Joan Cirillo Emerging Journalist Fellow

NAHJ Convention; Portland, Northern (OR, KY); Hybrid; USD 43,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

OPB is offering a one-year journalism fellowship based in Portland, Oregon, designed for early-career journalists. Fellows will rotate through OPB Content teams, reporting, editing for news, producing talk shows or digital content, and receiving mentorship and professional development.

Programs emphasize training in reporting, interviewing, audio/video editing, and storytelling, with opportunities to connect with staff and journalists across public media.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated interest in journalism through some prior experience.
• Eagerness for a career in public media.
• Ability to function in a deadline-driven environment.
• Commitment to high ethical standards in journalism.

Responsibilities

• Support OPB Content teams on rotating programs.
• Participate in mentorship and career development.
• Assist in planning, promotion and recruitment for the fellowship.
• Split time between office/studio and field work.

Skills

Journalism experience

Deadline-driven

Bilingual English+

Public media interest

Storytelling

Tools

Audio recording equipment

Video editing software

Digital production tools

Job description

Job Category: Fellowships | Scholarship | Prizes,

Employment Type: Full time,

Salary: $37-$0 per hour

Posted: 09.18.2026

Job Description

Limited Duration

Portland, OR, US

Do you have an interest in exploring a career in public media? Are you curious to learn how to produce segments on a daily talk show like Think Out Loud®, write breaking new stories for opb.org or assist with production of a TV program such as Oregon Art Beat? Do you have some practical journalism experience that you want to build on by spending time with different content teams to learn the responsibilities of positions in the field of journalism? The one-year Joan Cirillo Emerging JournalistFellowshipcould be a great opportunity for you to gain experience in public media.

This one-year journalismfellowshipis made possible by a generous gift from Roger Cooke and Joan Cirillo. Thefellowshipis named for Mrs. Cirillo, an independent journalist, author and philanthropist, who has written for a variety of regional, national, and international news organizations. We are excited to use this gift to build more journalism expertise in Oregon during this time when local and regional news reporting are so urgently needed. Over the course of a year, our first fellow learned how to book guests and produce segments for Think Out Loud®, reported and produced a series of features for the web and air, produced segments and anchored newscasts for All Things Considered, went out into the field and assisted in post-production with Oregon Field Guide, and completed their final rotation in programming to operate the board and announce on the air. The incoming fellow’s experience will be different, tailoring the rotations to their interests developed in partnership with the VP, News, and a staff mentor. Fellows also receive regular career counseling and opportunities to talk with journalists elsewhere in public media.

The Opportunity

This is an annual opportunity designed for early-career journalists. This fellowship includes three to four rotations across OPB Content teams, based on the fellow’s interests and organizational needs. Fellows may report and edit for OPB News, produce talk shows or news magazines, work as digital producers, or assist with video programs such as Oregon Field Guide and Oregon Art Beat. Training in reporting, interviewing, audio and video editing, digital production, and storytelling is provided for each rotation.

Fellows also receive newsroom mentorship, career counseling, resume and cover letter support, opportunities to connect with OPB staff and journalists, and professional development through conferences and webinars.

OPB’s Joan CirilloEmerging Journalism Fellow spends a year immersing themselves in the many possible career opportunities in public media.The fellowship is intended forearly career journalistsfromunderrepresentedor non traditional backgrounds. Eachfellow’syear will be different, and it willinclude3-4rotations with different teams based on interest.The typicalyearincludesperiods ofreporting for the OPB news team, producingsegments forourdaily talk show or newsmagazines,and producingvideo stories fordigital and broadcast.Training is provided for all rotations so that the fellow gainsproficiencyin different skills and exposure to the varying roles that one could pursue in public media.The fellowship year will also include regular meetings with a mentor, career counseling video chats with journalists elsewhere in public media,and professional development opportunitiessuch as attending journalism conferences and webinars.

Responsibilities

70% Support various OPB Content teams on rotating programs:

• Participate as an active member of the OPB Content team, with specific rotations dependent onfellow’sinterests and OPB team availability. Assignments mayinclude time reporting and editing stories for OPB news, producingdaily talkshowor newsmagazine,servingas a digital producer, orassistingwith production of an OPB TV program, such as Oregon Field Guide or Oregon Art Beat.By the end of the year, fellows will have learned basic skills ininterviewingnews stories and editing audio and video,andtheywill be ready to apply for jobs in public media.

25% Participate in mentorship and development opportunities:

• Professional development opportunities and career counselingincluding resume and cover letter development and feedback, regular meetings with a newsroom mentor and supervising editor, conversations with journalists elsewhere in public media and conversations with OPB employees in Content and other departments. Fellowcan joinOPB’s equity teamtobuild competency and understand ongoing diversity,equityandinclusionorganizational work.

5% Collaborate with OPB staff to improve fellowship program:

• Assist OPB editors and producers in promoting,planningand recruiting for the fellowship program.

Working Conditions

• The fellow will divide time betweenoffice/studio and field work as needed fornewsgathering. Thatmay include travel to remote locations, working evenings or weekends, andpossibly workingin inclement weather.
• In-state traveland drivingarecommon, though trips are short. Someout-of-state travel may be optional to attend journalism conferences and other professional development opportunities.
• Lifting and carrying equipment up to 20 pounds is sometimesrequired.
• Demonstrated interest injournalism through some prior experience
• Eagerness for a career in public media
• Ability to function in a deadline-driven environment
• Commitment to high ethical standards in journalism
• Enthusiasm for the mission of OPB and public media
• Professional orpersonal experiencesthat will provide a unique perspective to the OPB newsroom and the field of journalism

Preferred Position Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Bilingual in English and another language, preferably one spoken in communities in the Pacific Northwest (for example, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, VietnameseorRussian).
• Practical experience in journalism
• An eye for diverse voices and sources in stories
• Photography or video production skills
• Experience using digital audio recordingequipmentand editingsoftware

Additional Information

• This full time, temporary position reports to the News Training Editor, is unrepresented and benefits eligible.
• The expectedminimumhiring range for this role starts at $37.73 / hour and compensation will depend on the qualifications and dutiesof the selected candidate.

This position will remain open until filled; however, we will begin reviewing applications and scheduling interviews the week of September 28th, 2026.

OPB is an EqualOpportunityEmployer.

Job Requirements

• Demonstrated interest injournalism through some prior experience
• Eagerness for a career in public media
• Ability to function in a deadline-driven environment
• Commitment to high ethical standards in journalism
• Enthusiasm for the mission of OPB and public media
• Professional orpersonal experiencesthat will provide a unique perspective to the OPB newsroom and the field of journalism