Staff Writer

Slate Magazine; New York (NY); Remote; USD 80,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits

Job summary

Slate Magazine is seeking a staff writer to contribute across the life section and related areas, bringing sharp analysis and original reporting on culture and news. The role emphasizes idea generation, sourcing, and long-form feature pieces, with flexibility to cover a range of topics from social trends to internet culture.

The position is full-time, on staff with benefits. Ideal candidates have five to seven years in writing/reporting and strong reporting instincts, with capacity for both

Qualifications

• Five to seven years’ experience as a writer, preferably in a reporting role with feature-writing experience.
• Strong online sleuthing and communication skills.
• Ability to generate ideas for quick reporting and longer-term inquiry.

Responsibilities

• Fast writing and reporting on readers’ biggest questions each week.
• Generate ideas for quick reporting and longer-term inquiry.
• Collaborate across Slate’s life, politics, and culture sections as needed.

Skills

Strong writing

Idea generation

Source development

Investigative reporting

Communication skills

Job description

Slate is hiring a staff writer whose work will move across the magazine, with a home in the life section. We’re looking for a driven, creative reporter who finds unique ways to approach tricky questions in culture and news. Candidates should excel at coming up with and refining ideas, finding sources, and connecting the dots with original reporting and sharp analysis. This position could cover social trends, political life, relationships, sex, religion, education, food, and/or internet culture, but the candidate’s interests will help shape the work. The ideal candidate has feature-writing experience and will write several long-form pieces per year, but will also be comfortable in the day-to-day coverage that is Slate’s lifeblood. Depending on the news, this staffer might publish one to two shorter stories per week commenting on the headlines while also advancing longer-lead work.

Good humor, clean and lively copy, original thinking, a lack of inhibition to chase leads and sources, and enthusiasm will be keys to success in this job. The role will combine some of the DNA of Slate’s classic explainers, trademark spirited news commentary, experiential and reported features, and good old-fashioned blogs with the life section’s incisive view into how our everyday lives and belief systems got to where they are now.

The position is full‑time, on staff, with benefits. At least five years in a writing and reporting position is required. Slate welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. The position can be located in New York or D.C. Strong remote candidates will be considered. This is a position covered under a collective bargaining agreement between Slate and the Writers Guild of America East. The pay range for this position is $80,000 to $105,000.

Key Responsibilities

• Fast writing and reporting that covers the biggest questions on readers’ minds in a given week
• Generating ideas for quick reporting and fun, longer‑term inquiry
• Operating as an integral part of Slate’s life team, with a jack‑of‑all‑trades spirit that can dip into our politics and culture sections

Requirements

• A sharp, funny, provocative mind and confidence executing ideas
• At least five to seven years’ experience working as a writer, preferably in a reporting role with feature‑writing experience
• A deep well of story ideas and a sharp understanding of the cultural landscape
• Top‑notch online sleuthing and communication skills

We know that diverse perspectives make us smarter and stronger, and that all applicants, from all backgrounds, should be welcomed in our hiring process and given equal opportunities to be evaluated based on their qualifications and skills. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, please let us know. We will do what we can to meet your needs.

Slate is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of an individual's sex, age, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation or affectional preference, gender identity and expression, disability, genetic trait or predisposition, carrier status, citizenship, veteran or military status and other personal characteristics protected by law. All applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected characteristics.

About The Company

Slate, founded in 1996, is a daily online magazine and podcast network that helped invent the voice of the web. Our strong editorial voice and witty take on current events & culture have been recognized with numerous awards, including the National Magazine Award for General Excellence Online. Our podcast network, established in 2005, produces more than 20 podcasts, including Slow Burn, What Next, Decoder Ring, ICYMI, and more.

Slate is an affiliate of the Graham Holdings Company (NYSE:GHC). GHC is a diversified holding company whose operations include educational services; home health and hospice care; television broadcasting, online, print, and local TV news; automotive dealerships; manufacturing; hospitality; and consumer internet companies.

Slate is an affiliate of Graham Holdings. Read the Graham Holdings Company California Worker Privacy Statement here.

Slate offers a comprehensive benefits program that gives eligible employees the flexibility to choose the right benefits for themselves and their families. There are three subsidized medical plans and two dental plans, provided by Aetna, which can be paired with flexible spending accounts.