The Center for Public Integrity is looking for a driven, experienced journalist to report on the barriers that block low- to middle-income families from moving up the economic ladder.
The successful candidate will have a burning desire to uncover and construct gripping, in-depth, data-based narratives about how geography, special interests, federal rules, laws and government policies conspire to hinder economic mobility.
The candidate should also have a knack for sniffing out unreported tales that illuminate the plight of poor and middle-income families, and the relentless drive to bring those tales home. Experience covering finance and government regulation of the economy is preferred. Some data skills are essential, as well as the ability to write about large databases and find correlations that lead to “a-ha” conclusions.
Your work will lead to major stories co-published with multiple broadcast, website, magazine and newspaper partners that reach a national audience. The Center’s recent partners include The Washington Post, USA TODAY, The Atlantic, NBC News, Foreign Policy, Slate, Salon, The Daily Beast and POLITICO Magazine.
The Center for Public Integrity is committed to hiring employees from diverse backgrounds with excellent investigative journalism skills. People of color, women, LGBTQ and differently-abled people are encouraged to apply.
Responsibilities and Expectations
- Use documents, computer-assisted reporting and other journalistic tools to develop, report, and write exclusive stories and investigative projects that illuminate the various institutional barriers blocking economic mobility for low- and middle-income families.
- Collaborate with the Project Manager in the creation of story and project ideas, and outreach strategies, including identifying, building, and supporting reporting and distribution partnerships with major news outlets.
- Work with the Project Manager and the communications, development and web teams to maximize the impact and reach of all stories and projects, including building an audience for your articles using social media tools and creating appealing multi-media and social media content related to your stories and projects.
- Compile documentation to facilitate fact checking of all articles.
- Adhere to Code of Ethics and Editorial Standards and Practices of the Personnel Policy Manual and Employee Handbook.
- Salary is negotiable.
Qualifications
- College degree or equivalent education.
- 5 years of experience as a journalist covering topics such as finance, poverty, government regulations, public policy and related issues facing low- to middle-income individuals and families, with experience in long-form, deep-dive reporting/writing.
- Experience in data-driven reporting.
- Spreadsheet and database skills a plus but not required.
- An ability to uncover stories that connect federal and state policies to barriers holding back the poor; to craft attention-getting, vibrant narratives that use human subjects to expose and explain in poignant detail these barriers; and to meet deadlines.
- A track record of graceful writing that demonstrates meticulous attention to detail and rigorous adherence to accuracy and fairness.
- Exceptional organization skills and a proven ability to work collegially with others.
Conditions
- Ability to juggle multiple projects and deadlines and fulfill the responsibilities and expectations listed above.
- Ability and willingness to collaborate with other Center reporters, editors, and all our media partners.
- Some travel and off-hours work.
TO APPLY: All applications should include a cover letter, resume, and no more than five (5) news clips, sent to nowayup@publicintegrity.org.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: September 1, 2017
