Job title: Investigative Reporter
Location: Chicago
Deadline to apply: July 11, 2025
Join our small but mighty team, known for punching above its weight with data-driven investigative journalism about Chicago that informs crucial conversations about race and equity.
At the Investigative Project on Race and Equity, we’re all about facts, not opinions. Our work exposes systemic racism by uncovering discriminatory practices and shining a light on abuses of power that drive racial and economic disparities. Through data and deep-dive investigations, we tell stories that inform people about social issues—and we build and analyze databases to bring systemic injustice into focus.
We’re seeking a Chicago-based reporter to pursue signature, award-winning in-depth investigative reporting on racial equity to be published in partnership with a national news organization. The Investigative Project on Race and Equity is also a training institute, which would allow reporters the opportunity to develop data skills, learn from a community of seasoned journalists and work on a collaborative team of mission-driven journalists.
The ideal candidate is a dogged reporter with great story ideas, the ability to produce revelatory and unique stories, and the ability to chase down public records, data and sources to reveal disparities within Chicago. They must have at least three years of full-time professional experience and a proven ability to land enterprise stories. Candidates must produce a 1,000-word investigative pitch for a year-long project that is revelatory, impactful and has a strong racial equity angle.
Responsibilities include:
Write investigative stories in collaboration with media partners
Conduct research to uncover revelatory findings
Obtain data and other public records
Gather, corroborate and interpret data and documents
Develop sources and interview a range of people
Maintain notes with meticulous documentation of reporting tasks and time spent on project
Fact-checking
Qualifications:
Commitment to investigative and data journalism
Between three and five years of professional reporting experience, including work on investigative, public-interest journalism.
Strong writing skills
Excellent communication and interviewing skills
Knowledge of and comfort with math and dedication to learning new data skills.
Ability to meet deadlines and fact-check information
Ability to work cooperatively with a diverse group of peers and sources
The most successful candidates will possess the following:
Ability to develop project ideas and juggle quick, mid-range and long-term investigations
Highly organized and detail-oriented
A strong commitment to the mission
Personal and professional integrity
To apply, please send a resume, five clips (text file, not links) and your 1,000-word investigative project pitch in a single .pdf that is under 5MB in size to info@raceandequityproject.org.