We are no longer accepting applications for this position.
The Marshall Project seeks to produce ambitious accountability journalism. We are looking for an experienced reporter for our Cleveland news team with the ability to build sources within the justice system, including police, attorneys, judges, public officials and community groups. The successful candidate will have previous experience with investigative and impact journalism, data and public-records requests. While your main focus will be investigative, you should be able to build thoughtful shorter-term enterprise pieces off breaking news when appropriate.
Who We Are
The Marshall Project is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to covering America’s criminal justice system. We are seeking to expand our award-winning accountability criminal justice journalism to communities across the country where local news resources to cover this urgent issue are being slashed or eliminated. Criminal justice is overwhelmingly a local matter. Police departments, courts, judges, district attorneys and other arms of the justice system are run by people elected locally, and laws regulating them are passed by state and local governments. To examine whether these institutions are serving the public fairly, communities need journalists equipped with the reporting, editing, data, visual and community outreach resources to investigate abuses and communicate with a wide range of people whose fates depend on how the justice system is run.
Cleveland will house our first nonprofit journalism team, staffed by local reporters who know their community better than anyone. Our national team will provide editorial and operational support. We will work in partnership, not competition, with local journalists and existing news outlets.
We aim to produce journalism that is written for, and accountable to, the communities in which the teams are based. We will write for people with power to implement changes when abuses are exposed, and for those who have felt powerless. We intend to expand our sources and readers to make sure we are talking to people who often feel excluded or caricatured by the news media — while maintaining our commitment to fact-based reporting. Investigative, data and engagement journalism will be central to our model.
We will also explore alternative ways of telling stories so we make sure our journalism reaches those who might face literacy challenges or who haven’t traditionally received their information from written news outlets.
We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity. We welcome qualified applicants of all races, ethnicities, physical abilities, genders and sexual orientations, including people who have been incarcerated or otherwise the criminal justice system.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
We are looking for an experienced reporter with the ability to build sources within the justice system, including police, attorneys, judges, public officials and community groups.
We want someone with previous experience with investigative and impact journalism, data and public records requests. While your main focus will be investigative, you should be able to build thoughtful shorter-term enterprise pieces off breaking news when appropriate.
Who You’d Be Working With
You will report to the editor-in-chief for Marshall Project Cleveland, and will also be working closely with the managing editor, local, at The Marshall Project.
Job Requirements
To succeed in this job, you must be able to write clearly, translate jargon and use narrative and other techniques to make readers care. We also want someone with previous experience or exposure to multiplatform work, including newsletters, video, audio and other story forms. We seek to hold the powerful accountable, but also to explain and expose systemic problems. We value impact, as well as surprise, colorful writing and counter-intuitive analysis.
Collaboration is part of our DNA; all our reporters must work well with colleagues as well as with journalists at our partner publications.
We do not expect every candidate to be equally skilled in all these areas, and this is not a complete list of all relevant qualifications applicants might bring to the job. Reaching talent across a range of backgrounds and experiences is deeply important to us.
Compensation and benefits
This job is full-time, with a competitive salary and benefits including:
Annual salary minimum: $85,000
100% employer-paid medical, employer-paid vision and dental insurance; matching traditional and Roth 401k (immediate vesting), Health and Dependent Care FSA; commuter benefits; pet insurance; short and long term disability insurance; employee and dependent life insurance; AFLAC accident, hospital indemnity, and critical illness coverage; home and auto insurance; legal benefits; personal excess liability insurance; discount marketplace; 17 days of paid time off each year (in addition to office closure between Dec 24 and January 2); and fully paid parental and family leave.
You must be based in the Cleveland area or within commuting distance.
How to Apply
To apply, use this form to send a cover letter, resume and five examples showing your best work.
Due to the expected volume of applications, we will follow up with the most promising candidates but cannot respond individually to all applicants. Please know it usually takes us more than a month to review applications.
The deadline to apply is April 1st.