Online publications covering cutting-edge science for other scientists - Senior Editor GenomeWeb Employee Review

Editors willing to discuss frustrations and ways to grow intellectually.

Working remotely is a bit detached, not as fun as in the office.

To me, it seems like unlike some newspapers, GenomeWeb's CEO and its upper management really do care about its individual employees. While it' a relatively small news site, I've learned that it's pretty respected in the science community. Yes, GenomeWeb and its sister news sites are engaged in a very niche space (genomics) and the subject matter the firm covers can be complicated without some general background in biology, chemistry, and some other sciences. However, the editorial side is pretty great about listening to and helping its reporters when they're struggling with complicated STEM topics, eager to write about certain novel topics, or even just coping with personal dilemmas. While editors definitely expect the journalists to produce a healthy amount of high quality, in-depth pieces per month, they are happy to help nurture/guide reporters on their work when they feel lost and confused. I never felt guilty nor embarrassed to ask for help after learning how kind the editors are at GenomeWeb. Sure, they might mark up drafts of stories to point out some flaws in its flow and style, but it's a pretty powerful and humbling experience that you learn from to better tailor and shape stories as a better journalist. If you promise that your reporting is accurate as possible, GW's editors will happily go to bat for you against interviewees who try to bully you and your article's accuracy, rather than throwing you under the bus to save its reputation. Even though GW was acquired a couple of years ago by a larger corporation, I still felt that we mostly had free reign over the coverage and writing style. Working at GenomeWeb also allowed you to have a pretty good work/life balance, as the editorial staff pretty much advised that we don't work past 6pm unless its critically important for a story. The firm is also WFH friendly, which I think they may follow somewhat after the pandemic is over.

Sometimes work can be slow as you're hunting for stories on your beat, especially during the slower parts of the year. But editors were always glad to send you a potential story lead if you mentioned you were struggling to fill your pipeline, even if it was outside your normal beat. I would have wished to have more editorial meetings during the month to see what everyone's up to, at least to feel a bit more connected as reporters, especially during the pandemic. I also felt a little awkwardly distanced during the pandemic, as we were hiring and didn't feel too connected to our new hires.