Language Editors at HSRC

Job Advert Summary    

• The HSRC policy briefs are documents that synthesize research and extract important information for policy processes.  Electronic versions are published on the HSRC website. The potential target audiences include government officials, funders, development agencies, academics, diplomats, students, media and many others. The publication is aimed at policy actors and not academics therefore the intention is to use plain, accessible English
• The Research Impact Division, within the HSRC, seeks to on a Freelancer Basis, Language Editors.

Minimum Requirements    
Key requirements

• A minimum qualification of a completed undergraduate degree/diploma in language services or a related discipline
• Ability to edit English text at the level of a 1st language English speaker and willingness to demonstrate this capability in a test tracking changes in a Word document.
• 3 years’ English language editing experience, over and above any general writing experience
• Preferably experience as member of a newspaper or magazine subediting team OR experience in editing academic, technical or scientific content to be accessible to the general public
• Proficiency in one South African language other than English 

Duties & Responsibilities    

Key responsibilities 

• Language editing for the Word version of the policy briefs, which is normally between about 1500 and 3 000 words
• Editing includes checking grammar, sentence structure, spelling errors, lack of clarity and inconsistencies in the text, as well as text cuts to an optimal word count.
• Writing and editing of headlines where needed
• Choosing pull quotes where needed
• Checking whether graphics make sense
• Generally focusing on finer details throughout the document