Flatwater Free Press and Grist are seeking a reporter to cover the impacts of climate change in the state of Nebraska. The ideal candidate will report on the intersection of global warming with land use, water, justice, policy, politics, health, and energy, with a particular focus on solutions to the climate crisis.
You’ll be based at the Flatwater Free Press, a statewide nonprofit newsroom headquartered in Omaha that has won national awards for its investigative and in-depth journalism. We are looking for someone who can understand and explain the importance of climate change and climate solutions within the state to both local and national audiences.
Nebraska is a state with extreme heat and cold, with tornadoes and flooding, a place where drought can wreck a year or a career for a farmer. Its cities have public health issues around asthma and spiraling home insurance premiums. Statewide, it is at the center of fights about the country’s energy future – fierce debates over wind and solar, and over how much energy should be used on data centers and crypto mining. Its one-of-a-kind public power system is struggling to meet demand, and its one-of-a-kind local natural resource districts are contending with a future where water may be scarce. And it all ties back to climate change. This position offers a reporter the opportunity to tell untold stories about how a warming planet is changing life in The Cornhusker State.
The right person for this job will be interested in also approaching this beat from a solutions lens: How are Nebraskans working to address the problems caused by climate change? Can those solutions be scaled up to statewide or national levels? What are the drawbacks? We’re also looking for someone who is always mindful of the equity issues that are often at the root of human-based climate stories.
Through the Flatwater Free Press’s partnership with Grist, this reporter will file deeply reported enterprise stories, investigations, and the occasional feature, and your stories will be republished by a statewide syndication network. Your stories will also be periodically adapted for a national audience and republished on Grist.
The minimum annual base pay for this position is $55,000 and can be adjusted depending on experience. This role is a co-funded partnership between The Flatwater Free Press and Grist.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Writing with depth and nuance about complex environmental and climate issues that have real impact in Nebraska
- Propose, conceive, and execute in-depth, thought-provoking stories, typically at least two per month
- Pitch, report, and write at least one multi-month investigation or enterprise story per year
- Conceive of and lead at least one “journalism on stage” event or panel discussion focused on some aspect of your reporting each year.
- Work with partner organizations on creating or adapting content to run in local newspapers and on Grist.org
- Other duties as assigned by either the Flatwater or Grist newsrooms
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Digital reporting/writing experience preferred; portfolio submission and/or writing assignment is highly likely as part of the interview process want to hear from you. Don’t hesitate to apply — even if you don’t check every box.
Bachelor’s degree in Journalism or a related field
Three (3) or more years of reporting experience
Demonstrated news judgment, ethics, and creative approaches to storytelling.
Demonstrated ability to be able to tell a deeply reported, well-written story that includes data and narrative elements.
Strong organizational skills and ability to juggle multiple tasks and deadlines
Enthusiasm about using journalism engagement practices to serve audiences.
Demonstrated record of collaboration with colleagues from various perspectives and experiences on team projects and a desire to be part of a team that values hard work and humor
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
An ability to thrive in a deadline-driven environment where attention to detail and accuracy is key.
Comfort using a variety of technology, including content management systems, social media and project management platforms.
Ability to respond constructively to feedback and positively engage with collaborative and team-based projects.
Additional Information
BENEFITS
- Good insurance: Health, dental, vision, with the company covering 80% for you and your dependents.
- A 401k with 3% match.
- Vacation: Four weeks off and an additional week-long office-wide shutdown during the winter holidays.
- A job with purpose. Here you will have the chance to spend your time shaping impactful journalism – and be shaped by it in return.
- Snacks
LOCATION: This is a site-based position in Nebraska at The Flatwater Free Press. The Flatwater Free Press’ main office is in Omaha. FFP also has a satellite office in Lincoln. The reporter can also choose to live elsewhere in the state but must be Nebraska-based.
About the Nebraska Journalism Trust
The Nebraska Journalism Trust is Nebraska’s first and only statewide, independent, nonprofit news organization. Its flagship publication, the Flatwater Free Press, produces a combination of investigative journalism and feature stories that hold leaders accountable, explore solutions, and share the best of Nebraska. Stories are freely available online at www.flatwaterfreepress.org, in a weekly e-mail newsletter, and through partnering news outlets across the state. Nebraska Documenters, is published on Flatwater Free Press and trains and pays citizen journalists to attend under-reported meetings of local government boards. The Nebraska Journalism Trust additionally publishes Silicon Prairie News, a digital publication focused on business and start-ups. Stories are freely available online at www.siliconprairienews.com, in a weekly e-mail newsletter, and through partnering news outlets across the state. Transparency is a core value; our financials, policies, board and staff bios, and donor list are here: www.nebraskajournalismtrust.org
Flatwater Free Press and its parent organization, Nebraska Journalism Trust, are committed to building a newsroom that reflects the communities we cover.
We strongly encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, especially from communities underrepresented in journalism — including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities. This is not just HR boilerplate. It’s a core part of who we are and how we operate.