Freelance Photo Editor Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

The Science Visuals team is looking for a temporary Photo Editor to source compelling, high-quality imagery for publication in Science and News from Science. The successful candidate will work in a fast-paced environment, handling a combination of weekly, daily, and hourly assignments. This is a temporary, part-time position with a maximum of 30 hours per week. This position may be hybrid (based out of our DC office) or fully remote in select states.
Help us ignite the next era of science.
What You'll Do

• Sourcing and editing high-quality photography for Science's news content
• Collaborating with editors to understand key story points and develop visual solutions
• Preparing imagery for delivery in a range of formats and sizes for print, online, and social platforms
• Color correcting and archiving images
• Collaborating with the Rights & Permissions team on invoicing and usage tracking

Minimum Qualifications

• 2+ years of news photo editing experience (newsroom, agency, or freelance), with a portfolio demonstrating strong editorial judgment and the ability to identify high-quality imagery suited to story themes
• Solid news judgment and knowledge of photojournalism ethics, including manipulation policy, AI-generated image detection and disclosure standards, and caption accuracy
• Experience working with wire services (AP, Reuters, Getty) and stock agencies, including both commercial and free repositories, plus comfort sourcing directly from photographers and primary sources
• Working knowledge of copyright and licensing standards
• A solid grounding in basic science education, intellectual curiosity about science, and comfort with scientific ideas
• Ability to work efficiently under deadline pressure, including recurring and rolling deadlines, with strong organizational skills, self-motivation, and adaptability to fast-moving news situations
• Strong collaboration skills and comfortable taking direction from senior editors while contributing independent judgment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate decisions and rationale to editors
• Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, Bridge, and/or Lightroom, including cropping, color correction, and familiarity with digital image formats and properties
• Familiarity with digital asset management (DAM) and content management systems (CMS), including basic metadata and keywording practices

Application Process
Submit a resume and cover letter outlining qualifications and interest in the position by September 27, 2026 Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. A Recruiter will contact you with next steps if you are selected for an interview.
AAAS is aware of fraudulent messages from individuals and entities falsely claiming to represent our organization. Please note that all official recruitment communications will come from an @aaas.org email address, and all open positions are posted on our Careers page (aaas.org/careers). AAAS will never ask applicants to provide payment, financial information including credit card numbers, or Social Security numbers during the hiring process via an email. If you receive an email claiming to be from AAAS that looks suspicious, do not click on any links or open any attachments. Instead, please contact us at jobs@aaas.org before responding or sharing any personal information.
The anticipated initial rate of compensation for this position is $70,000 - $80,000 per year. AAAS currently provides the following benefits for this position: paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, paid holidays, health insurance, flexible spending account, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement benefits, short- and long-term disability, each subject to the terms of the applicable program. Additional benefits may apply.
Any actual offer of employment, reflecting the total compensation package and benefits, will be made in the sole discretion of AAAS and will be based on a variety of factors, including years of experience, depth of experience, and other relevant factors. AAAS reserves the right to amend or modify its employment benefits and compensation structure at any time.
AAAS is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected category. AAAS uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. No visa sponsorship is available for this position
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The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Any unsolicited resumes sent to AAAS from a third party, such as an agency, including unsolicited resumes sent to an AAAS mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to AAAS employees, or to the AAAS resume database will be considered AAAS property. Verbal or written communications from any employee of AAAS shall not be considered binding obligations. AAAS Human Resources is the only AAAS representative authorized by AAAS enter into any employment agreements with any third party. AAAS will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume.
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