Journo Jobs

Bolts seeks a staff writer

Bolts is a digital publication, launched in February 2022, that covers the nuts and bolts of power and political change.

We focus our work on two areas where local governments play an outsized role: criminal justice and voting rights. We tell stories about local elections and obscure institutions, and the movements brewing around them, that highlight real world stakes and conflicts. We report on the places, people, and politics that shape public policy around policing and incarceration, and access to democracy but are dangerously overlooked. We also publish resources and guides that make it easier to follow local politics nationwide. (All articles we’ve published are available here.)

We are now hiring a new staff writer to join our team of editors and other writers.

The staff writer will report and write clear, incisive, and engaging stories that enrich and grow Bolts’ coverage.

Responsibilities:

  • The staff writer will be expected to produce a mix of news articles that add context and analysis to current events, features that explore the stakes of local conflicts or elections, and investigations that shed light on the consequences of public officials’ discretion and abuses of power. (For a sense of the mix and pace to expect, potential applicants can see the portfolio of a current staff writer here.)
  • The staff writer will be expected to pitch story ideas, as well as work on stories assigned by editors.
  • The staff writer will produce stories on both of Bolts’ core topics (criminal justice and voting rights) across different parts of the country. The staff writer may also conduct occasional reporting trips.
  • The staff writer should expect to collaborate with colleagues inside and outside the Bolts newsroom; this may include collaborating with writers at other publications on joint projects.

Qualifications:

  • A history of in-depth reporting and clear, incisive, and engaging writing. Experience with reporting on news and writing features, and generating story ideas.
  • Experience reporting on criminal justice or voting rights, and interest in exploring and producing stories on both of these broad topics, as well as on policies at their intersection, and how they affect people’s lives
  • Experience in, and enthusiasm for, political journalism. Interest in reporting on elections and their consequences, and in producing stories that touch on policy and local decision makers.
  • An ideal candidate should be organized, responsive, and comfortable in a collaborative work environment.
  • Preferred qualifications include comfort in experimenting with different formats for coverage (e.g. Q&As, reporting, investigations, newsletters, election trackers, infographics). Preferred qualifications include experience filing public records requests and working with databases.
  • Comfort with covering local institutions that are far from a national spotlight, and enthusiasm for introducing them to a national audience.

This position is full-time and remote. The salary range is $79,000-$84,000.

Please contact jobs@boltsmag.org with questions about the position or publication.

To apply, please send your resume, cover letter, clips of or links to three stories you have written, and a list of references to jobs@boltsmag.org.

Please submit applications by Friday, December 8, 2023. We’ll begin reviewing applications at that time; the job application will then remain open until the position has been filled.

For further details click here.

Mariam Ahmed

Recent Posts

Variety promotes Shafer to deputy editor of international

Variety has promoted Ellise Shafer to deputy editor of international. William Earl of Variety writes, "Shafer, who has…

3 hours ago

Houston Biz Journal hires Miranda to cover growth

The Houston Business Journal has hired Janet Miranda to cover growth. She is covering a wide range…

3 hours ago

Politico taps Nickel to cover cybersecurity

Politico journalist Dana Nickel is now covering cybersecurity and anchoring the "Morning Cyber" newsletter. She has been…

4 hours ago

Politico hires Schwartz to cover international security, defense and trade

Politico has hired Felicia Schwartz to cover international security, defense and trade. She will start next month.…

4 hours ago

Wiggers named AI editor at TechCrunch

Kyle Wiggers has been named artificial intelligence editor at TechCrunch. He has been a senior enterprise…

4 hours ago

Bankadelic podcast: A two-part special on banking and AI

Join Lou Carlozo on Bankadelic as he tackles the ultra-timely subject of banking and artificial intelligence…

4 hours ago