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Documentary Editing Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Hearst Newspapers

Part-Time Editor

Needham, MA

$27.55 - $36.73/hr

Experience editing long-form television, news, documentary, or magazine-style programming * Familiarity with archival workflows and legacy broadcast formats * Familiarity with Chronicle a plus Value ...

Hearst

Part-Time Editor

Needham, MA

$27.55 - $36.73/hr

Experience editing long-form television, news, documentary, or magazine-style programming * Familiarity with archival workflows and legacy broadcast formats * Familiarity with Chronicle a plus Value ...

Magnet Media, Inc.

Social Video Editor

New York, NY

$3.0K - $5.0K/wk

ASAP, launch is early May THE ROLE We are hiring a social video editor who specializes in YouTube Shorts and TikTok to cut social clips for a prestige music documentary podcast hosted by cultural ...

Magnet Media, Inc.

Social Video Editor

New York, NY · On-site

$3.0K - $5.0K/wk

ASAP, launch is early May THE ROLE We are hiring a social video editor who specializes in YouTube Shorts and TikTok to cut social clips for a prestige music documentary podcast hosted by cultural ...

Snowball

Video Editor - Snowball

$80K - $100K/yr

Experience editing educational, narrative, branded, or documentary-style content. * Experience editing long-form content (YouTube experience strongly preferred) * Understanding of pacing, retention ...

Aalo Atomics

Video Editor

Austin, TX · On-site

$70K/yr

A strong portfolio demonstrating the successful editing and post-production of: * * Explainer-style corporate or YouTube videos * 5-20 minute documentary-style videos (technology, engineering ...

Omnicom

Editor

Greenville, SC

Maybe you're editing passion projects after hours. Maybe you're shooting documentaries, creating YouTube videos, animating title sequences, experimenting with AI filmmaking, photographing concerts ...

Omnicom

Editor

Greenville, SC · On-site

Maybe you're editing passion projects after hours. Maybe you're shooting documentaries, creating YouTube videos, animating title sequences, experimenting with AI filmmaking, photographing concerts ...

Nen Creative

Editor

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$65K - $100K/yr

Stay current on editing trends, techniques, and tools that can elevate our work What We're Looking ... or documentary work * Strong reel that demonstrates story sensibility, pacing, and range across ...

Nen Creative

Editor

San Francisco, CA · Remote

$65K - $100K/yr

Stay current on editing trends, techniques, and tools that can elevate our work What We're Looking ... or documentary work * Strong reel that demonstrates story sensibility, pacing, and range across ...

Incubator Lab

Performance Video Editor

Miami, FL · On-site +1

$1.0K - $3.5K/mo

Proven track record editing for health, wellness, and supplement brands. * Deeply proficient with ... long-form documentaries, wedding films, or cinematic shorts. We want to see fast-paced, high ...

TKO Group Holdings, Inc.

Senior Editor

Stamford, CT · On-site

Passion for editing is essential-experience in sports is not required. Bonus Points: * Experience in documentary, narrative television, or music-driven content. * Knowledge of color correction, sound ...

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Documentary Editing information

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How much do documentary editing jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average hourly pay for documentary editing in the United States is $31.60, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.39 and $39.66 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is documentary editing?

Documentary editing is the process of assembling, organizing, and refining recorded footage, interviews, audio, and other elements to create a cohesive and compelling nonfiction film or video. Editors work closely with directors and producers to shape the narrative, determine pacing, and ensure that the story is both engaging and accurate. This role often involves making creative decisions about what content to include or omit, as well as incorporating graphics, sound, and music to enhance the final product.

What are typical challenges faced by documentary editors when shaping a story from raw footage?

Documentary editors often encounter the challenge of organizing large amounts of unscripted footage into a compelling, coherent narrative. They must balance the director's vision with the available material, sometimes working with incomplete or evolving storylines. Tight deadlines, last-minute changes, and collaborating closely with directors, producers, and sound designers are also common aspects of the role. Strong communication and creative problem-solving skills are essential for overcoming these challenges and producing a polished final product.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a documentary editor, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Documentary Editor, you need a strong grasp of storytelling, video editing principles, and experience with non-linear editing software, often supported by a degree in film, media, or related fields. Proficiency with tools like Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, or Final Cut Pro, as well as knowledge of formats and post-production workflows, is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, time management, and collaboration are crucial soft skills that help editors craft compelling narratives and work well with directors and producers. These skills and qualities are vital for producing engaging, coherent documentaries that effectively communicate their message and meet production deadlines.

What is the difference between Documentary Editing vs Video Editing?

AspectDocumentary EditingVideo Editing
CredentialsOften requires editing experience, film or media backgroundRequires editing skills, often with specific software knowledge
Work EnvironmentFilm or documentary production settingsVaries from corporate videos to social media content
Industry UsagePrimarily in film, television, and documentary projectsAcross multiple industries including marketing, entertainment, and corporate

Documentary editing focuses on shaping real-life footage into compelling stories, often requiring a deep understanding of storytelling and factual accuracy. Video editing is broader, encompassing various types of video content, from commercials to social media clips. While both roles require editing skills, documentary editing emphasizes narrative construction within factual contexts, making it more specialized.

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Documentary Editing jobs near you
Infographic showing various Documentary Editing job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% Internship, 76% Full Time, 18% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 73% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 21% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $65,728 per year, or $31.6 per hour.

Part-Time Editor

Hearst Newspapers

Needham, MA

$27.55 - $36.73/hr

Part-time

Re-posted yesterday

Job description

WCVB-TV/Chronicle is seeking an experienced part-time Editor to support the development and launch of a new afternoon version of its long-running news magazine program. This temporary role will focus primarily on editing and repurposing digitized archival content for contemporary broadcast television.

This is a technical post-production role. The successful candidate will work closely with a producer who will provide detailed edit notes, structure, and editorial direction for each project. The editor's primary responsibility will be executing those edits with precision, efficiency, and strong technical craftsmanship.

The ideal candidate will possess advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, particularly Adobe Premiere, and demonstrate exceptional technical editing skills. Responsibilities include polishing and enhancing older video for current broadcast standards through color correction, audio cleanup, formatting, and overall post-production finishing. Candidates should be comfortable working with a wide range of archival footage and varying source quality levels while maintaining organized workflows and meeting production deadlines.

Key Responsibilities

  • Edit and repurpose digitized archival Chronicle content for television rebroadcast 
  • Execute detailed producer edit notes, including music replacement, segment assembly, and refinement 
  • Perform technical enhancement of archival footage 
  • Use a third-party AI audio platform to replace copyrighted music with library tracks 
  • Ensure all edited material meets broadcast technical standards and specifications 
  • Maintain organized project files and post-production workflows 
  • Troubleshoot technical issues with archival source material 
  • Prepare and deliver finished segments according to deadlines 

Qualifications

  • Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, especially Adobe Premiere 
  • Strong technical editing and finishing skills 
  • Ability to execute detailed edit instructions accurately and efficiently 
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail 
  • Ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment 
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills 

Preferred Experience

  • Experience working for a broadcast television station 
  • Experience editing long-form television, news, documentary, or magazine-style programming 
  • Familiarity with archival workflows and legacy broadcast formats 
  • Familiarity with Chronicle a plus  

Value in Action

At Hearst Television we tell stories every day. Stories about people of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities. That's why, behind the scenes, we believe in being an organization that fosters collaboration and open communications, ensuring that the content we create is authentic, accurate, and connected to the communities we serve.

Salary

The estimated base hourly range for this role is between $27.55/hour and $36.73/hour.  The actual base pay offered is dependent upon many factors, such as transferable skills, work experience, business needs, market demands and conditions, including geographic location where the work will be performed, and other factors permitted by law. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

Hearst Television (HTV) owns and/or operates 35 television and two radio stations serving 27 media markets across 39 states reaching over 22 million U.S. television households. HTV is recognized as one of the industry's premier broadcasting companies and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation, and community service.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. we do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, creed, national, origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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