The Ben Bagdikian Fellowship Program

The Ben Bagdikian Fellowship Program offers a crash course in investigative journalism. Fellows at Mother Jones dive deep into every aspect of a national multimedia outfit—covering breaking news, assisting and conducting investigations, ensuring accuracy and impact, and seeing from the inside how awards are won. Fellows build on their reporting and research experience, working with reporters, editors, and our digital, social, and art teams to master all the dimensions of a prize-winning digital and print publication. We are also excited that, since Mother Jones has joined forces with The Center for Investigative Reporting, fellows can have the opportunity to learn about audio reporting with the talented folks who make the award-winning radio show, Reveal.

Mother Jones fellowships are full-time positions. The next fellowship cycle will begin in June 2024, and run for one year. Applications are now open, and will close on March 24 at 11:59PM PT. Apply for the 2024-2025 fellowship here.

Those who are still in school or are only available part-time are not eligible, nor can fellowships be used for course credit. Because the first two weeks of the fellowship consist of intensive group trainings, all applicants, without exception, must be prepared to start on June 3, 2024. Regrettably, Mother Jones is not able to furnish work visas for applicants from outside the United States.

Fellows receive $23.52/hour, plus benefits including health, dental, and vision, as well as 12 sick days, and accrual of 15 vacation days. Fellows are also a part of the union. The fellowship is supported by grants from the Irving Harris Foundation, Lannan Foundation, and Helen and Will Webster Foundation, and by the generosity of our contributors.

Mother Jones believes that a diverse newsroom strengthens the quality of our workplace and reporting. We strongly encourage applications from members of communities that have been historically underrepresented in the media, including people of color, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities.
Position Description

Editorial Fellowship: The editorial fellowship is a demanding, research-intensive foray into investigative journalism. While fellows spend a large portion of their time fact-checking, the fellowship also offers extensive experience in writing and reporting stories, from breaking news to long enterprise pieces. Fellows work closely with reporters and editors on fact-checking, research, and reporting. You’ll receive training in every aspect of the editorial process, from research tools and methods to media law, and have opportunities to learn magazine pitching, explore news writing, and hone your reporting, writing, and investigative skills. You’ll attend regular skill-building sessions covering topics that span the operations of a media organization.

Editorial fellows work closely on our award-winning bimonthly print magazine. By fact-checking our investigations, columns, and other reported pieces, fellows reverse-engineer a reporter’s work and learn what it takes to report, organize, and write a sophisticated magazine story. Fellows are also expected and encouraged to report on subjects including national and regional politics, climate change, the justice system, reproductive rights, and culture. This year in particular, we’re looking for candidates who are excited to pitch in on our election coverage.

Fellows may also become involved in various digital projects—working on our newsletters, helping with web production, working on the podcast Reveal, and aiding our Climate Desk partnership—depending on interest and need.

We’re looking for candidates with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Some of our current fellows have had previous journalism jobs, while others are working in a newsroom for the first time. Candidates should be curious, driven, hardworking, and excited about our mission to inspire change through hard-hitting reporting. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply.

Mother Jones has offices in San Francisco, Washington, DC, and New York City. Many editorial staff are currently working remotely. The 2024-2025 fellowship cycle will be remote, but fellows living near one of our bureaus would be welcome to come into the office if they choose. We encourage interested candidates who live outside these cities to also apply. Fellows are required to be able to work in the US.

This is a union position. The terms of this job are covered under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement with Local 2103, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, AFL-CIO.
How to Apply

To apply to our editorial fellowship, complete this form.
More About the Fellowship

Where Are They Now?
About Ben Bagdikian