Not currently open. Kept for reference — do not submit against this role.
We are looking for Video Editors who specialize in paid social ads — specifically Meta and TikTok. This is not a generalist editing role and not a cinematic/narrative role. Every edit must be built to convert: hook in the first 2 seconds, fast iteration, data-driven decisions.
Daily work involves NSFW and explicit creatives for Candy.ai. Do not submit candidates unless NSFW comfort has been explicitly confirmed on a call.
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Team & Environment Context
- The Team: Reports directly to the CMO, working alongside 3 Creatives. The candidate can be Mid or Senior.
- High-Velocity Pipeline: We move at the speed of AI. They must manage their own pipeline independently — from idea inception to final color grading and sound design.
- The Content: Candy.ai. We operate in the AI companionship space. 100% comfort with NSFW/explicit creatives is a non-negotiable baseline requirement.
- Data-Obsessed Iteration: We iterate based on KPIs (CTR, CR). If an ad doesn't perform, we don't fix it — we pivot and cut a new version immediately.
- AI-Mandatory Workflow: AI is core to how we work, not a bonus skill. Candidates must be prompt engineers who use Midjourney, Runway, KlingAI, or equivalent tools to create assets that don't yet exist.
🎯 Calibration Anchors & Target Profiles
Ideal backgrounds:
- High-volume DTC agencies, Gaming, iGaming, or Dating/Social app marketing
- Company examples: Tango Me, Kilo Health, V-Shred, TubeScience, etc.
- Bonus: prior experience in Adult, Dating, or iGaming industries
⛔️ Non-Negotiables
- NSFW comfort — 100% dealbreaker; must be explicitly confirmed before submission
- Paid social portfolio — majority must be Meta and/or TikTok ads; no cinematic-only portfolios
- Performance mindset — understands Hook-Body-CTA; can cut multiple hook variations for the same ad; knows what a retention graph is and how to act on it
- Full technical autonomy — handles sound design, colour grading, and motion graphics independently; does not require a separate sound engineer, colorist, or motion designer to finish a 30-second ad
- AI fluency — uses generative AI tools (Midjourney, Runway, KlingAI, or equivalent) in daily professional workflow; not resistant to AI; sees it as a primary tool
- Speed — first draft within hours; multiple iterations per week
- Fluent English — can communicate clearly about creative decisions and performance rationale
🛠️ Tools
📋 Evaluation Framework
1. Performance-Driven Storytelling — 35%
Deep understanding of the Hook-Body-CTA framework. Can manipulate pacing, motion, and sound to drive user action. Able to look at a retention graph and identify exactly where users drop off. Comfortable cutting multiple hook variations for the same ad to find the winning angle. Can optimise for multiple formats (9:16, 1:1, 16:9) and channel-specific best practices (TikTok style vs. adult pre-roll).
Hard Filters: Cinematic-only portfolios. If the first 2 seconds of their work don't grab attention — reject.
2. Generative AI & Tool Mastery — 30%
Proven experience using generative AI tools (Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, Runway, Luma, KlingAI, etc.) in a professional workflow. Uses AI for advanced tasks: generating custom B-roll, face-swapping, generative fill, AI-voice integration. Deep expertise in Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, or equivalent.
Hard Filters: Resistance to AI tools or a traditional-only mindset. If they see AI as a threat rather than a primary tool, they won't fit.
3. Technical Autonomy & Sound Design — 20%
Fully independent in the editing process — including sound design, color grading, and motion graphics in After Effects. Manages their own render queues, file structures, and technical exports for high-volume, daily iteration.
Hard Filters: Requires a separate sound engineer, colorist, or motion designer to finish a 30-second ad.
4. Startup Grit & Communication — 15%
Perfectly fluent English. Can explain why an edit will convert a specific target audience. Thrives in fast, messy environments. Willing to kill an edit they spent hours on and start over if the data says to. Prioritizes speed and performance over artistic prestige.
Hard Filters: High sensitivity to NSFW content; needs more than 48 hours for a first draft; job-hoppers under 1 year; no concrete recent win stories.
💬 Pre-Screen Questions
Use these questions during your screening call. Include a summary of the candidate's answers in your submission notes in Ashby.
- Walk me through your current role — what type of content do you produce day to day? Is it primarily for paid marketing, organic, or something else?
- What does your AI workflow look like? Which tools do you use, and for what specific tasks?
- Have you worked on performance marketing creatives — paid social, pre-roll, or direct response ads? What platforms?
- Walk me through a recent ad you're proud of — what was the brief, what did you create, and how did it perform?
- Have you tried Candy.ai? Our product operates in the adult AI companionship space — are you fully comfortable working with NSFW content on a daily basis?