We’re looking for committed individuals to oversee News, Opinion, Features, Investigations, Interviews, Science, and Sport. Applicants should apply individually, and be motivated to guide section editors and contributors to produce the best work possible, and should be organised and able to work well in a team. In particular, we are looking for at least one individual experienced in news-writing and editing, who will be able to provide additional support and guidance to the news team. You should also demonstrate a clear vision for the sections listed above, and be thoughtful about and committed to their execution. It’s generally expected that Deputy Editors will split News and Opinion, and then in collaboration with the Editors choose how to divide the other sections between them. Of all available roles, this is the one for which previous experience with the newspaper is most vital, particularly since Deputies will be expected to help set the Yearbook and teach section editors how to do so.

The Vulture Editors are individuals well placed to push discussion and reflection on culture in Cambridge, who will oversee the paper’s Arts, Fashion, Music, Film & TV, Lifestyle and Theatre sections. Applicants should be thoughtful about culture and its appeal to students, both within Cambridge and wider society. The Vulture Editors should have a clear artistic vision of how Vulture can push discussion around the Cambridge arts scene, as well as how to encourage diverse and engaging online content. We’re looking for individuals with an eye for underdeveloped stories, fresh ideas, and with excellent team management qualities. The Vulture Editors oversee the magazine, and have a large amount of creative autonomy, working with our team of staff illustrators and photographers. Applicants should have a clear vision for the role of Vulture, and bring fresh ideas about how other sections might collaborate creatively within the magazine.

The Visual Editor will oversee Varsity's photographers and illustrators, as well as overseeing the papers video and social media output. With the loss of Switchboard, Varsity's podcast, this role will focus on diversifying the multi-media content on Varsity's website and social channels to help boost engagement. This role will also include controlling Varsity's visual presence by closely collaborating with the photographers and illustrators, and by working with the Editors in Chief on the visual elements of the Yearbook. Applicants should offer ideas for revitalising and diversifying Varsity's digital presence in order to attract greater engagement with our content, and be thoughtful about how to put these ideas into action. Applicants ideally should have experience of video editing and be adept at Photoshop. The Visual Editor has an exciting opportunity to be part of shaping and fine-tuning Varsity’s expanding multi-media presence. So, if you can’t help but critique any social media post you come across, love photoshop design or have a (guilty) pleasure for video production, and would like to help create the aesthetic of the Yearbook and Review, this role is for you. We may consider appointing two people with complimentary skills to share this role if necessary. 

Want to be at the forefront of Cambridge’s news scene? The Varsity News editorial team is the place for you. News is Varsity’s biggest section, playing an essential role in Cambridge, providing timely, objective, and incisive reporting on stories relevant to our readers. Our coverage serves not only to inform Varsity readers, but to hold institutions in the city to account. Members of the team must be engaged with goings-on in Cambridge, and be both knowledgeable and critical in their coverage of issues prominent in the Cambridge community. Members of the News team will be expected to attend weekly in-person meetings at the Varsity offices during full term.

Senior News Editor: The Senior News Editors will lead a team of Deputy News Editors and news correspondents. They are responsible for commissioning writers and editing copy, reacting to breaking news as well as identifying important issues to explore further. The Senior News Editors must commit to training Varsity’s news correspondents, and commit to receiving further news training from other experienced news writers at the paper. Senior News Editors will also be responsible for leading weekly News meetings.

Deputy News Editor: The Deputy News Editors assist the Senior News Editors in finding stories and editing. They are equally prepared to write and edit, and play an important mentoring role for newer news correspondents. They must also commit to receiving further news training from other experienced news writers at the paper. They must always be on the lookout for fresh news leads, and, if possible, be in the room when stories break. Working for the news section, whether as a Senior or Deputy News Editor, is one of the most exciting roles in the paper.

Investigations Editor(s) are crucial to Varsity’s role in holding our institutions, societies and students to account. They must have a nose for the untold story and a drive to work independently, tackling in-depth projects with the aim of uncovering interesting and important things that our readers should know about. Experience of news writing, while not required, is particularly valuable in an Investigations Editor. They must commit to receiving news training from the News Editors and from more experienced members of the team, who will be keen to guide them. Investigations Editors will chair the weekly investigations meeting in the Varsity office.

Opinion is one of Varsity’s most popular sections. Members of the Opinion team should be compelled by the discussions happening around them about Cambridge’s key issues, and understand the importance of keeping those conversations alive, seeking new perspectives, and pushing them to evolve. We will soon be looking to recruit a team of staff writers and columnists, to dissect and reflect on Cambridge’s key issues.

Senior Opinion Editor: The Senior Opinion Editor should be passionate about facilitating conversations in the paper and guiding contributors to produce the best work they can. They are responsible for generating ideas for pieces, commissioning writers and editing copy. It’s important for the Senior Opinion Editors to be aware of what’s happening in other sections of the paper, and to keep up to date with the big stories both in Cambridge and worldwide. Responsible for a team of Deputy Opinion Editors, columnists, and staff Opinion writers, the Senior Opinion editor must have strong team management and organisational qualities, and be prepared to take on a great deal of responsibility, since they will often need to handle sensitive topics.

Deputy Opinion Editor: The Deputy Opinion Editors assist the Senior Opinion Editor in commissioning pieces and editing copy. They work directly with section contributors to develop their columns and articles week on week and are always on the lookout for opportunities for a good Opinion piece, taking inspiration from Cambridge life, current affairs and popular culture.

The Features section is a place for creative, compelling perspectives on breaking news stories and key issues within the Cambridge community, as well as platforming personal stories from students. Features is a space where conversations begin, often stemming from personal experiences, broadening the discussions and perspectives of Cambridge students. We’re looking for someone who is engaged with the issues that dominate the news in Cambridge, but also an individual with an eye for an interesting perspective on issues often under-discussed or marginalised. The Features editors must be comfortable helping writers transform their personal experiences and the individual stories of those living and working in and around the University into compelling journalism that engages the attention of a wider audience; opening eyes to new issues or introducing new perspectives on older ones.

Features Editor: The Features Editors are responsible for generating ideas for pieces, commissioning writers and editing copy. It’s important for a Features Editor to be aware of what is happening in other sections (especially News, Opinion, and Lifestyle), and to think about how Features articles may respond to issues within Cambridge and wider society. Applicants should be thoughtful about how to put their ideas for the section into action. The Features Editors will also hire the section’s columnists. They are always on the lookout for opportunities for a good Features piece and can help guide writers on sensitive articles.

Our Interviews Editors get the chance to meet fascinating and high-profile people from all walks of life. They are responsible for sending regular contact requests to high-profile individuals, or individuals relevant to the student community. We want someone who understands how compelling a good interview can be, has an instinct for who Varsity’s readers want to know more about, and engages with breaking news.

There is arguably no better place than Cambridge to be a student Science Editor, and we’re looking to increase and diversify the section's output. Over the holidays, the Science team will look to recruit staff science writers to report on ground-breaking research in Cambridge, explore the research community and open discussion on topical scientific issues. It’s an exciting time to head the section, spearheading our continued efforts to engage with the brimming scientific community at our fingertips, and simultaneously render our Science content accessible to students from all academic backgrounds.

Sport is one of Varsity’s busiest and most vibrant sections and the Sport Editors are in a prime position to shape discussions around sport in Cambridge. They are responsible for commissioning match reports, interviews, guides and features every week, covering as wide a range of sports and sporting experiences as possible, across all levels. In the past year, the Sport section has taken a closer, more critical look at the world of Cambridge sport and we’re looking for someone to continue this focus, and platform personal experiences and perspectives on University sport as well as recreational sport. The Sport Editor(s) will lead a team of correspondents and staff writers, pushing for diversified and exciting content for the section. They will strive to report fast on the University's main sporting events, as well as diversify the nature of the sports the section reports on.

Fine art, literature, architecture and more have a place in our Arts section, and we’re keen to offer a platform both to students’ experiences and reactions to art, as well as publishing original student artwork, including fiction, poetry, photography and visual art. The Arts Editors should be compelled by Cambridge’s artistic spaces, and be thoughtful about how Varsity can build upon our examination and support of them. They will have exciting opportunities to engage with Cambridge-based artists and their work. The Arts Editors will be responsible for coming up with ideas for pieces, commissioning writers and editing copy. They must keep up with both Cambridge and worldwide Arts news, and take initiative in reaching out to students and professionals to pursue further leads for the section (e.g. student spotlight of art, interviewing a Cambridge author).

Our Film & TV Editors should have a vision for generating content related to film and TV which is relevant to Cambridge students. They are responsible for commissioning reviews and other more personal features on films and television shows, and will be expected to foster links with the student film scene in order to deliver new and exciting content. Beyond simply commissioning reviews – though this remains an important focus of the section – they should seek to platform and engage with student filmmakers in Cambridge.

The Music Editors should be passionate about music, and keen to share this passion with our readers. Applicants should, ideally, demonstrate an interest and engagement with Cambridge’s music scene, as well as an understanding of evolving music tastes among students. They should seek to generate content that explores the Cambridge music scene in new ways, as well as creating occasional playlists. They will commission pieces – a mixture of reviews and other features – and edit copy. The Music Editors must be open-minded and non-discriminatory to all forms of music, and make it a priority to feature a wide range of genres within the term.

Varsity’s Fashion section must aim to be accessible, personal and relevant to students. The Fashion Editors must be on top of the latest trends, have an eye for a photoshoot, and know where the best fashion and beauty buys can be found. Next term, we are eager for the section to place an increased focus on the vast range of fashion visible within Cambridge and among Cambridge students, including content specifically targeted at exploring fashion on a student budget, as well as sustainable forms of fashion. The Fashion Editors are responsible for organising photoshoots – creating concepts, sourcing models and recruiting a photographer through liaising with the Photography Editor – as well as commissioning and editing articles.

The Theatre Editors will commission reviews for the large Cambridge theatre scene as well as more personal Opinion or Features-style articles exploring students’ experiences with the dramatic arts. Next term, we’re eager to broaden the section’s focus beyond reviews, although these will remain important, seeking to highlight in particular the creative work students undertake to bring productions to life and making use of a range of multimedia content. This is a demanding role due to the large output of the section and the time-critical nature of reviews. We are especially looking for individuals who understand the Cambridge theatre scene well, are extremely organised and able to take great initiative in reaching out to shows (e.g. to review, or interview).

Lifestyle is a diverse and engaging section, which should be focused upon content relevant to the daily lives of students, covering issues related to mental health and well-being, as well as sharing recipes and collections of fun and accessible activities around Cambridge. We’re looking for people with a knack for creating enjoyable content: from recipes and explorations of the Cambridge food scene, to tips on health, relationships or handling stress, or reading outside of a Cambridge degree. In Michaelmas 2020, our Lifestyle Editors started the series ‘AskVulture’. We're very keen for this comforting series to be continued and expanded on by this term’s Lifestyle Editors, who would be responsible for working with staff writers to produce quality ‘AskVulture’ content, alongside managing the bulk of other Lifestyle articles.

Our Illustrations Editor keeps the paper looking engaging with new and original artistic content. As Illustrations Editor you will be responsible for commissioning a team of Varsity staff illustrators and recruiting a diverse range of artistic talent from cartoonists to digital artists. Our Illustrations Editor will also be involved in running and expanding on that team, and liaising with section editors across the newspaper. With our illustration team growing, and its original artwork increasingly featuring in the paper, the Illustrations Editor plays a crucial role at Varsity. To apply, please provide:

● An explanation of your current involvement with Cambridge’s art community (200 words maximum).

● A small portfolio of your own work.

If you would just like to be one of Varsity’s Staff Illustrators, watch out for recruitment in the near future, or send an informal email to applications@varsity.co.uk.

Know your less from your fewer? Have an eye for commas, apostrophes, capital letters, always italicising Varsity, and spelling? Our team of sub-editors are key to ensuring that Varsity maintains its reputation for clear and professional journalism. They ensure that all pieces conform to Varsity’s house style. It’s also important for sub-editors to be aware of the content itself, and to flag up anything that may be unsuitable for publishing.

We are looking to recruit a number of sub-editors as well as a Chief Sub-Editor, who will manage the team of sub-editors to ensure content is sub-edited in a timely and high-quality fashion. To apply, please provide:

● A critique of an article from any section from the past couple of terms, with particular attention to the detailed improvements which a sub-editor could make (300 words maximum).

● An explanation of any experience you have for the role, why you think you would be suitable, and why you want to do it. Please also state whether you would like to be considered for the Chief Sub-Editor role.

Love adobe photoshop? Got an undying passion for newspaper or magazine design and are a stickler for detail? Then Varsity’s publishing team is perfectly suited for you! We are looking for a small but dedicated team of 3 to 4 individuals to help our section editors and executive team with Varsity’s annual Yearbook. This role will involve coming into the Varsity offices to advise and check over the magazine. The Publishing team are expected to be proficient with Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photoshop. The team will be purely focused on the production side of the paper, enabling them to have a great deal of creative license. If you wish to apply for the Publishing Team, please provide:

● A critique and vision statement for Varsity’s print edition, outlining some ideas for how you want to present content (400 words)

● Small portfolio of your work (doesn't have to be from a newspaper)

● An explanation of why you think you would be suitable for the role (250 words maximum)

Do you have a slight obsession with social media? Do you love a visually pleasing feed, and creating dynamic content that reels in likes? Are you keen to gain top-level experience in media design and publicity? If yes, then this role is made for you. Varsity’s Social Media team will be in charge of designing Varsity’s Instagram and Facebook content, as well as ensuring that this dynamic content (posts, stories, Instagram reels) is published regularly. The aim of this team is to increase Varsity’s outreach through dynamic social media, ranging from advertising articles to innovating personable content that will increase our following. It’s a chance to make your social media mark on one of the most widely read student newspapers in the country - don’t miss out! To apply for either role, please provide:

● A critique and vision statement for Varsity's social media, outlining some ideas that you have for Varsity's Instagram and Facebook (300 words maximum)

● If possible, an example of a social media post of your creation to advertise a recent Varsity article

● Two suggestions for social media content you’d like to produce in Easter term