Hey, you. Over there with the manual shifter in hand and that gleam in your eye. Are you sick of reading something online and thinking “Man, I could do better than that garbage”? Do you lie awake at night obsessing over the sound of Lamborghini’s latest V12? Does all this fast-and-loose talk about automakers’ future plans send your bullshit meter through the roof? Then we want to talk to you.
The Drive is expanding in 2020 (you can read more about our plans here), and we’ve just posted new job openings in the editorial and commerce departments for anyone with a passion for cars, a healthy skepticism about, well, everything, and the writing chops to match. These are full-time, salaried and benefited roles at one of the fastest growing automotive publications anywhere, and we’re looking to fill them immediately. Short descriptions of each job along with a link to apply are posted below.
For the writing and editing positions, we’re especially focused on finding seasoned candidates with published clips and experience in original reporting—but wow us with a cover letter, and we can teach you the tools of the trade. What we can’t teach is a broad, fundamental understanding of car culture and all its weird little corners. That’s up to you.
The Drive Media is based in New York City, though remote applicants are welcome.
Staff Writer | Click here to apply
Our future Staff Writer needs to love finding amazing stories about cars and bringing them to a wide audience. This candidate should be a curious, well-rounded writer who is comfortable turning out several pieces a day while making time to craft longer features as well, all under the supervision of a crack team of editors. If your fanaticism about the world of speed is matched by your desire to have your name on some killer stories, this is the job for you.
Potential topics include anything from hard industry news to viral video write-ups to short features on any under-the-radar bits of automotive culture and history. Attention to detail is paramount. Applicants need to submit a resume and a cover letter with links to published clips and a brief plan for how they’d cover the automotive beat.
The ideal candidate:
- Has 1-2 years of professional writing experience, ideally in the automotive or technology fields
- Is a motivated self-starter
- Has a background in journalism or a similar field
- Has their pulse on what’s trending in the world of cars and can explain it in a clear, concise way
- Is comfortable working on a team in a fast-paced digital environment
- Desires to do true journalism, from interviews to filing public records requests, in addition to daily blogging
- May appear on video from time to time
News Director | Click here to apply
Our daily news operation is the heartbeat of The Drive, and we’re looking for an energetic News Director to oversee it. The ideal candidate is an experienced journalist who is deeply in tune with the news cycle surrounding the world of cars and transportation.
Each day, they will be tasked with ensuring our staff writers and contributors find the stories that matter most. They’ll be aggressive at searching every corner of the internet for stories and getting them published as quickly as possible—a fanatical attention to accuracy and clear, high-quality writing is a must as well. Regular readers of The Drive know that we cover a little bit of everything, and a successful News Director will be able to lead the creation of stories on anything from hard industry news to viral video write-ups to short features on fascinating bits of automotive culture and history.
Those with experience covering the automotive and/or tech fields and running editorial calendars will be prioritized. Given the timing of the daily news cycle, eastern time zone candidates are strongly preferred. Applicants must submit a resume and a cover letter with examples of previous work and a brief plan outlining their vision for The Drive’s news operation.
The ideal candidate:
- Has 3-4 years experience in journalism, ideally with editing experience
- Is a motivated self-starter
- Constantly searches for ways The Drive can improve its day-to-day operation
- Is adept at shaping writers’ raw copy into concise, thoughtful, meaningful journalism
- Is comfortable working in an extremely fast-paced environment
- Is eager to instruct junior staffers and help grow their careers as well as their own
Technical Editor | Click here to apply
We won’t get far this decade without a motivated Technology Editor to oversee our coverage of the ways the automotive industry is rapidly transforming in 2020 and beyond. The Tech Editor will be The Drive’s point person for covering emerging technologies: autonomy, electrification, startups and more. From writing about the latest news on growing companies like Tesla and Rivian to breaking down how future powertrains will work, this editor will help our large audience of enthusiast readers navigate what’s next in a rapidly changing world—but they’ll also have the ability to explain the innovations of the past and present.
They will be given a broad mandate to ensure The Drive is on the cutting edge of what’s next in cars and mobility. They must be adept at packaging these stories in a way that readers will find accessible and fascinating. We’re looking for candidates extremely skilled at spotting the stories that matter, fanatical about great writing and deeply in tune with the news cycle. The Tech Editor will be responsible for reporting and editing stories on a daily basis.
Applicants must submit a resume, plus a cover letter with links to published clips and a brief plan outlining how they would anchor tech coverage at The Drive.
The ideal candidate:
- Has 3-4 years of journalism experience
- Is well-versed in the automotive and tech spaces, particularly where they intersect
- Is a motivated self-starter
- Constantly searches for new stories
- Is comfortable working in an extremely fast-paced environment
- Excels at developing sources to lead The Drive to even bigger stories
Social Media Director | Click here to apply
Our new Social Media Director will lead social media for our three flagship brands: The Drive, the largest independent automotive media brand in the U.S., The War Zone, an unparalleled authority on global defense and aviation, and Car Bibles, a trusted, daily source for automotive and product reviews.
We’re seeking someone who is passionate about cars, automotive culture, tech, aviation and the things that move us. He or she should be a strong writer with a deep understanding of modern social platforms. They must also excel at using analytics and data to spearhead The Drive Media’s growth. Additionally, the Social Media Director must be an evangelist for The Drive Media’s brands—someone who can help us build a thriving culture and community that exists online and in the real world.
The ideal candidate is someone who is self-sufficient, resourceful and has 3-5 years of social media experience in a news environment, ideally one at an automotive or technology publication. Writing and occasional video work are also likely and encouraged. Applicants must submit a resume and a cover letter with examples of previous work and a brief plan for how they would execute a social strategy at The Drive.
The ideal candidate:
- Has 3-5 years of experience in a social media role
- Has a background in social marketing; journalism a plus
- Has a passion for social media, news, the automotive industry, racing, transportation, airplanes, technology, motorcycles and much more
- Has a strong command of Google Analytics
- Understands how to translate news stories and features into audience growth
- Has exceptional writing and communication skill
Commerce Editor | Click here to apply
The Commerce Editor is tasked with ensuring affiliate and e-commerce posts meet the high quality and style standards of The Drive. He or she will be an experienced and driven editor, ideally with previous affiliate/commerce experience and ideally with a passion for cars and the things that move us. He or she will also be tasked with growing the Reviews section in new and innovative ways. The ideal candidate will have the creative skills to create content that’s engaging, smart and helps The Drive grow.
This editor’s day-to-day duties may include writing review content, including product recommendations; editing existing reviews from The Drive’s network of contributors; finding exciting product deals relevant to our audience; and developing plans to ensure the section will grow in content, quality, and revenue.
The ideal candidate:
- Has 3-5 years experience in professional writing and editing, ideally in the affiliate and commerce space
- Is a strong writer and editor comfortable in a fast-paced digital publishing environment
- Has a passion for cars, motorcycles, trucks and more in the enthusiast space
- Is a creative thinker who can identify ways The Drive Reviews can do what it’s not currently doing
Now’s your chance to get in on the ground floor of one of the fastest-growing automotive publications out there. Use the links next to each job title to apply. Questions? Email me here.