First Assistant Editor Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Optimism is a digital publisher focused on wellbeing. We conceive, launch, and operate digital brands across health, wellness, longevity, and lifestyle. With an email-first approach, our goal is to transform the inbox into a healthier alternative to social media feeds — a place where readers can curate content that informs, inspires, and supports better daily habits.

All Healthy, Optimism’s premium editorial brand focused on health and wellness, is looking for an Editorial Production Assistant to support the production of All Healthy and its sister brands, including Health Brief, Better Plates, Wellness Facts, and other new editorial initiatives.

This role will play a key part in overseeing the day-to-day production of our growing portfolio of newsletters. Many parts of our production process are automated, making strong editorial judgment and quality control especially important. You’ll review and edit issues before they go out, fact-check content, troubleshoot production issues, coordinate advertising insertions, and ensure every send meets our standards for accuracy and quality.

You’ll also use performance data to make smart editorial decisions — identifying what resonates with readers and applying those insights to future issues, content selection, and production. In addition to owning much of the production process for our sister brands, you’ll support the All Healthy editorial team with editing, quality control, and newsletter production as needed.

This is a hands-on editorial role for someone who is detail-oriented, analytically minded, and comfortable working in a high-output environment. You’ll work closely with our newsletter and web editorial teams, as well as our ad campaign management and email operations teams.

• Own day-to-day editorial production and quality control for Health Brief, Better Plates, Wellness Facts, the All Healthy afternoon send, and other emerging editorial brands
• Review automated and semi-automated newsletter outputs for accuracy, clarity, formatting, brand voice, and overall editorial quality before publication
• Edit and fact-check newsletter content as needed, catching errors, inconsistencies, weak framing, and other issues that automated systems may miss
• Coordinate closely with ad campaign management and email operations teams to ensure advertising is inserted correctly, deadlines are met, and issues are ready for deployment
• Use newsletter performance data — including opens, clicks, and content-level engagement — to inform story selection, packaging, and other editorial decisions
• Identify patterns in performance across brands and translate those insights into practical recommendations for future issues
• Support All Healthy production through editing, fact-checking, newsletter assembly, quality control, and other editorial needs
• Monitor automated production workflows, flag recurring problems, and work with editorial leadership to improve processes and reduce errors over time
• Help maintain clear production schedules, documentation, and workflows across a growing portfolio of newsletters
• Support the launch and ongoing production of new editorial brands as Optimism expands its portfolio

Requirements

• 1–3 years of experience in editorial, digital media, newsletter production, content operations, or a related field
• Strong editing and proofreading skills
• Experience working with automated and AI-assisted editorial workflows, and an understanding of where human judgment and oversight are essential
• Experience working in a high-output publishing environment with frequent deadlines
• Familiarity with newsletter platforms, CMS tools, project management systems, or similar publishing technology
• Familiarity with audience and content-performance data and using it to inform editorial decisions

• Strong editorial judgment and ability to identify timely, high-impact stories
• Ability to maintain a consistent brand voice
• Clear, concise writer with strong editing skills across short- and long-form content

• Highly organized, with the ability to manage workflows, deadlines, and publishing schedules

• Self-directed, with the ability to prioritize and maintain consistent output
• Detail-oriented, with a high bar for quality and accuracy
• Collaborative and comfortable working cross-functionally
• Bias toward action, iteration, and continuous improvement
• Interest in health, wellness, and longevity trends

Benefits

This position is on-site, typically Monday through Friday. Pacific Standard Time preferred for maximum team synchronous working time. Preference given to candidates based in Orange County, or Los Angeles who are able to work hybrid from our Newport Beach office.

This is a full-time, hourly, non-exempt position. The pay range for this role is $27.50–$32.00 per hour, based in Newport Beach, California.

Optimism offers a comprehensive compensation and benefits package, including low-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k)-retirement plan with employer match, and company-paid short-term disability.

Optimism an Equal Opportunity Employer, and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply online by submitting their resume and cover letter detailing their qualifications and experience.