Investigative Reporters & Editors, Inc. is hiring: California Local News Fellows

California Local News Fellowship - School of Journalism

Job Summary

Position Overview

Position Title: California Local News Fellow
Salary Range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. Fellow salaries will start at either $60,000 or $65,000 depending on work and educational experience. All fellows will receive benefits from the University of California.

Anticipated Start: September 2025

Position Duration: The fellowship will start in early September 2025 and will run for two years, ending in August 2027.

Application Window

Open Date: January 22, 2025

Next Review Date: Wednesday, Feb 5, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final Date: Friday, Feb 21, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

The California Local News Fellowship program is a multi-year, state-funded initiative to support and strengthen local news reporting in California. The fellowship is open to digital, print, audio, photo, and multimedia journalists. We're looking for candidates with relevant experience as much as formal education.

Basic Qualifications (Required at Time of Application):

1. High school diploma or GED (or equivalent international degree)

Additional Qualifications (Required at Time of Start):

1. High school diploma or GED (or equivalent international degree) plus at least 3 years newsroom experience, OR
2. 2-year associate's degree (or equivalent international degree) plus at least 1 year newsroom experience, OR
3. BA or MA (or equivalent international degree) in journalism with experience in student publications, summer internships or equivalent, OR
4. BA or MA (or equivalent international degree) in a subject other than journalism plus at least 1 year newsroom experience

Fellows should have five or fewer years of professional journalism experience before joining the program.

Preferred Qualifications:

Ideal candidates will have experience working in local news, either professionally or through a journalism education program, and will submit clips that illustrate a variety of reporting genres and skills. In certain cases, when matching fellows with newsrooms, the ability to report in a language other than English and/or proficiency in specialized journalistic skills (audio, video, data, etc.) will be preferred. California residents will be given preference and international candidates with authorization to work in the US are eligible to participate.

Application Requirements

Document Requirements:

1. Resume / CV - Please upload a PDF of your educational and work history, including your journalism experience.
2. Tell us about your journalism experience and fellowship preferences - To complete your submission, you must also fill out the fellowship application at this link. Once you've done so, upload a short word document here to confirm that you have completed the application.

Reference Requirements:

Please include your references in the supplemental application form.

Apply Link: Apply Here

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included.

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.