Tech Editor
Organization
Common Sense Media
Department/Program
Youth AI Safety Institute
Reports To
Head of Public Engagement
Location
San Francisco, CA
Classification
Salary Range
Full-time, Exempt
$122,500–$145,500
POSITION OVERVIEW
Common Sense Media is seeking a tech editor/journalist/writer for its Youth AI Safety Institute, a new, independent effort to research AI's impact on youth, set safety standards for the industry, evaluate established and emerging products, and share what we find with the world, especially thought leaders, the interested public, media, and our partners.
This is a hands-on editorial role for someone who can move comfortably between substantive editing, story development, and publishing operations. The Tech Editor will help maintain a high and consistent editorial standard across the Institute's work while also making the process of producing that work faster, clearer, and more reliable.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Edit the Institute's most important work- Edit AI risk assessments, research reports, surveys, and other Institute publications for clarity, accuracy, structure, accessibility, and impact.
- Help translate technical and academic material into language that parents, educators, policymakers, technology developers, journalists, and other general audiences can understand.
- Maintain the rigor and independence of the Institute's work while making it compelling to audiences beyond the research community.
- Edit and help develop original articles, essays, interviews, investigations, newsletters, and other editorial projects about AI and kids.
- Identify opportunities to turn Institute findings and expertise into timely stories or recurring editorial franchises, and contribute original ideas.
- Help the Institute respond quickly and substantively to important developments in AI.
- Serve as an editorial partner to Common Sense Media experts developing distinctive public voices through articles, newsletters, podcasts, social video, and other formats.
- Help creators turn expertise into clear ideas, strong narratives, and work that feels authentic to their individual voices rather than institutional communications.
- Edit scripts and other material for podcasts, video, and social platforms.
- Help establish and enforce standards for accuracy, fairness, sourcing, independence, clarity, usefulness, and voice.
- Fact-check and substantively edit sensitive or consequential claims.
- Act as a trusted editorial partner to the Head of Public Engagement on editorial priorities, story selection, framing, and quality.
- Take the lead on individual publications and editorial projects from conception through publication.
- Make day-to-day editorial decisions and keep work moving when the Head of Public Engagement is unavailable or focused on other priorities.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Significant experience as an editor in a rigorous editorial environment covering tech and AI.
- Exceptional, substantive editing skills—the ability to see the argument, structure, evidence, and story as well as the sentence.
- Strong news judgment and an instinct for what will matter to a broader public audience.
- Experience editing complex technical, academic, or data-driven material for non-specialists.
- Interest in AI, technology, children, education, media, or the social impact of technology. Deep prior expertise in all of these areas is not required.
WHAT WE OFFER
- The opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of kids and families, and be at the forefront of a generational new technology.
- A mission-driven team with a 23-year track record of impact for families and children.
- Competitive nonprofit compensation and comprehensive benefits.
- A collaborative, flexible work environment with meaningful leadership access and visibility.
ABOUT COMMON SENSE MEDIA
Common Sense Media is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the age of apps, algorithms, and AI. We rate, educate, and advocate for policies to protect and prepare kids online. Our ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users globally, over 1.5 million educators, and more than 100,000 schools worldwide every year. Learn more at commonsense.org.
Skills Required
- Significant experience as an editor in a rigorous editorial environment covering technology and AI
- Exceptional substantive editing skills, including evaluating arguments, structure, evidence, stories, and language
- Strong news judgment and ability to identify topics relevant to broad public audiences
- Experience editing complex technical, academic, or data-driven material for non-specialists
- Interest in AI, technology, children, education, media, or the social impact of technology
What We Do
Common Sense is dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology. We empower parents, teachers, and policymakers by providing unbiased information, trusted advice, and innovative tools to help them harness the power of media and technology as a positive force in all kids’ lives. Common Sense Media helps families make smart media choices. We offer the largest, most trusted library of independent age-based and educational ratings and reviews for movies, games, apps, TV shows, websites, books, and music. Our Parent Concerns and Parent Blog help families understand and navigate the problems and possibilities of raising children in the digital age. Common Sense Education provides teachers and schools with free research-based classroom tools to help students harness technology for learning and life. Our K–12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum and interactive games teach students how to make safe, smart, and ethical decisions in the digital world. And our revolutionary educational rating system, Graphite, helps educators discover, use, and share high-quality digital products that propel student learning. Common Sense Kids Action has a mission to make kids and education our nation’s top priority. Kids Action works with policymakers, industry leaders, legislators, and a grassroots community of concerned parents and teachers to promote access to high quality digital learning experiences with well-trained teachers; ensure all kids are able to harness the power of technology, while also keeping their personal information private and protected; advocate for access for all children to high quality early education and early childhood services; and fight to reduce the highest rate of childhood poverty in 40 years.
