ABOUT THE ROLE
Fast Company is seeking a Senior Writer to join its Design Team. The ideal candidate will be an experienced journalist with deep knowledge of the names and trends shaping the design world, sharp instincts for the most compelling narratives about product design, UX, hardware, and branding, and a relentless drive to break news. This role calls for a skilled storyteller with strong relationships in the design and technology worlds, a keen sense of how design is key to innovation, and the editorial judgment to separate hype from substance.
Fast Company doesn’t aim to cover every design world headline. Instead, the editorial team focuses on original, distinctive coverage that reflects the brand’s mission: exploring how innovation is reshaping business, culture, and society. The writer’s reporting beat will be tailored to your expertise, in a way that complements our existing team.
The team is especially interested in candidates who can surface and deliver stories that rise above the noise—by spotting high-potential topics early, offering fresh framing, and finding ways to add unique value while still working at internet speed. This is an opportunity to help shape the voice of Fast Company’s Design section and deepen its reputation for smart, forward-looking journalism.
The role will be based in the Bay area or follow a 3-day hybrid schedule (Tuesday-Thursday onsite) in the New York City office.
This is a position covered under the Writers Guild of America East Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Salary range: $89,000 - $110,500 + bonus eligible. Compensation may vary based on relevant experience, skills, industry, and education.
WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING
- Source and write deeply reported, ambitious features with exclusive information about the design and technology industries.
- Add smart, quick turn analysis to breaking design news based on your reporting and sources.
- Engage in big-picture thinking about trends and stories in the design world and brainstorm new strategies for covering them.
- Collaborate with editors and colleagues to share leads, shape coverage, and identify high-impact stories that drive subscriptions to Fast Company’s Premium membership.
- Take a lead role in helping to shape the direction and judging of Fast Company's Innovation By Design Awards.
- Conceptualize and participate in editorial packages like Fast Company's Best Dressed In Business List or Where the Design Jobs Are.
- Offer mentorship and editing to Fast Company's more junior design writers.
- Occasionally contribute to Fast Company’s print magazine, franchises, and recognition programs.
- Represent Fast Company at live events, in media appearances, and on podcasts or video.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
- An enterprising reporter with a genuine fascination for how design intersects with business and culture, a strong understanding of the trends and voices in the design industry, and a perspective on how design shapes the world.
- Comfortable writing about AI frontier labs and the latest trend in branding.
- 6+ years of experience in daily journalism, preferably covering the design and technology industries.
- The ability to generate original story ideas based on primary reporting and active source-building.
- A strong list of existing sources and track record of uncovering new information.
- Established relationships within the design sector, particularly with founders, executives, investors, and other key industry figures.
- Superior writing and reporting skills, and an ability to conceive and package imaginative, innovative stories and find fresh angles that differentiate Fast Company from other sources of design coverage.
- Excellent news judgment and the ability to distill complex topics into accessible, engaging narratives.
Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.