Senior Editor

American Alpine Journal - Contract at The American Alpine Club

Reports To: AAJ Editor-in-Chief

Location: Remote

Salary Range: $40 – $45 per hour / Average of 30 hours per month

Duration: November 2026 – April 2027

This role is a part-time contract position assisting the American Alpine Journal’s (AAJ) Editor-in-Chief with all aspects of planning, editing, and producing the 2027 edition, as well as the AAJ website, the AAJ’s e-newsletter (The Line), and other channels. This is an excellent opportunity for a freelance editor or former publication staffer who loves climbing news and mountain journalism, and who aims to get their foot in the door of the world’s leading journal of alpinism and mountain exploration. Upon successful completion of the contract, this contract is renewable, with potentially expanded scope and compensation.

Duties:

Under this agreement, the Senior Editor will perform the following duties for, and on behalf of, the AAC, under the direction of the AAJ Editor-in-Chief. All services to be performed shall be done in a timely and professional manner in accordance with an agreement and all applicable laws and regulations. Such services include, without limitation:

• Reporting, editing, and fact-checking expedition reports
• Editing longer articles in collaboration with volunteer climber-writers and the Editor-in-Chief
• Researching for the AAJ, Cutting Edge podcast, and other AAJ channels
• Collecting and preparing photos and captions for publication
• Uploading and editing online stories
• Additional duties as assigned by the AAJ Editor-in-Chief

You are a strong fit for this role if you have:

• Extensive climbing experience and knowledge (especially in alpinism and mountaineering)
• A commitment to the AAC mission, and model our core values at all times
• Deep knowledge and love of climbing history
• A track record of reporting and editing climbing news or similar specialty news
• Proven ability to edit longer-form articles for publication
• Experience with planning and layout in print publications in collaboration with an art director
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple project deadlines simultaneously.
• A collaborative mindset with the ability to work well in a team environment and adapt to feedback and constructive criticism.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including ability to work well on a team and across departments, and with external contractors, and climbers (including people with limited English skills)
• Experience and comfort working within and meeting deadlines
• Competency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop and InDesign), G Suite, Slack

How to Apply

All who love the AAC mission are encouraged to apply. Apply online.

Qualified applications receive consideration without regard to gender, religion, sex life, skin color, first language, size and ability of body, or friends in high places. If you love our mission and are good at what you do, come as you are.

About the AAC

Founded in 1902, the American Alpine Club (AAC) envisions a united community of competent climbers and healthy climbing landscapes. For more than a century, the AAC has built relationships with conservation-minded organizations and government agencies, funded and documented some of the world’s most significant climbs—including historic expeditions to K2 (1939 and ‘53), the first ascent of Hidden Peak (’58), the first American summit of Mount Everest (‘63), and Antarctica’s Mount Vinson (‘66)—and connected climbers from a variety of backgrounds. Founding members include many early female climbers and suffragists, like Annie Peck and Fanny Bullock Workman. For over 100 years, climbers have come together and found their place at the AAC. Today, the AAC has before it the opportunity to push the needle and reimagine what community means among climbers. Banding together as a collective of patient, collaborative, problem-solving climbers, we’re up for the challenge.