Social Media Video Editor (Contract)

The San Francisco Standard is a local news startup that's fast becoming a must-read for residents of the Bay Area and beyond.

We're looking for a creative, deeply online social video editor who knows how to make people stop scrolling. You understand what works on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, have a sharp eye for visual storytelling, and know how to turn good journalism into videos people actually want to watch and share.

Your primary focus will be editing footage captured by reporters, creators, and other contributors, finding the strongest moments and shaping them into compelling, platform-native videos. But you'll also be able to shoot original footage, whether that's covering a breaking news event, capturing a cultural moment, or documenting the city's everyday weirdness.

Working closely with our Social Video Director and newsroom, you'll help bring fresh ideas and creative approaches to our coverage, from politics and breaking news to food and culture. We're looking for someone who's curious, resourceful, comfortable working independently, and excited to experiment with what local news can look like on social media.

• Shoot and edit short-form videos for Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and other social platforms.
• Edit footage captured by reporters, freelancers, creators, and other newsroom contributors, shaping raw material into engaging, cohesive stories.
• Shoot original video in the field using smartphones, both independently and alongside reporters.
• Cover breaking news, events, community happenings, and cultural moments around San Francisco, sometimes on short notice.
• Create fast-turnaround videos optimized for strong hooks, storytelling, pacing, audience retention, and shareability.
• Work with reporters and producers to identify the strongest moments in their footage, develop story structures, and determine what additional visuals or sound might be needed.
• Help guide newsroom contributors on capturing footage that works for social video, including framing, audio, interviews, and visual storytelling.
• Pitch original video concepts, recurring formats, and creative approaches to covering San Francisco.
• Collaborate with reporters and editors to identify stories with strong visual and social potential.
• Incorporate graphics, captions, music, natural sound, and other creative elements to make videos engaging and accessible.
• Stay current on platform trends, creator formats, audience behaviors, and emerging production tools.
• Manage multiple projects and deadlines while maintaining editorial standards, accuracy, and attention to detail.

• An experienced video shooter and editor with a portfolio demonstrating both original footage and polished, platform-native social videos.
• Proficient in Adobe Premiere Pro; experience with After Effects, Edits, CapCut, or similar tools is a plus.
• A strong visual storyteller who can find a compelling narrative in footage you didn't shoot, even when the material is imperfect or incomplete.
• Skilled in editing interviews, news footage, reporter standups, and other material into concise, engaging videos.
• Knowledgeable about motion graphics, color correction, audio mixing, captioning, and other post-production techniques.
• Well-versed in social platforms, their native features, and what makes content successful on each.
• A quick, resourceful editor who can turn around timely content without sacrificing quality or accuracy.
• Comfortable working with reporters and contributors who have different levels of video experience.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of juggling multiple projects and shifting editorial priorities.
• A creative problem-solver who can work independently in the field and collaboratively in a busy newsroom.
• Curious about San Francisco, its communities, and the stories worth telling.
• Comfortable experimenting, iterating, and having fun — you understand that social is a creative playground, not just a distribution channel.

This is an in-person position with regular office hours at our San Francisco newsroom. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required to cover news events, with schedules adjusted accordingly to accommodate those hours. This position reports to the Social Video Director.

This is a contract role for an initial three-month period. The position pays $45 per hour.

Please submit a resume, cover letter, and examples of short-form social videos you've edited or created for platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. You can share a portfolio, links to individual videos, or an Instagram/TikTok account featuring your work.

As part of the interview process, finalists may be asked to complete a short video editing exercise using footage provided by The Standard.