Freelance Video Editing Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

The Cato Institute is seeking a Senior Video Editor to lead day-to-day production for its in-house AV team. This role owns the editorial and visual execution of Cato's multimedia output — podcast videos, policy documentaries, event coverage, interview series, explainer videos, and social content — and sets the technical and creative standard the rest of the team works to. The ideal candidate combines strong editing craft, motion graphics fluency, and sound judgment about how to turn dense policy material into work that holds a general audience's attention.

This is a hybrid position in Washington, DC.

The salary range for this role is $90,000 - $150,000 per year. Compensation is based on the successful candidate's educational background, experience, and skills.

About Cato

The Cato Institute is a public policy research organization – a think tank – dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Its scholars and analysts conduct independent, nonpartisan research on a wide range of policy issues.

Founded in 1977, Cato owes its name to Cato’s Letters, a series of essays published in 18th-century England that presented a vision of a society free from excessive government power. Those essays inspired the architects of the American Revolution. And the simple, timeless principles of that revolution – individual liberty, limited government, and free markets – turn out to be even more powerful in today’s world of global markets and unprecedented access to information than Jefferson or Madison could have imagined. Social and economic freedom is not just the best policy for a free people; it is an indispensable framework for the future.

The Cato Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Responsibilities

• Own the edit on Cato's highest-visibility projects — documentaries, flagship interview series, and major event coverage — from ingest through final delivery, setting pacing, structure, and visual tone.
• Lead motion graphics design system-wide: animated lower thirds, title sequences, data visualizations, and other on-screen elements, ensuring visual consistency across every format.
• Serve as the primary editorial partner to producers, researchers, and senior communications staff, advising on story structure and visual strategy — not just executing direction.
• Set and maintain Cato's on-screen brand standards, and train/guide other editors, freelancers, or interns on those standards and workflows.
• Manage the post-production pipeline end to end: media ingest, archiving, version control, and file organization across concurrent projects.
• Handle color correction and audio mixing to a broadcast-ready standard; troubleshoot technical issues in the signal chain as needed.
• Adapt and reformat finished content across platforms (YouTube, social, broadcast, web), optimizing for each platform's specs and audience behavior.
• Help evaluate new tools, plugins, and workflow improvements to keep the team's output competitive with larger newsrooms and production houses.
• Manage relationships with freelance editors or outside vendors on overflow projects, as needed.

Education/Experience

• 5+ years of professional video editing experience, with a track record in news, documentary, policy, or nonprofit media environments.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects; motion graphics work should be a core strength, not a secondary skill.
• Strong command of the broader Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator) and comfort picking up new tools quickly.
• Demonstrated ownership of full post-production workflows, including experience managing archives and multi-format delivery pipelines.
• Experience mentoring, directing, or reviewing the work of junior editors or freelancers.
• A personal interest in or familiarity with libertarian or classical liberal ideas, free-market economics, or related policy areas is a plus, though not required.

Skills

• Excellent communication skills and the judgment to work directly with senior staff and subject-matter experts on editorially sensitive material.
• A strong reel demonstrating both narrative editing and motion graphics work is required.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple productions across different stages simultaneously.
• Attention to detail and commitment to excellence in production work.

To Apply

Please submit the following materials:

• Cover letter
• Résumé
• Example of work (description of your contribution to the project and any other relevant details)

Benefits

All Cato employees are provided with:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer contribution to a Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Generous vacation and sick days
• Paid parental leave
• Employer-provided life and disability insurance
• 401(k) employer match
• Transit/ Parking benefits
• Pet discount plan

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. This position does not offer visa sponsorship.