitment: Flexible, agreed according to availability
Language: English
Experience: Open to emerging and experienced editors
How to apply
Please submit:

1. A short introduction explaining who you are and why you would like to contribute to Rock & Art.
2. Your CV or a brief overview of your professional, academic or editorial background.
3. 2-3 examples of your editing work, where possible. These may include published work, before-and-after editing samples, academic editing, professional documents or other relevant examples.
4. A short explanation of which type of editing interests you most:
   • Developmental / substantive editing
   • Cultural / editorial editing
   • Copy editing
   • Proofreading
   • A combination of the above

If you do not have formal professional editing samples, tell us about relevant experience. We are interested in how you read, think and work with text-not simply in job titles.
We welcome applications from people whose backgrounds, knowledge and perspectives can broaden the cultural record.
We are looking for editors who believe that good editing does not flatten ideas-it gives them room to become clearer, stronger and more meaningful.