Reporter, Climate

Job Description

Climate change has reached an inflection point. The physical changes, the sociopolitical implications and the consequences of governments’ failures to respond are now clear enough to benefit from sustained accountability reporting. The effects of rapid and world-altering change are no longer in the future but are measurable right now, from the staggering increase in extreme weather events that can cause mass fatalities to the rising sea levels that are submerging coastlines. Warming is changing the costs of insurance, housing and utilities, and it’s stressing infrastructure, undermining human health and disproportionately endangering already-vulnerable communities. It is affecting agriculture and food supplies, immigration and national security, global trade and employment. 

ProPublica is seeking an accountability reporter to cover climate change as an investigative beat, examining how decisions by individuals, corporations and governments are shaping life-and-death outcomes for people across the U.S. and the world. The ideal candidate will be versed in climate science, and will be a systems thinker with experience writing about complex subject matter, familiarity with business and economics, and a knack for gripping storytelling. The reporter will work independently and with colleagues across ProPublica to craft investigations that surprise, probe deeply, test underlying assumptions, and trace the real-world effects of climate change back to their causes and to those who are responsible for them. 

We’re looking for a reporter who:

• Has at least five years of experience and a track record of aggressive reporting and landing revelatory accountability stories. 
• Is a fountain of original ideas for how to cover climate change at ProPublica.
• Has expertise in climate science and issues, or a proven record in other relevant subject areas that will contribute to building new climate beat expertise in a novel way. 
• Thinks broadly and sees the systemic implications of change or policy across sectors and populations.
• Is experienced with financial and business reporting, including corporate accountability, and is adept at translating technical and complex subject matter into straightforward and accessible prose.
• Is a skilled investigative storyteller, capable of delivering findings in ways that connect with readers, and aches to report stories that are both important and powerfully told through all the ways to do journalism: including deep data digging, working with readers, and marrying narrative and investigative forms.
• Has the ability to travel for reporting assignments or team meetings as necessary.
• Really likes working with others. We are a highly collaborative newsroom, both across our teams and with other news organizations regionally and nationally. We believe we do our best work together.

This job is full time and includes benefits. ProPublica is based in New York, but we’re open to remote candidates. We have offices in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Chicago; Austin, Texas; Phoenix; and Berkeley, California. Applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S.

The expected salary range for this position is $95,000 to $170,000.

This is a good-faith estimate of what we expect to pay for this position. The final salary figure will take into account a person’s experience, accomplishment and location. ProPublica is committed to paying its staff equitably, and these ranges should not be considered career salary limits or caps.

We will begin reviewing applications as we receive them, but we will continue to consider candidates as long as the posting remains live on our site.

Questions? Send an email to talent@propublica.org. 

No phone calls, please.

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