World War II non-fiction book project for Penguin Random House
27 05 2025
British author Jack Fairweather is looking for a researcher to join his international team working on a
World War II book project set in Poland and Germany. Jack is a former war correspondent for
the Washington Post and the Daily Telegraph and the author of The Volunteer, an international
bestseller in twenty-five countries and the subject of a major exhibition in Berlin. Penguin Random
House is the leading publisher for narrative non-fiction in the U.S. and U.K.
The Role: Part-time or full-time, graduate-level position requiring fluency in English and Polish.
German or French useful. Salary depending on experience. Specific background in World War II
history helpful but not required. Researcher ideally based in Poland.
Outline of work:
Task 1 – Archive research
Gather material in archives; log, record, translate material; collaborate with an international team
Task 2 – Background research
Translate and index secondary sources, network with experts in the field, set up research trips to
sites of interest and to meet families of central characters, prepare research around specific themes
Task 3 – Production assistance
Working on book outline that highlights main characters and narrative threads, fact- checking,
preparing sources for citation and bibliography
Your expectations of work:
- A work contract for agreed salary/time frame plus travel expenses
- An initial book outline, chapter breakdown
- Clear, daily instruction/work-flow app to manage time/tasks
- Weekly planning sessions as part of a dynamic team and regular feedback on research
This is what I expect you to get out of it:
- Opportunity to work on a professional research project/exposure to publishing world
- Acknowledgment of role in book and/or film
- Access to unexplored archives for use in your future research
- Research/workflow training and advice
Desired skills and experience:
- Track record of independent research, Initiative in tackling problems.
- Eye for detail, thoroughness and ability to explore every angle
- Judgement in assessing material both in terms of historical relevance and role in narrative
- Responsiveness/ability to work to deadlines
If interested, please send resume to: jack@acamedia.org