MAYDAY is a fully remote organization staffed by unpaid volunteers who can work anywhere in the world. We seek out people who bring with them diverse intellectual and cultural backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and points of view that will inform the evolving identity of the magazine. Staff at MAYDAY are asked to limit their contributions to five hours per week to maintain the sustainability of our collective volunteer efforts.
We invite applications for the positions below which are open until filled. We will be inviting for interviews interviewing on a rolling basis as we identify qualified applicants.
TRANSLATION EDITORS
Translation editors play a key role in fulfilling MAYDAY’s mission to be a global space for intersecting art, values, histories, and perspectives. Reporting to the managing editor, translation editors are responsible for evaluating submissions of translated works, collaborating with their editorial colleagues to shape and uphold the quality of multilingual content, and helping to amplify voices from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. This role includes commissioning translations, engaging with translators, and contributing to special projects and feature series.
POETRY EDITORS
Poetry editors are responsible for reading and assessing submissions in a timely fashion on an ongoing basis in accordance with MAYDAY’s eight-week editorial cycles. In collaboration with their colleagues, poetry editors select work for publication, meet virtually as an editorial team at least once per month to discuss submissions, and attend all-staff editorial meetings once every two months. The ideal candidate for a nonfiction editor position may or may not have an educational background in creative writing, journalism, or literature, but should demonstrate substantial experience with poetry as a student, teacher, editor, or writer. Editorial experience at a literary or journalistic publication is a plus. In addition to reading submissions and selecting work for publication, poetry editors also have the opportunity to solicit writers and to help develop feature series and other ongoing projects in collaboration with other editors on staff.
FICTION EDITORS
Fiction editors are responsible for reading and assessing submissions in a timely fashion on an ongoing basis in accordance with MAYDAY’s eight-week editorial cycles. In collaboration with their colleagues, poetry editors select work for publication, meet virtually as an editorial team at least once per month to discuss submissions, and attend all-staff editorial meetings once every two months. The ideal candidate for a nonfiction editor position may or may not have an educational background in creative writing, journalism, or literature, but should demonstrate substantial experience with fiction as a student, teacher, editor, or writer. Editorial experience at a literary or journalistic publication is a plus. In addition to reading submissions and selecting work for publication, fiction editors also have the opportunity to solicit writers and to help develop feature series and other ongoing projects in collaboration with other editors on staff.
MARKETING SPECIALIST
Another crucial role in the managing editor’s office, the marketing specialist develops and curates content for MAYDAY’s social media platforms, including important updates about MAYDAY content and activities, cross-promotions with peer publications and other effective forms of audience engagement. Additionally, the marketing specialist acts as the publication’s liaison among the various audiences and communities with which we are engaged. We will be particularly drawn to applicants who can demonstrate their familiarity with audiences and communities across social media platforms who are likely to be drawn to the art, literature, and commentary at MAYDAY, as well as in applicants who have experience in graphic design and copywriting. This is a great opportunity for applicants interested in improving their marketing and communications skills while contributing to the growth and cultivation of a magazine’s readership community.
Why Should You Apply?
Everyone at MAYDAY is an unpaid volunteer, and most of us work fewer than five hours per week. We all have day jobs, but most of us get something here that’s missing in other parts of our professional and creative lives. These positions will actively contribute to the editorial vision of a publishing enterprise that is excited to embrace new perspectives, investigate emerging ideas, and discover new writers and artists. Candidates early in their careers will build marketable skills and develop their professional networks, and mid-career candidates will enjoy the freedom to reach out to the writers, artists, and thinkers they admire to solicit work, invite to interviews, and pursue other projects of their own design. Our publishing schedule is flexible, deadline pressure is minimal, and there is already a whole community of helpful and passionate editors on staff who love writing, books, art, and ideas. But we especially look forward to meeting you. Should you be invited to interview for a position, we’ll be very interested to talk about how your work at MAYDAY can help you achieve your own creative and professional goals.
How Do You Apply?
Use this link to submit a resume or CV, including a full list of your publications and/or relevant professional experience, and a cover letter that briefly describes your background, explains your interest in one of the positions, and addresses the following prompts:
- Describe your participation in the literary community. Have you done editing or administrative work at a journal or small press? Which literary journals, magazines, and/or small presses do you admire? Which lit blogs or other online culture spaces do you visit?
- Describe some books (of any genre) that matter to you. These may be books you’ve read recently or books you read a long time ago. Explain the impact each book had on how you think or what you think matters about literature.
Final Reminders
- Use this link to submit your application.
- All positions are unpaid and ask five or fewer hours per week.
- All positions are remote and editors can work anywhere there’s an internet connection.
- We will accept applications until July 11, 2025.
- Send questions to chase@newamericanpress.com.
