Founded in 1999, Mongabay is an award-winning environmental science and conservation news organization, which publishes original news on a daily basis in an objective (does not advocate), accurate (relies on facts and scientific information) and timely manner to a global audience of conservation scientists, private-sector decision-makers, government policymakers, civil society organizations, journalists in other media outlets, and interested members of the public. Mongabay’s readership across its news sites positions the organization as one of the top sources of environmental news, analysis, information, and inspiration on the Internet.

Mongabay’s networking program organizes and systematizes capacity-building activities, including paid fellowships, journalism training, and small grant-making activities. These enable Mongabay to bolster the capacity of its network of freelance contributors and, more broadly, improve the professional qualities of current and future journalists so that the media industry is more ready to meet new challenges and needs.

Mongabay’s Y. Eva Tan Conservation Reporting Fellowship provides paid opportunities for young and aspiring journalists in biodiversity hotspots in tropical countries. Through this program, fellows will gain valuable work experience with an international news outlet, develop their environmental reporting skills, and create a portfolio of original publications. Mongabay is seeking a full-time Associate Fellowship Editor to help support the English-language expansion of this program.

What Does The Associate Fellowship Editor Do?

The full-time Associate Fellowship Editor will primarily work on Mongabay’s English-language fellowship program, including recruiting, selecting and onboarding fellows in coordination with other Mongabay staff; organizing training sessions that may include external experts; working directly with fellows to publish on Mongabay’s English-language website; facilitating collaboration between fellows and Mongabay editors; and providing spot editing of stories outside of the fellowship program.

A qualified candidate for this position should have professional experience training journalists and editing news reporting, strong analytical skills, and the ability to discern what stories are important and of interest to readers. Knowledge and familiarity with environmental issues and comfort working with writers whose primary language may not be English are strong positives.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Recruitment, Training, Editing, and Publishing (80% Of Time)

• Contribute to the review and assessment of fellowship applications and selection of participants for the program;
• Carry out the onboarding of fellows, familiarizing them with the program’s structure, procedures, and responsibilities;
• Provide journalism training materials and organize training sessions for fellows on journalistic practices and subject matter knowledge necessary to produce stories that adhere to Mongabay’s editorial standards and priorities;
• Work closely with fellows and the Fellowship Editor to manage fellows’ story assignments and maintain publication deadlines; 
• Assist with assigning, editing and publishing English-language articles produced by fellows;
• Conduct interviews, phone calls and/or meetings, and perform other research as needed to gather background information, plan training sessions, develop curriculum, and produce articles;
• Research and fact-check articles prior to publication;
• Work with fellows to source and/or produce visual content, including charts, maps, photos, and videos, as needed, for each article produced;
• Provide other support as needed to ensure content meets Mongabay’s high standards of professionalism, consistency, authenticity, and reliability.

 Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (20% Of Time)

• Report regularly to Mongabay’s English-language Fellowship Editor on progress toward meeting fellowship objectives;
• Collect and help analyze data on the effectiveness of training outcomes via participant surveys and track potential impacts of the fellowship program, including impacts arising from fellows’ stories, for use in grant reports;
• Support editorial planning to reach the production goals of the fellowship program;
• Must be able to work within tight deadlines and be responsive to Mongabay.com headquarters and to other Mongabay staffers via email, Asana, Zoom, and messaging platforms.

Experience, Qualifications & Requirements

• Three or more years of experience working in journalism is required (environmental journalism preferred).
• Exceptional fluency (writing and speaking) in English is required.
• Knowledge and familiarity with conservation and environmental issues are essential.
• Demonstrated editorial ability to work with a variety of content, including formatting of feature articles, graphics, photo captions, and HTML.
• Experience working with journalists for whom English may not be their native language is a strong positive.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office, WordPress (or similar), Google Drive, and Asana (or similar project management system).
• Reliable access to high-speed Internet is required.
• Must be willing to commit to a full-time role (40 hours per week) and available during regular business hours.

Professional Qualities

This position will play a critical role in the success of Mongabay’s fellowship program, working with young and aspiring journalists from non-high income tropical countries. Due to our organizational culture and global work-from-home staff, the most successful employees at Mongabay excel at working independently and producing consistent high-quality journalistic content by taking the initiative and thinking creatively about solutions to problems. In this context, this person:

• is required to demonstrate talent in editing;
• functions independently and produces high-quality work with tight deadlines;
• makes timely decisions and demonstrates good judgment;
• maintains a strong sense of professionalism and reliability;
• contributes to the Mongabay team by communicating and working cooperatively with staff, while following through on tasks and delivering results;
• fosters positive relationships with journalists and fellows;
• adjusts approaches according to feedback;
• demonstrates personal integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality.

Compensation & Location

As a globally distributed organization, there is no required location for this position. However, location is a consideration and an ability to coordinate with colleagues working in a diversity of time zones is strongly preferred. Qualified applicants located in Africa or Asia are strongly encouraged to apply. Mongabay aims to offer competitive pay rates that will attract, retain, and motivate our full-time staff. Please submit a pay range when applying.

To Apply

Apply online via the link below. Applications are accepted until December 18, 2025. On the application, you will be asked to fill out basic contact information, pay rate expectations, and reference information (2), and to upload the following documents:

1. Cover letter – please provide specific examples of your experience related to this position, as well as specific examples of your ability to work effectively from home and meet deadlines (1-2 pages)
2. Resume (1-2 pages)
3. Two references

Applications must be submitted in English. Please note that you do not need to provide letters of recommendation and we will not reach out to references before getting your permission to do so.

Benefits, Holidays, and Paid Time Off 

It is important for all staff to step away from work to renew themselves. That is why Mongabay provides generous paid time off (PTO) for professional development, holidays, sick time, rest and relaxation, and vacation, including a flexible work schedule.

We observe 11 holidays and support staff who celebrate other personal and religious holidays.  

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mongabay is an equal employment opportunity (EEO) employer and provides EEO to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or any other status prohibited by law.

* The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications. Management reserves the right to change or modify such duties as required. All staff are responsible for following applicable Mongabay policies and procedures as defined by their manager and Employment Handbook.