Company Description
Mother Jones is a reader-supported nonprofit news organization and the winner of the American Society of Magazine Editors’ 2017 Magazine of the Year Award. Our staff does independent and investigative reporting on everything from politics and climate change to education and food (plus cat blogging). Some 11 million people come to this site each month, and we also publish a bimonthly, 200,000-circulation magazine. Last year was our 40th anniversary, and to celebrate we published an award-winning 35,000-word undercover exposé on private prisons, redesigned the site and magazine, and launched an acclaimed food podcast called Bite. You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter. We are headquartered in San Francisco and have bureaus in Washington, DC, and New York City. We don’t answer to stockholders, a corporate parent company, or a deep-pocketed donor. Instead we’re accountable to, and funded by, you—our readers.
Job Description + Qualifications
The Ben Bagdikian Fellowship Program offers a crash course in investigative journalism. Mother Jones fellows dive deep into every aspect of a national multimedia outfit—from making news to making it pretty, ensuring its impact, and mastering the inner workings of nonprofit publishing. Fellowship positions include:
Editorial fellow
Online editorial fellow
Social media fellow
Digital media fellow
Strategic communications fellow
Mother Jones fellowships are full-time positions lasting six months, with the opportunity to extend the position for an additional six months after that. Those who are still in school or are only available part-time are not eligible, nor can fellowships be used for course credit. Mother Jones is unable to furnish work visas for those applying from outside of the United States. With additional questions regarding eligibility, please email us at fellowships@motherjones.com.
Funding
Fellows receive a $2,275 monthly stipend, supported by grants from the Irving Harris and Lannan Foundations and by the generosity of our contributors.
Deadlines
Oct. 1 for Dec. 1 start
April 1 for a June 1 start
Position Descriptions
Editorial Fellowship (San Francisco and DC): The editorial fellowship is a research-intensive foray into investigative journalism. Fellows work closely with reporters and editors on everything from fact-checking and researching to reporting. You’ll receive training in every aspect of the editorial process, from research tools and tactics to libel law and reporting strategies. You’ll attend regular skill-building sessions covering topics that span the operations of a media organization.
Editorial fellows in our San Francisco office, our headquarters, work closely on our award-winning bimonthly print magazine. By fact-checking our investigations, author Q&As, and front-of-the-book reported pieces, fellows re-engineer a reporter’s work and learn what it takes to report and put together a magazine story. Fellows in San Francisco also work on our website and are expected and encouraged to write for the web on subjects including politics, climate change, criminal justice, reproductive rights, and culture.
Editorial fellows in our DC office get a research- and reporting-intensive foray into the life of investigative beat reporters and editors covering Washington. An immersive and fast-paced mix of fact-checking, web production, research, and blogging, the fellowship means working closely with our team of more than a dozen reporters and editors in the Beltway to learn the ropes of reporting breaking news, delivering investigative content, and promoting stories through social media and other outlets.
Online Editorial Fellowship (San Francisco): Are you obsessed with digital media and eager to strengthen the accuracy and quality of what gets passed around the internet? Online editorial fellows work alongside our editorial fellows to fact-check, produce, and improve content, but they also work under the direction of our web production team to build and test new digital-based projects that keep our website looking fresh. Online editorial fellows are expected and encouraged to write for the web on subjects including politics, climate change, criminal justice, reproductive rights, and culture. Applicants should have experience with the back end of at least one CMS, a working knowledge of HTML and experience with Photoshop, and social media mastery of at least two platforms.
Digital Media Fellowship (New York City): The digital media fellow helps keep Mother Jones current on social platforms and enhances our multimedia coverage of breaking news—especially with snappy, smart video. This fellow works closely with the digital and multimedia news team to learn about every aspect of modern online publishing, collaborating with seasoned editors and reporters. You’ll also attend regular skill-building sessions covering topics that span the operations of a media organization. Applications should have experience with video editing; familiarity with Adobe Creative Cloud suite (especially Premiere); evidence of hands-on production, including for video and shooting in the field; comfort with content management systems; a zeal for online news and media; and a working knowledge of HTML and experience with Photoshop.
Social Media Fellowship (San Francisco): Our all-star social media fellows create web content, keep us current on social platforms, and enhance our coverage of breaking news. This fellow will work closely with Mother Jones’ digital news team across our three offices. You’ll learn about every aspect of modern online publishing, collaborating alongside seasoned editors and reporters. Aside from helping promote Mother Jones stories, you’ll help fact-check our website. You’ll also attend regular skill-building sessions covering topics that span the operations of a media organization. Applicants should have experience with the back end of at least one CMS, a working knowledge of HTML and Photoshop, endless enthusiasm for digital storytelling languages, and facility and deep familiarity with social media.
Strategic Communications Fellowship (San Francisco): This fellow will work with Mother Jones’ communications strategist—in collaboration with staff across the organization—to build buzz for Mother Jones investigations and breaking news, increase our impact, and engage with our audience. The communications fellow will assist in pitching television and radio appearances, building communication with key organizations and influencers, and identifying events and speaking opportunities for MoJo staff. He or she will help plan and promote Mother Jones events and test out new ways to engage with its readers, while also tracking Mother Jones’ impact and helping submit its journalism for prestigious awards.
This is a unique opportunity to learn and practice strategic communications, project management, and audience engagement skills while helping a major investigative reporting organization tell important stories and increase its impact.
How to Apply
Mother Jones accepts new fellow cohorts twice a year, on June 1 and December 1, unless otherwise noted. Applications are due two months in advance of the start date, on April 1 and October 1. To apply to our editorial, online editorial, and social media fellowship positions, please submit the following to fellowships@motherjones.com:
In a single PDF, please send a cover letter, résumé (including the names and numbers of two references), and two writing samples.
In your cover letter, please clearly state: which position, and in which office, you are applying for, as well as which start date you are interested in.
In the body of your email, please clearly state: which position, and in which office, you are applying for, as well as which start date you are interested in.
To apply for the Digital Media Fellowship, please submit the following to fellowships@motherjones.com:
A cover letter and résumé, including the names and numbers of two references.
Two videos you have worked on, describing what role you played in their production (i.e. editor, shooter, producer, etc.).
Two writing samples (links to online versions preferred).
In the body of your email, please clearly state: which position, and in which office, you are applying for, as well as which start date you are interested in.