Temporary Associate Producer, Throughline

OVERVIEW

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Across our organization, we’re building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is the key to our success. We are committed to doing the right thing in our journalism and in every role at NPR. This means that integrity, adherence to our ethical standards, and compliance with legal obligations are fundamental responsibilities for every employee at NPR.

Intro to Position

Application Deadline: Tuesday, November 11th at 5pm ET

As the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, NPR will present a six-month long podcast feed through July 6th, 2026. In collaboration with Throughline, the standalone feed explores significant historical locations, events, and ideas across the country, reflecting on Americans’ ongoing quest for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness through the lenses of innovation, arts and culture, faith, civic engagement and more. 

This temporary 6-month associate producer will support all aspects of bringing this new feed to life, including working in ProTools to shape episodes from Throughline’s back catalogue, collaborating with NPR news magazines on prepping new material from throughout the NPR Network for podcast distribution, partnering with the series editor on scripting and fact checking, and working in NPR’s CMS to publish episodes. 

The Throughline team is a highly collaborative, curious, creative, and hardworking group producing one of NPR’s top longform storytelling shows. Throughline goes deep into the events and ideas dominating our national conversations, illuminating the history we sometimes forget — or didn't know in the first place. Our guiding question is ‘how did we get here?’ We work to answer that question every week through cinematic and sound-rich storytelling, exploring perspectives, people, and places often missing from history textbooks, bringing themes and concepts to life with some of the most compelling non-fiction audio storytelling being made today.

This is a union-represented role covered under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement with SAG-AFTRA.

This is an NPR editorial role covered under the terms of the NPR Ethics Handbook. All editorial staff are bound by this guidance. Editorial staff are defined as staff members who play a role in shaping the journalistic or creative direction of NPR's content, including events.    

Responsibilities

• Works in ProTools to adapt existing Throughline podcast episodes and create new podcast episodes from NPR newsmagazine pieces
• Handles episode publishing in NPR CMS
• Works in collaboration with series editors, Throughline team, and others to write episode copy, including drafts of hosts’ leads and other production copy. 
• Attends production and team meetings as needed
• Edits audio with minimal editorial supervision.
• Adapts and produces radio segments for broadcast
• Contributes to other digital pieces when asked

The above duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of required responsibilities, duties and skills. Other duties may be assigned, and this job description can be modified at any time.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years professional experience in editing audio in ProTools 
• Demonstrated experience fact-checking and adhering to journalistic standards
• Strong conversational writing skills
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently, with sometimes multiple competing deadlines
• Familiarity with podcast publishing

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Slack and Google Docs in remote communications
• Creative sound design experience
• Understanding of public radio
• Experience with longform production
• Strong organizational skills

Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in work experience

Work Location & Requirements

NPR Remote-Permitted: This is a remote-permitted role. This role is based out of our Washington, D.C. office, but the employee may choose to work on a remote basis from a location that NPR approves. You will have the option of working (a) remotely from a location of your choosing within the United States that is supported by NPR; (b) on-site at an NPR facility, based on the availability of desks and approval from NPR; or (c) a combination of both. Regardless of where you choose to work from, you may be expected to travel to other locations from time to time to perform the duties of your position.

Job Type

• This is a temporary (6-month) full-time position.

Compensation

Hourly Rate: The U.S. based anticipated hourly rate for this opportunity is $44.47 per hour. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum hourly rate NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.

NPR Benefits: NPR offers access to comprehensive benefits for employees and dependents. Regular, full-time employees scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week are eligible to enroll in NPR’s benefits options. Benefits include access to health and wellness, paid time off, and financial well-being. Plan options include medical, dental, vision, life/ accidental death and dismemberment, long-term disability, short-term disability, and voluntary retirement savings to all eligible NPR employees. 

Does this sound like you? If so, we want to hear from you.

NPR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. NPR is committed to being an inclusive workplace that welcomes diverse and unique perspectives, all working toward the same goal – to create a more informed public. Qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, lactation, and reproductive health decisions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, transgender status, gender non-conforming status, intersex status, sexual stereotypes, nationality, citizenship status, personal appearance, marital status, family status, family responsibilities, military status, veteran status, mental and physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, genetic characteristics of yourself or a family member, political views and affiliation, unemployment status, protective order status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.

If you are a person with a disability needing assistance with the application process, please reach out to employeerelations@npr.org.

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