Investigative Reporter

We’re looking for someone to find the hidden stories. A truth teller. A digger. A reporter committed to holding truth to power, with the drive and ability to go deeper. A reporter who wants to expose inequities. Who wants to hold institutions accountable. A person committed to journalism that matters. 

The bulk of this reporter’s stories will come from in and around the metro Omaha area, pop. (nearly) 1 million, Nebraska’s largest city and a place teeming with stories begging to be told. The reporter will be based at our headquarters in downtown Omaha, and will be expected to find and develop important tales from every corner of the metro by weaving together data, documents, anecdotes and good ol’ fashioned notebook reporting.

You should have clips that demonstrate your ability to do this – ideally clips that expose bad actors, right wrongs and tell intensely human stories. Commitment to our mission matters more than exact beats or previous expertise. Whether you consider yourself a government watchdog, environmental expert, data sleuth, document wrangler, legislative whiz, narrative writer and/or an expert in all the myriad flavors of everyday grift, you’d bring something worthwhile to our 5-person – soon to be 10-person – team that is already making a serious splash.

We seek out, and have hired reporters, across the experience spectrum. The role — and the organization itself — will and does adapt to the fantastic journalist we bring on board.

If this sounds like a place you’d thrive, we want to hear from you. Don’t hesitate to apply.

We are dedicated to building a newsroom that reflects the people we cover. We are committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages. Our first official policy enshrined journalistic independence and integrity. Our second committed us to representing everyone in our work and deeds. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities. That is not just something our HR department told us to write. We believe in it. We relish following through.

What can you expect?

Time. You won’t need to be at the school board meeting. You won’t have to cover sentencings or car accidents or press conferences — unless you think it’s part of a larger story. We don’t react to news. We advance it. The Flatwater Free Press publishes 2-4 stories a week, with some coming from freelancers. Our full-time reporters have the time to report and tell a story in all its nuance, with an expected output of roughly 20-30 stories a year.

Support. The entire organization, from the board to the reporters, is made up of people who love journalism and love Nebraska. We will go to the mat to fight for records, take on or simply block that abusive jerk on Twitter, and work by your side to get that lede just so. (We know this because we have already done each of these things.

We also understand that this work has a toll. We support our staff as full humans.

Creativity. This is a relatively new venture, and part of the fun is making it what we want it to be. Our reporters are full partners in that effort. Want to build a cool interactive graphic? Start a podcast? Write a comic book? Want to do something no one’s ever tried before? Great! We’ll get you the tools and support to make it happen. We experiment often and fail quickly in reflecting our staff’s passions.

What will you get from us?

Pay. $50-75,000 per year, depending on experience.

Benefits. Health, dental, vision, with the company shouldering 80% of costs for the employee and all dependents.

Vacation. Four weeks, with an additional office-wide shutdown during the holiday season.

A Chance to Tell In-Depth Stories. We don’t publish daily, and thus you won’t ever be expected to fill a news hole. If you thrive in the 24/7 news cycle, and want to churn out quick hits, this job is not for you. If depth is your game, Flatwater Free Press is our name.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Feb 17. We will continue to accept applications, though we are also beginning interviews.