Comedy Writer (Shortform)
System2
Location
San Francisco
Employment Type
Full time
Location Type
On-site
Department
Ops
Location: San Francisco, CA | Type: Full-time contract-to-hire
Team: AI Influencer Studio
Reports to: Chief of Staff / AI Influencer Project Lead
Why this role
This is a role unlike any that exist today. We’re building a universe of AI-generated influencers in the fitness, wellness, and lifestyle space. Most AI content today feels soulless; we want the opposite—characters that feel alive, funny, and worth following. Characters not constrained by reality and empowered by top-tier writing.
We’re hiring a writer who can create viral, character-driven comedy. Think punchy hooks, hot takes, and sketch-like formats that people want to reshare. If you love satire headlines, improv “game of the scene,” and creator-style pacing (with the speed of TikTok), this role is for you.
What you’ll do
Script high-retention shortform content — write 15–60 second pieces for TikTok/IG/YouTube Shorts designed for hook, hold, and share.
Develop character voices and arcs — create consistent POVs, recurring jokes, and evolving storylines for AI personas.
Build repeatable series formats — e.g. parody segments, sketch-style setups, or “hot take” frameworks with a clear comedic premise.
Run the pitch process — maintain a weekly pitch board, deliver daily alt hooks, and help lead 2x/week table reads for punch-ups.
Use AI tools in workflow — leverage writing/visual AI for alt lines, ideation, prompts, and expansion (no-code friendly).
-
Collaborate in-person — work directly with other creatives to generate, test, and refine material in the studio.
You have
0–3+ years writing comedy, satire, or sketch (college humor mags, improv/sketch troupes, creator-led content, or professional credits).
A portfolio showing funny, shareable, character-driven content.
Comfort writing fast, hook-first scripts (e.g. five hooks in five minutes, and cut the weak ones).
Awareness of creator storytelling formats and what makes TikTok/IG/Shorts audiences stick.
Curiosity for data + performance metrics (hook %, avg watch time, saves/shares) to iterate scripts.
Bonus points
Wrote for satire/comedy outlets (Onion, Reductress, Hard Times, McSweeney’s, student humor papers).
Improv/sketch training (BATS, Endgames, LEELA, Killing My Lobster, campus troupes).
Experience with creator teams, especially shortform comedy or edutainment.
Basic edit chops (CapCut, Premiere) to test ideas quickly.
Familiarity with AI tools (ChatGPT/Claude, Midjourney/Runway, Veo/Sora, ElevenLabs) to enhance creative flow.