External Description:
Editorial Production Specialist
The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), the largest airline pilot union in the world and the largest non-governmental aviation safety organization in the world (representing over 80,000 pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines) seeks an experienced Editorial Production Specialist for our Tysons (McLean), Virginia office. The Editorial Production Specialist is responsible for copy editing, proofreading, editorial quality control, and desktop publishing support across the Association’s print and digital communications platforms. This role ensures accuracy, consistency, readability, adherence to ALPA brand standards and The Chicago Manual of Style, and production readiness for a wide range of Association materials, including long-form publications, executive communications, newsletters, websites, email campaigns, presentations, promotional materials, and governance documents.
Working collaboratively with production coordinators, designers, writers, translators, and subject matter experts, the Editorial Production Specialist supports the successful development, layout, revision, and delivery of high-quality communications products. Responsibilities include substantive editing, document formatting, layout review, long-form publication coordination, and maintaining editorial and visual consistency across projects. The position also coordinates translation requests and works with internal stakeholders and external translation resources to support English and French communications, ensuring consistency with ALPA terminology, messaging, and editorial standards.
Success in this position requires consistent attention to detail, strong editorial judgment, advanced organizational skills, and proficiency with desktop publishing and document production workflows in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.
Interested applicants are requested to submit online portfolio link(s) showing previous work.
Travel: 0 - 2%.
ALPA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in a safe workplace. We prohibit discrimination, harassment and harmful behavior of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender identity, caste, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or other protected characteristics as outlined in federal or provincial laws. We highly value everyone and all are encouraged to apply, including minorities, veterans, and people with disabilities.
This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
ALPA is a member-driven, staff supported, union with two internal professional unions.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Communications, English, Journalism, or a related field required; or, the equivalent combination of education and experience.
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Three (3) years of professional experience in copy editing, editorial production, publishing, communications, or a related field required; five (5) or more years strongly preferred.
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Advanced knowledge of grammar, punctuation, The Chicago Manual of Style, editorial standards, and document quality control processes required.
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Demonstrated experience working within desktop publishing and document production environments required.
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Editing experience in a high-volume, association, advocacy, and/or union environment strongly preferred.
- Working proficiency in both English and French strongly preferred.
- Familiarity with English and French communications and translation workflows strongly preferred.
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud applications, particularly Adobe InDesign and Acrobat required.
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Experience reviewing and editing long-form publications, complex layouts, and publication-ready files strongly preferred.
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Strong understanding of typography, formatting consistency, layout review, and document accessibility principles preferred.
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Experience coordinating multiple concurrent projects in a deadline-driven communications, publishing, advocacy, association, and/or union environment preferred.
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Proven writing and copy editing skills for a variety of technical and nontechnical documents preferred.
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Knowledge of desktop publishing techniques and software applications preferred.
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Ability to prioritize tasks and manage time effectively to meet all deadlines.
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Ability to interact professionally with all levels of internal and external contacts.
- Software: Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and Adobe InDesign; Adobe Creative Suite experience a definite plus.
Physical Demands:
Note: The physical demands described herein are characteristic of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential physical activities of this position described below.
Constantly operates a computer/smartphone/tablet. Vision, corrected or uncorrected, must be acute and discriminating. Regularly required to maintain a stationary position for long periods of time; move about the office and the local metropolitan area; determine what others have said or written; and, converse with others and exchange accurate information.
Regularly required to sit, stand, bend, reach, and move about the office. May also include occasional bending, stooping, squatting, and/or pushing and pulling or moving, e.g., to pack and/or move the shipping cases.
Occasionally required to move, raise, reach, and/or retrieve binders, books, boxes, and files up to ten (10) pounds (lbs.). While on travel, could be responsible to move, raise, reach, and/or retrieve luggage weighing as much as 50 lbs. (Assistance may not always be available.)
ALPA offers competitive salaries with terrific benefits, including:
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401k Plan with Non-Elective Employer Contribution of 12% plus 2% contribution into a Market-Based Cash Balance Plan (MBCBP) after 180 days of employment. No employee contribution required! Employees can choose to make pre-tax, Roth, and after-tax contributions to the 401(k). The plan permits in-plan Roth conversions and has a 4-year vesting schedule. The MBCBP has a 3-year cliff vesting period;
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Generous health care benefits on day one – Aetna PPO Plan, Aetna High Deductible Health Plan, and a Kaiser HMO Plan (where available), which includes coverage for medical, dental, and vision benefits for the employee, their spouse, and/or dependent children. Employees do not have to pay premiums if they enroll in the Aetna High Deductible Health Plan or the Kaiser HMO Plan;
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15 days paid vacation and 13 holidays per year plus 2 volunteer days per year;
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Generous sick and bereavement leave;
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Competitive parental leave;
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Company-paid coverage for long term disability, life insurance, and accidental death & dismemberment;
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Flexible Spending and Health Savings accounts;
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Retiree health plan and a retiree health account (retiree HRA). Funds in the retiree health account can be used to pay for eligible medical expenses in retirement;
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Education Assistance Program that reimburses 100% of eligible expenses;
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Optional benefits include a legal plan, supplemental life insurance, college 529 plan, pet insurance, long term care insurance, and qualified transportation fringe benefits (where available); and,
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Partial remote work opportunities are available after six months of service.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALARY RANGE: $ 69,341.00 – $ 105,180.00
Relocation not provided.
Sponsorship not available for this position.
