We are no longer accepting applications for this position. For other opportunities, please visit the Pacific Standard careers page.
We are looking for an ambitious investigative reporter to join our team and work on both investigative narratives and enterprise projects. He/she/they will be assigned to the investigations desk, report directly to the deputy editor, and collaborate closely with the senior editor for investigations on public records- and/or data-driven projects. This person will have experience in conceiving of, reporting, and publishing government or corporate accountability journalism of high impact.
You should be comfortable getting both powerful and vulnerable sources to talk; be talented at crafting responsive public records requests; be passionate about uncovering negligence, malfeasance, improper influence, and corruption; have some facility with data analysis; and be open to collaborating with a larger team on packaging and presenting the best possible form of your story. You should love relentless reporting as much as you love graceful narrative. You should be ready to publish enterprise reporting on the way to bigger and more complicated findings. You should be enthusiastic both as an independent operator and a team player. You should understand the importance of fact checking and legal review. You should be prepared to travel to pursue your stories. You should be ready to “afflict the comfortable.”
Primary Responsibilities
- With the deputy editor and the senior editor on the investigations desk, conceive of, report, and pursue four investigative projects each year. Be excited to report alongside the senior editor and to collaborate on data analysis when necessary.
- On the way to building larger investigative narratives or projects, pinpoint opportunities for smaller enterprise or scoops. Be ready to pass reporting leads to the national desk when you’re otherwise buried in long-term projects.
- Be open and willing to share your investigative know-how with more junior reporting colleagues.
- Think creatively with the audience team about the best ways to present, publish, and distribute each investigation you undertake.
Requirements
- Proven effectiveness at both conception of and execution of investigative stories with impact.
- Excellent interviewing skills.
- Working knowledge of FOIA, state public records requests, and other means of obtaining public documents.
- Graceful writer on both a sentence and story level.
- Some facility with data analysis.
- Can collaborate effectively (with a co-reporter, a senior editor, an audience team, etc.)
- Passion for exposing wrongdoing and telling stories in the public interest.
This is a full-time remote position that can be based anywhere in the continental United States. We offer a competitive salary, commensurate with experience, and a generous benefits package. To apply, send a resume and a cover letter with three links to investigative stories to Deputy Editor Ryan Jacobs (rjacobs@psmag.com). All application materials should be submitted electronically. We regret that we cannot respond to all applicants. Absolutely no phone calls, please.
