Jobs + Intern

Assistant Editor

The Oxford American seeks a full-time assistant editor. 

The Oxford American is a nonprofit quarterly literary magazine with a national following. We are devoted to exploring the cultural complexity of the American South through our print magazine, website, podcast, and live events. We have an outstanding entry-level opportunity for an assistant editor to join our staff. 

The assistant editor will have a hand in all aspects of the publication of the Oxford American, though primary duties will include editing pieces for the print publication and OxfordAmerican.org. At a time when the Oxford American is growing our online presence and projects, this position provides an opportunity for someone with strong initiative to contribute to the ongoing evolution of the magazine’s brand and identity. Thus, a thorough knowledge of the Oxford American’s aesthetic and mission is a prerequisite. 

Successful candidates will also demonstrate a passion for the South’s diverse music traditions. The assistant editor will work closely with the senior editorial team on the Oxford American’s annual Southern Music issue. 

The Oxford American has a small staff, made up of employees working from our offices and remotely. It is crucial that applicants work well with others in both a collaborative in-person workspace and across cloud-based project management systems. The assistant editor will be based at the magazine’s main offices in Conway, Arkansas (outside Little Rock). The OA is committed to employee safety and utilizes staggered three-day in-person work weeks to promote social distancing. Otherwise, telecommuting is not an option. Some after-hours work will be required during magazine deadlines and at OA events. 

This position offers opportunities for mentorship and growth. 

Responsibilities include: 

• Editing print and web content for publication 
• Soliciting and evaluating submissions 
• Proofing every issue of the Oxford American 
• Uploading content to OxfordAmerican.org 
• Conducting art research and licensing for print and web 
• Managing contributors’ deadlines, contracts, and payments
• Creating galleys of print pieces
• Co-production of Points South podcast segments
• Liaising with business staff to share editorial plans and vision 
• Assisting with song research for the Oxford American’s annual Southern Music compilation 
• Managing and training Oxford American interns 
• Supporting the OA’s fundraising and marketing efforts 
• Proofing grants and annual appeal letters 
• Some administrative duties (sorting mail, helping out at OA events, assisting senior editors as needed) 

Qualifications: 

• Passion for the Oxford American magazine 
• A personal commitment to diversity and a desire to celebrate and publish a variety of storytelling styles and viewpoints 
• Some publishing experience, either through prior editorial positions or internships 
• Experience working with a variety of digital tools and a desire to expand the Oxford American’s online reach 
• Excellent computer skills (preferably with experience in Adobe Creative Cloud and working in a CMS) 
• Excellent time management and organizational skills 
• Ability to work independently while handling multiple projects and deadlines 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• Experience working in digital storytelling (film, podcast) preferred

The Oxford American is published by the Oxford American Literary Project, Inc., an equal opportunity nonprofit organization. We are committed to empowering voices underserved by the publishing arena. Persons of diverse race, ability, religion, age, and sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation) are encouraged to apply. 

Salary:
Competitive salary, with benefits including health, vision, and dental; 401k; unlimited vacation.

Application:
This application requires a brief cover letter, a one-page résumé, and a one-page critique of the Oxford American. (What do you admire about the OA—online and/or in print? How can we improve?) Please email your application to Danielle A. Jackson at jobs@oxfordamerican.org (subject line: Assistant Editor Position). 

Deadline:
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. 

Editorial Internships

The Oxford American offers a comprehensive year-round editorial internship program.

We have full-time and part-time positions available and offer a stipend of $2,500 per term. Internships begin in January, June, and September, though the program provides some flexibility for starting dates, and the opportunity for interested interns to extend their terms. For the near future, internships will be remote.

The OA is grateful to the family of Jeff Baskin (Susan Weinstein, Bernie and Danny Baskin) for their generous support of this program. Jeff Baskin, a librarian by trade, was a lifelong and generous literary citizen. His imaginative approach to his work and his programming innovations brought reading and writing to countless in the North Little Rock community. In 2010, he initiated the Laman Library Writers Fellowship, an annual award that honored Arkansas writers. In partnership with his family, the Oxford American is proud to reinvigorate and expand this legacy to support editors and writers.

The OA is also lucky to receive support from the University of Central Arkansas and the Murphy Scholars program at Hendrix College toward internship placements for their students in accordance with the academic calendar. For more information on UCA’s graduate student assistantship, please reach out to Stephanie Vanderslice at stephv@uca.edu. Hendrix students should apply here and contact Hope Coulter at coulter@hendrix.edu with additional questions.

We accept applications for all terms year-round but please note the following deadlines: 

• April 15 for internships starting in June

• August 21 for internships starting in September

• November 15 for internships starting in January 

Interns are a vital part of the Oxford American’s print and digital production teams. The duties of an intern include evaluating manuscript submissions, participating in the planning of issues, fact-checking and proofreading stories, drafting posts for social media, and creating and maintaining digital content for the website. Interns are encouraged to participate in our off-site concerts and readings, generate article ideas, and to write for oxfordamerican.org. 

Applications should include a detailed cover letter, resume, and one writing sample of up to 5 pages in length. Your sample could be one long piece or a collection of short pieces. (Samples can include critical and/or creative work, though a substantial portion should be prose.) Please specify the term for which you are applying. 

Submit your application using this form. Simply create a Submittable account and follow the instructions to attach your materials.

Thank you for your interest.

Podcast Internship

Reports to Associate Editor
Location: Central Arkansas or Remote

The Oxford American (OA) is seeking an intern for our Points South podcast. This position provides an opportunity for someone with strong initiative to contribute to the growth of our programming and audience. 

We are seeking someone who has a passion for audio storytelling with some audio engineering and editing skills. The podcast intern should be able to function both as part of a dynamic team working toward common goals and independently.

Responsibilities

* Create sessions for each segment in ProTools

* Maintain and update production calendar

* Process audio files in transcription service and clean up transcripts

* ID “good tape” and generate rough cuts of scripts

* Assist producers with scheduling

* Create and update tape log

* Fact-check scripts and support producer and contributor research

* Contribute to marketing the podcast and pursuing syndication opportunities

* Collaborate with Engagement Editor on earned coverage and social media

Knowledge, skills, and experience

* Proficiency with ProTools

* Excellent organizational and communication abilities

* Strong interest in narrative storytelling

The OA is committed to empowering voices underserved by the publishing arena; applicants of color and/or those who identify as LGBTQ+ or disabled are encouraged to apply. We invite applicants to voluntarily disclose any non-dominant identities in their materials.

This is a remote internship, which will run from early March through the end of July. Interns will be expected to work 15–18 hours per week and will receive a stipend of $5000. Application deadline for this cycle is 5 P.M. CST on February 18, 2022.

Applications can be submitted via our Submittable form. To apply, please include a letter of interest and résumé.