Investigative Reporter

Updated November 9, 2023: this recruitment will continue under the direction of new investigative editor, Andrew Donohue. This posting combines our existing “investigative reporter” and “senior investigative reporter” openings. If you have applied to either, we still have your application and there is no need to reapply. However, you’re welcome to resubmit your application with updated materials if you choose.

We’re looking for ambitious and creative reporters to pull off blockbuster investigations about the people, the powers and the policies that shape California.

At CalMatters, you’ll have an opportunity to do the best work of your career. You’ll join a growing investigative team dedicated to exposing the most important stories in the Golden State. And you’ll be part of the only journalism outlet dedicated to covering America’s biggest state, 39 million Californians and the world’s fifth largest economy.

Our mission is to improve California’s democracy by making its government more transparent and accountable and giving Californians the information they need to understand and engage with that government.

The ideal candidate will bring:

An investigative mindset. Just as important as experience is your approach: If you’re curious, suspicious and relentless, you’ll be at home on this team.
An ability to find out secrets. There are many different ways to do that: sourcing, documents, data, OSINT or more. How do you get your secrets?
An appetite for overcoming obstacles. Governments, corporations and the powerful can make it difficult to do our jobs. We’re looking for people who persevere in the face of those challenges.
A love for telling stories. We work across platforms to make sure our stories reach those people most affected, influential leaders and all of California.
Cultural competence. You’ll be working with diverse communities and colleagues. We want you to bring your life experience and understand and respect those of the people you’re working with.
A desire to collaborate. You’ll work with teams across the organization to make your story – and your colleagues’ work – shine.
A drive to continue to grow. We provide the support to nurture people who are always pushing to get better.

Responsibilities include:

Producing impactful investigative reporting projects on the biggest issues facing California.
Writing investigative stories for the CalMatters website and partners, as well as collaborating on audio, video and other versions of your investigation.
Using court records, public documents, public record requests, confidential documents and data, as well as work with the state budget, legislative records and other state documents.
Developing deep sources from the state Capitol to communities up, down and across California.
Being a good teammate who’s invested in their colleagues’ success and collaborates openly with other parts of the newsroom: beat reporters and the newsletter writers, photo, data, engagement, product and production teams.
Public speaking at events and on audio and video programs.

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $70,000 to $110,000 per year depending on experience; higher compensation may be available for someone with advanced skills and/or experience.

CalMatters offers a complete benefits package with medical, dental and vision insurance (we cover 90% of the cost for employees and 70% for dependents) from a range of HMO and PPO providers. We’ll match contributions of up to 4% of your salary to our 401(k) program, provide life insurance at no cost, and give you an allowance for personal use of your cell phone and a budget for professional development opportunities like classes and conferences.