Senior Reporter, National Security Jobs

Job Description

The Center for Public Integrity is looking for an experienced investigative journalist who can help us deeply probe recent actions and decision-making at a federal agency responsible for helping to protect the nation’s security. The job requires significant reporting skills: an ability to cultivate key sources and to collect and assimilate complex data and information; familiarity with the process of national security policymaking and with its relevant participants: and a demonstrated ability to present new information in colorful, narrative accounts about specific government work, all in a compelling, fair, and eye-catching manner.

One of the Center’s principal ambitions is to hold public officials accountable for mismanagement, waste, fraud, and abuse, and so a successful candidate for this position must be able to parse conflicting data and testimony to find nuggets of relevant and irrefutable fact. We never skim the surface in our reporting, but always dig deeply, and so a boundless curiosity, plus the desire to make oneself an authoritative expert on the agency that interests us, are both essential. Reasonable skepticism, plus extraordinary persistence, charm, and a passion for helping the public sector perform its work with more success and higher ethical standards, are also essential attributes. But this is not a job for policy analysts or for journalists who have not broken news. It is a job for an investigative journalist with a proven track record of writing assertive, lively, narrative accounts of official actions and decisions that mattered but were not well-known or understood.

Your work for our collegial, national security team will lead to major stories co-published with multiple broadcast, website, magazine and newspaper partners of the Center that reach a national audience. It will require some travel, occasionally partnered with a videographer, and could start as soon as Jan. 1, 2015. The salary is competitive.

When completing the online application, please upload your cover letter, resume and no more than five (5) relevant news clips. All applications should be received by December 1, 2014.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS

    Use sources, documents, computer-assisted reporting, and other journalistic tools to develop, report, and write exclusive accountability stories and investigative projects related to national security and federal defense programs, including the flow of money surrounding policymaking.
    Work with the Managing Editor in the development of story and project ideas.
    Help the Managing Editor guide, mentor, and collaborate with freelance reporters.
    Help the Managing Editor disseminate work using social media, blog entries and other tools.
    Coordinate with the Center’s multimedia team to create multi-media and social media content related to national security stories and projects.
    Coordinate with the Center’s computer-assisted reporting experts to integrate data into these stories and projects.
    Help the Managing Editor develop and implement an outreach strategy at the outset of projects and major stories – including identifying and building reporting and distribution partnerships with major news outlets for all our national security work.
    Compile documentation to facilitate fact checking of all articles you write.
    Work with Managing Editor, communications, development and web team to maximize impact and reach of all stories and projects.
    Adhere to Code of Ethics and Editorial Standards and Practices of the Personnel Policy Manual and Employee Handbook.
    Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

    Education: University degree.
    5+ years of experience as a journalist covering defense and national security, undertaking for a significant portion of this period deep-dive reporting and research.
    A track record of appealing writing that demonstrates meticulous attention to detail and rigorous adherence to the highest standards of accuracy
    Exceptional organization skills and a proven ability to work collegially with others.
    An ability to find good stories: to craft attention-getting, long, vibrant, and well-organized narratives: and to meet deadlines.

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 of our media partners
    Some travel.

How to Apply

online recruitment page