WRI India is looking for an accomplished substantive editor and technical writer to join our Research, Data, and Impact (RDI) team, with experience in writing, editing and communicating scientific and social scientific research to diverse audiences. Working with the India Research Data and Impact (RDI) team and global RDI colleagues, you will undertake substantive editing for manuscript drafts that require such editing during the writing and review processes.

All WRI-branded research publications or knowledge products (KPs) go through a rigorous peer-review process, involving both internal and external experts, to ensure quality, accuracy, institutional coherence, and a lack of bias in our research. WRI measures the success of our research terms of the quality of KPs and to bring change in the world in ways that support our mission. As these products are intended for diverse, and often non-specialist audiences, including policymakers, business and civil society partners, peer organizations and researchers across departments, and the broader public, we emphasize effective written communication, clarity, accuracy and readability in our KPs.

Substantive editing involves editing, re-organizing and where required re-writing drafts to ensure that they follow a logical structure, language and tone appropriate to research publications, demonstrate clear narrative flow and concise text free of repetition and jargon, meet WRI’s word limits and communicate effectively to intended audiences. (Copyediting of final drafts before production is a separate operation post final approval, which is performed by external contract copyeditors.)

You will review and screen written drafts early in the review process and to assess whether they need a substantive edit. Through the process of substantive editing, you will ensure that review drafts are readable and understandable. Following WRI’s Knowledge Product Guidelines, and with RDI leads and research teams, you will ensure that draft manuscripts contain essential sections such as an executive summary, an introduction that explains the research goals, context and relevance, a clear methodology section, and logically structured and findings, discussions and conclusions linked to the questions and analysis presented in the paper.

You will work with the India and global RDI team to promote WRI’s research standards, with a focus on writing. Finally, you will work with program research teams on specific publications as a technical writer, contributing to the writing of clear, well-structured drafts that meet WRI’s research standards for KPs.

· Screen and review draft KP manuscripts to determine whether they are ready for review regarding their writing and readability: the draft is understandable and readable, standard of written English is acceptable, structure is following WRI guidelines, and contains required sections with essential information provided.

· Provide constructive feedback and mentoring to authors and their directors where writing-related revisions are necessary and can be carried out by research teams themselves, to strengthen their ability to edit and strengthen their own work.

· Undertake substantive edits of WRI publications that do not meet research standards. Such editing to include ensuring a logical narrative flow and clear, understandable writing, and appropriate tone for the target audience, clear messaging, and overall readability (elimination of jargon or and superfluous content, gaps in necessary information, evidence and explanation). Also, substantive editing will include review of visuals, typically graphical presentation of data.

· Provide light substantive editing services when deemed necessary to strengthen the quality of writing, structure and effectiveness of message communication at the final stages of publication, in addition to copy-editing.

· Provide feedback and substantive editing support for research-based communications products

· Support RDI programs to share and communicate WRI’s published research internally and externally, in partnership with programs

· work with program research teams on manuscript writing for specific publications, to meet research and writing standards for WRI Knowledge products

· If applicable, review and support translation of KPs (or Executive summaries) and research materials into Indian languages to reach broader audiences

· Master’s degree in a relevant writing-intensive discipline in the humanities, sciences or social sciences

· Excellent written communication skills in English, with experience writing and editing research or research-based publications

· At least 8-years experience in editing, reviewing and technical writing for a non-specialist audience

· Excellent analytical and important review skills.

· Ability to work flexibly, quickly, and under tight deadlines, while providing constructive and patient feedback to authors

· Demonstrated knowledge of environmental and development issues, and support for WRI’s important goals.

· Inter-personal skills and confidence to work with, and influence senior staff, in the pursuit of high standards of research excellence.

· Experience with research methods in the social and environmental sciences

· Knowledge of other Indian languages will be a plus