Job Description

America's Test Kitchen (ATK), a pioneering brand in food media, is seeking a stellar Director of Photography to lead our photography department and to define ATK’s visual identity in photography across all platforms. This is a rare opportunity to help shape the look of a brand that reaches millions of fans across media platforms including digital, television, streaming, magazines, books, social media, podcasts, and more.

Based in Boston, MA and reporting to the Chief Content Officer, the Director of Photography will oversee a team of approximately 12 professionals including photographers, photo producers, food stylists, and image specialists, and have a significant role in helping to shape the future of the company where savory aromas waft from the test kitchen through the office.

The Director of Photography will oversee photography for ATK’s brands—including America’s Test Kitchen, Cook’s Illustrated, and Cook’s Country—and will manage the day-to-day operations of the ATK photography studio, crafting a vision to ensure ATK’s photography is beautiful, inspiring, premium, unified across brands and platforms, and distinctive in a crowded culinary-media market.

Primary Responsibilities

Strategic Vision

• Create a clear, brand-defining vision for ATK’s photography
• Set clear standards that make ATK’s visual work as premium as our recipes and equipment reviews
• Encourage smart risk-taking that moves ATK photography forward while staying true to who we are

Operational and Resource Management

• Lead the Photography department, managing the entire photo team and all processes and production
• Manage hundreds of in-house shoots per year without sacrificing creative quality
• Develop practical workflows that leave room for creative exploration
• Manage budgets, timelines, and resources effectively
• Build strong partnerships with Editorial, Marketing, and Digital leaders to align visual direction with business goals
• Oversee image management including rights, digital-asset management, and archiving

Team Leadership and Development

• Set a high creative bar and develop a team that consistently delivers exceptional work
• Manage and mentor all members of the Photography team
• Inspire and create a culture of creativity, innovation, and collaboration
• Foster an environment where team members can reach their full creative potential

Innovation and Trends

• Keep abreast of emerging technologies to enhance photography creative and workflows
• Understand competitive landscape in order to differentiate ATK’s photography in the marketplace

Skills and Experience

• 7+ years leading photography teams, with expertise in food photography
• Impressive photography portfolio demonstrating range, technical skill, and storytelling ability
• Track record of building and developing high-performing creative teams
• Expertise across all platforms including digital, books, magazines, and marketing creative
• Strong background in art direction, visual design, styling, and multimedia production
• Proven ability to evolve established brands while honoring their history
• Exceptional eye for photography with the ability to articulate and champion creative vision
• Strategic thinker who balances creative excellence with business objectives
• Diplomatic leadership style that builds consensus while maintaining high standards
• Passion for cooking and connecting with the home cook’s journey
• Mastery of photography techniques, lighting, and composition
• Experience with digital-asset management and efficient workflows
• Understanding of rights-management basics
• Awareness of new tools and technologies that could improve our work
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud suite

This position is located in our Boston, MA office in the Seaport district. It is the expectation that the person in this role will work a hybrid schedule of 3 days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday) in the office and 2 days per week remotely.

About America’s Test Kitchen

The mission of America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) is to empower and inspire confidence, community, and creativity in the kitchen. Founded in 1992, the company is the leading multimedia cooking resource serving millions of fans with TV shows (America’s Test Kitchen, Cook's Country, and America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation), magazines (Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country), cookbooks, a podcast (Proof), FAST channels, short-form video series, and the ATK Essential Membership for digital content. Based in a state-of-the-art 15,000-square-foot test kitchen in Boston’s Seaport District, ATK has earned the trust of home cooks and culinary experts alike thanks to its one-of-a-kind processes and best-in-class techniques. Fifty full-time (admittedly very meticulous) test cooks, editors, and product testers spend their days tweaking every variable to find the very best recipes, equipment, ingredients, and techniques. Learn more at https://www.americastestkitchen.com/.

Why America’s Test Kitchen:

We're passionate about cooking, and about creating the best place to work. We're small enough for your ideas to make a big impact, and large enough to offer you opportunities to grow professionally at any stage of your career. We want you to take risks and make mistakes — that's how innovation happens in our test kitchen, in our offices, and in life.

We at America’s Test Kitchen believe food media can be a powerful force for social change. We are passionate about building an inclusive workforce that represents many different cultures, backgrounds, abilities, identities, and perspectives.

We welcome your application.

Job Tags

Similar Jobs