Overview

Our Managed Markets team at Syneos Health is looking for a full-time onsite Editor.

The Editor evaluates and provides fresh perspective to copy/layout and makes changes/recommendations to improve upon the work of copywriters, medical liaisons, and artists. The Editor is responsible for the review of original and all revisions to content—including concepts, manuscripts, layouts, final art, developed digital pieces, and printer’s proofs—to ensure materials produced for Syneos Health, its clients, and its potential clients are clearly communicated, of the highest quality, and meet or exceed client expectations.

Responsibilities

• Serves as lead editor on one or more assigned brands

  • Represents Editorial Department to other brand disciplines with regard to editorial best practices and style consistency

  • Communicates brand-specific style or process updates, challenges, and concerns to editorial staff and temp colleagues who might help support a particular assigned brand account

  • Writes, updates, and distributes account-specific brand guidelines, incorporating client preferences and medical/regulatory/legal requirements

  • Reads appropriate subject matter to further understanding of brand/ disease state to enhance editing of technical content

• Proofreads for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style

  • Establishes compliance with editorial standards for correctness, consistency, and completeness

  • Analyzes content, determining and performing level of edit necessary, revising, rewriting, and reorganizing for clarity, comprehension, logic, structure, and flow

  • Works closely with copywriters to achieve best communication possible

  • Assesses demographic issues and amends language, tone, and reading level accordingly

  • Reviews layouts, assessing how copy works with the overall design; checks use of appropriate fonts and font sizes against specifications in copy document; checks consistency of spacing, text alignment, line and word breaks

• Verifies accuracy and compliance of content:

  • Reviews all other sources of written materials, checking facts, verifying correct use of unfamiliar terms, and accuracy of quoted materials

  • Confirms accuracy of names, titles, and degrees; street, e-mail, and Web addresses; phone/fax numbers; dates and times; abbreviations and acronyms

  • Works directly with medical liaisons to ensure content/claims can be substantiated by supporting clinical studies

  • Checks graphs, charts, and tables for uniformity of style and size, making sure data are displayed clearly and correctly and mathematical calculations are accurate

  • Ensures accuracy and proper sequence of indicator-type elements and cross-references; tests written procedures against product (eg, ensures clickable links work)

  • Evaluates adequate presence and size of fair balance in relationship to claims being made

  • Verifies accuracy of and formats references to conform to AMA/brand style

  • Challenges any inaccurate or questionable changes dictated by client/medical/regulatory/legal

Job Requirements

Education

• BA in English or journalism or equivalent experience required

• At least 2 years of editing experience required

• Scientific, medical, pharmaceutical, or technical background preferred

• Agency experience preferred

Skills

• Excellent command of English language; ability to apply it to writing generated by other professionals

• Attention to Detail: Using thorough approach, edits accurately under tight timelines

• Detail-oriented with strong writing, oral, and interpersonal skills (can communicate clearly, professionally, and with emotional maturity)

• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects under tight timelines

• Flexibility to work successfully in a fast-paced environment with irregular hours      

• Ability to Judge Overall Picture: Ensures overall logic, structure, and usability of the communication fit together into a coherent whole

• Discretion: Exercises good judgment with when to apply standards, when to leave alone

• Strong technical, organizational, and analytical skills (computer literate across multiple platforms, able to understand and possibly resolve common technical challenges, comfortable shifting regularly between print and digital tactics)

• Understanding of layout, design, production, and development considerations

• Ability to work independently, as well as closely with copywriters, artists, and account executives, in a team-oriented environment

• Quality Management: Dedicated to providing the highest quality product that meets or exceeds the requirements of the job