The Trace, America’s only nonprofit newsroom devoted exclusively to covering the gun violence epidemic, is seeking applicants for its editing fellowship. The one-year program is geared toward early- to mid-career journalists who are looking to establish themselves as editors, but have not had the opportunity to pursue editing full time.
The ideal candidate will have two to seven years of newsroom experience, and is someone who is hungry to hone their news judgment and learn how to frame and organize a story. This person is passionate about publishing articles that are easy to read and factually bulletproof, and is brimming with ideas.
The fellowship is designed to give the participant real-world editing practice, initially editing stories alongside Trace editors. That means a Trace editor and the fellow will each edit a separate copy of a story at the same time. After the story is published, the fellow will compare their edits with the editors’ and have the opportunity to learn more about any discrepancies.
A typical week for the fellow might look like this: On Monday, edit the newsletter; on Tuesday, write/edit social copy for a story; on Wednesday, edit a local story; on Thursday, edit a feature and offer feedback on framing/reporting holes. On Friday, write up an assignment pitch and submit it for review by other editors on staff. On a weekly basis the fellow will meet with a Trace senior editor who will go through the week’s edits and provide feedback. Ideally, by the end of the fellowship the fellow will be editing stories and posts to publish on the site.
The fellow will report to the managing editor and meet with them once or twice a week throughout the yearlong fellowship. Toward the completion of the fellowship, editorial leaders will coach the fellow as they pursue employment, providing help with résumé and cover letter writing. By the end of the fellowship the participant will have gained the skills and experience to take on an assistant or associate editor role.
We strongly encourage people of color, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people, or anyone else who comes from a background underrepresented in media, to apply.
While The Trace exclusively covers gun violence, candidates need not have prior experience reporting specifically on our beat; we are more focused on finding candidates who demonstrate an aptitude for producing thoughtful journalism and an eagerness to learn on the job.
The ideal candidate will have:
- Two to seven years of experience working in a professional newsroom
- An interest and enthusiasm for learning how to be an editor and how to edit and assign stories in the public interest
- An aptitude and preference for collaborating with other teams or departments
- A strong desire to learn about reporting and editing best practices, story structure, and framing
- Familiarity with story packaging, including headlines, imagery and captions, and social media language
We will consider applicants whose situation requires working remotely full time, but it is preferred for applicants to be based in or willing to move to New York City, where there is an opportunity to work in person at The Trace’s Brooklyn office at least twice a week. (The Trace may help cover relocation expenses if needed.)
This full-time position includes no-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) with employer matching; four weeks of vacation time, plus two personal days, 10 sick days, and a holiday week in December. Funding for professional development and the organization’s retreat will also be included.
We know that all of the attributes and interests listed here won’t apply to all candidates. If you think you’d be a good fit and have skills and qualifications not mentioned in this listing, we encourage you to submit an application and tell us why you’d thrive in the role.
The salary range for this position is $60,000 to $90,000, depending on experience and location.
TO APPLY: Fill out the application form here. In lieu of a cover letter, we ask that you answer a few questions about your experience and goals.
DEADLINE: We will accept applications through January 9, 2025. We may begin reviewing applications sooner, however, and will reach out to you directly if you’re a good fit.
QUESTIONS? Email us at [email protected] with questions about the role or how to apply. Please do not reach out to check on the status of your application before we have contacted you; we will do our best to respond to candidates in a timely manner.
