Join our team

Join our small but mighty team, known for punching above our weight with data-driven investigative journalism that informs crucial conversations about race and equity.

At the Investigative Project on Race and Equity, we’re all about facts, not opinions. Our work exposes systemic racism by uncovering discriminatory practices and shining a light on abuses of power that drive racial and economic disparities. Through data and deep-dive investigations, we tell stories that inform people about social issues—and we build and analyze databases to bring systemic injustice into focus.

We have an opening for a seasoned investigative journalist to join our team as Investigations Editor. This position is ideal for someone who’s driven to uncover injustice, likes to be a player coach when needed and is excited to mentor the next generation of reporters. If you’re energized by working with rising talent, thrive in building community among journalists and will do whatever it takes to keep an investigation on track and hold yourself, and your peers, to the highest standards of journalism, this might be for you.

As our Investigations Editor, you’ll lead a talented team of reporters in ambitious investigative projects about social and economic issues facing Chicago and communities of color. Our organization is rooted in collaboration, providing training and building editorial partnerships to help newsrooms across the city amplify stories from underrepresented communities. This role is tailor-made for a collaborative leader who can build powerful partnerships, helping both our team and other newsrooms elevate investigative reporting across the city and beyond. You’ll work alongside various media organizations, educational and cultural institutions sharing resources, insights and strategies to maximize impact.

Job Overview:
We seek a dedicated, experienced and collaborative Investigations Editor to lead our editorial team in producing impactful, data-driven journalism. The Investigations Editor will play a crucial role in shaping content strategy, creating and managing editorial processes and ensuring the quality and integrity of the reporting. This role requires a strong journalistic background and a commitment to service leadership.

Key Responsibilities:
Editorial Leadership:

• Provide strategic direction and vision for the investigative team in alignment with the organization's mission and goals.

• Collaborate with reporters, writers and editors to identify and prioritize key investigative projects and stories. 

• Oversee the planning, execution and evaluation of all investigative content, ensuring deadlines and high journalistic standards are met.

• Foster a culture of excellence, creativity and innovation within the editorial team.

• Develop and execute content strategies that are revelatory, engaging and support the nonprofit mission.

Editorial Management:

• Manage a team of reporters, apprentices and other editorial contributors, providing guidance, feedback and mentorship.

• Coordinate editorial workflows, deadlines and assignments to produce efficient and timely investigative content.

Quality Control:

• Review and edit articles for accuracy, clarity and adherence to journalistic standards.

• Collaborate with media partners on story selection, reporting and editing and data interpretation.

• Oversee fact-checking, verify data and reporting sources and ensure legal compliance.

Community Engagement:

• Collaborate with the engagement team to ensure editorial content is packaged for online platforms and social media to expand the audience and enhance engagement.

• Foster connections and collaborations with local communities and key stakeholders.

• Participate in outreach efforts to build and maintain relationships with readers and supporters.

Collaboration:

• Collaborate with the executive director and the fundraising team to support grant applications and donor relations, as needed.

• Serve as the liaison to the Advisory Council’s Collaborations Committee.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience landing investigative and enterprise projects.

• Bachelor's degree and/or significant experience in journalism, including five years as an editor or investigative reporter.

• Strong editorial judgment and ethical principles.

• Excellent writing and editing skills.

• Experience with data-driven journalistic investigations and computer-assisted reporting.

• Familiarity with digital publishing tools and content management systems necessary to manage editorial content.

• Exceptional communication, teamwork and project management skills.

• Commitment to nonprofit journalism and the mission of the Investigative Project.

Compensation: Salary is $80,000. Benefits include three weeks paid vacation, health-care coverage and a flexible schedule. The editor will have the ability to work remotely but must live in the Chicago area. 

To apply: Send a cover letter, resume and 3-5 clips of investigative or enterprise work that you've written and/or edited to info@raceandequityproject.org. In your cover letter, describe an investigation or enterprise project that you worked on where something surprising or revelatory was uncovered, either through FOIA requests, interviews or data analysis. Describe how you knew you were onto something impactful, and what it took to bring the story to light.

At the Investigative Project on Race and Equity, we believe in using facts—not opinions—to drive impactful storytelling that sheds light on systemic injustices affecting communities of color. Through rigorous investigations and analysis, we uncover abuses of power, reveal inequities and increase public awareness and accountability.

We are seeking an Apprentice Journalist to join our team and gain hands-on experience in investigative reporting. This position is ideal for an early-career journalist eager to deepen their investigative skills while working with more experienced editors and reporters on projects that spotlight critical issues in race and equity.

As an apprentice, you’ll contribute to in-depth reporting projects by conducting research, gathering public records, developing sources and producing accurate and compelling narratives. This role requires a commitment of up to 10 hours per week for 12 months. Most of the work is remote, though occasional in-person meetings, interviews and events will be required. The position reports to the Managing Editor.

Position overview:

The Investigative Project on Race and Equity offers early-career journalists an apprenticeship training program that provides the foundational skills required to produce deeply reported investigative projects. 

The Apprenticeship Program has three elements: hands-on investigative reporting, training in investigative methods and techniques and mentorship from the Project’s vast network of veteran journalists in Chicago and across the country.  

Apprentices are paired with an experienced editor and reporter who will guide them through reporting assignments related to an investigative project. Duties include obtaining/analyzing data and other public records, interviews, writing, fact-checking and the other fundamentals of investigative reporting.   

Apprentices report to the Managing Editor.  

The Apprentice position requires a time commitment of up to 10 hours per week, for 12 months. Most of the work will be done remotely, but occasional in-person meetings, interviews and events are required.

Responsibilities include:

• Conduct research to uncover interesting and significant patterns and practices  

• Obtain data and other public records through the Freedom of Information Act

• Gather, corroborate and interpret data and documents

• Develop sources and interview a range of key people to obtain more information

• Maintain a reporting journal with meticulous documentation of reporting tasks

• Weekly reporting of work accomplished and time spent on project

• Fact-check

• The Apprentice will also participate in various training and mentorship opportunities

Suggested qualifications:

• Strong writing skills

• Excellent communication and interviewing skills

• Ability to meet deadlines and fact-check information under a reporter’s guidance

• Successfully published original news reports  or segments

• Familiarity with and commitment to reporting on equity issues, investigative and data journalism

• Ability to work cooperatively with a diverse group of peers

The most successful candidates will possess the following:

• Highly organized and detail-oriented

• A strong commitment to our mission

• Personal and professional integrity

• A willingness and commitment to learning

Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume, a cover letter detailing their qualifications and experience and three clips to info@raceandequityproject.org by Jan. 5, 2025.

At the Investigative Project on Race and Equity, we believe in using facts—not opinions—to drive impactful storytelling. Through deep investigations and analysis, we expose systemic injustices and highlight issues shaping communities of color. Our work focuses on bringing abuses of power and inequities to light, fostering public awareness and accountability.

We are seeking an Audience Engagement Specialist to help expand our digital footprint, amplifying the reach and impact of our data-driven investigations and training programs. This position is ideal for an early-career journalist eager to gain newsroom experience while working with editors and reporters to elevate crucial conversations around race and equity.

As our Audience Engagement Specialist, you’ll be integral in crafting social strategies and creating short-form videos that distill the insights from our work into engaging content for various social platforms. This role requires a commitment of five hours per week for three months, with most work done remotely but with occasional in-person events and meetings. The position reports directly to the Executive Director.

Job overview:

The Investigative Project on Race and Equity’s Audience Engagement Specialist works on social strategy and helps grow our digital footprint. Duties include making short social videos and generating engagement ideas for projects. This position is ideal for an early-career journalist who wants newsroom experience working alongside editors and reporters to elevate our training work and the data-driven investigations we produce and the issues behind them.

This position requires a time commitment of five hours per week for three months. Most of the work will be done remotely, but occasional in-person meetings, interviews and events are required. The Audience Engagement Specialist will report to the Executive Director.   

Responsibilities include:

• Repackaging published stories or training sessions into short videos for social platforms, including Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and TikTok (For example, “Five Tips to Master FOIA”)

• Community engagement outreach for events

• Pitching engagement ideas for upcoming events, trainings and investigations

Suggested qualifications:

• A demonstrated commitment to racial justice and investigative journalism

• Successfully produced short videos for personal or professional social platforms

• Excellent writing, communication and interviewing skills

• Ability to meet deadlines and work efficiently and cooperatively with a diverse group of peers
  

The most successful candidates will possess the following:

• Highly organized and detail-oriented

• Interest in equity issues and investigative journalism

• Willingness and commitment to learning

Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume, a cover letter detailing their qualifications and experience and three clips to info@raceandequityproject.org by Nov. 15, 2025.