Statehouse Tech Reporter

POLITICO; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

POLITICO Sacramento is seeking an enterprising reporter to cover California technology policy and politics for a national audience. You will anchor the California Decoded newsletter with two teammates and break news on state tech policy affecting lawmakers, government officials and industry leaders.

You'll build a robust network of sources in state government and the private sector to deliver fresh, high-impact enterprise stories with clear, nonpartisan judgment for local, national and global

Qualifications

• Strong interest in political journalism and familiarity with California politics.
• Familiarity with tech policy issues or experience developing a policy, political or government beat.
• Track record of clean, clear, accurate and authoritative writing.
• Smart, innovative ideas and a drive to be first on every big story.
• Ability to juggle tight deadlines and a demanding pace.
• A collaborative spirit and willingness to work as part of a team.
• A rigorous commitment to fair-minded, nonpartisan journalism.

Responsibilities

• Cover California technology policy and politics for POLITICO.
• Anchor the California Decoded newsletter with two other reporters.
• Break news, provide policy updates and write homepage enterprise stories for state, national and global audiences.
• Collaborate with POLITICO tech reporters in Washington, London and Brussels.

Skills

Political journalism

California politics

Tech policy

Strong writing

Deadline-driven

Collaborative

Nonpartisan journalism

Job description

Job Description

POLITICO is looking for an enterprising, collaborative and versatile reporter to write about California technology policy and politics as part of our Sacramento newsroom. The reporter will cover key state-level debates with national implications for the tech sector — including legislation to regulate the cryptocurrency market, social media platforms and companies’ use of personal data.

They will help anchor the daily California Decoded newsletter with two other reporters and will deliver agenda-setting tech coverage geared toward lawmakers, government officials, industry leaders and advocates. The team will also break news, provide policy updates and write homepage enterprise stories for state, national and global audiences.

They will work with other POLITICO tech reporters in Washington, London and Brussels, connecting the dots across global power centers to tell readers what’s coming next in tech and why it matters.

This is a critical role in a state where we have big ambitions. The ideal candidate knows how to build a network of knowledgeable sources in state government and in the private sector and leverage it to produce stories with robust angles, provocative and fresh ideas and a clear sense of purpose. We want a fast, determined reporter who will break news and deliver high-impact enterprise — for an informed subscriber audience as well as our global readership.

What You’ll Need

• A strong interest in political journalism and familiarity with California politics and government
• Familiarity with tech policy issues or extensive experience developing a policy, political or government beat
• A track record of clean, clear, accurate and authoritative writing
• Smart, innovative ideas and a drive to be first on every big story
• Ability to juggle tight deadlines and a demanding pace
• A collaborative spirit and willingness to work as part of a team
• A rigorous commitment to fair-minded, nonpartisan journalism
• Campaign-finance reporting and data journalism experience a plus

COMPENSATION: $80,000- 90,000 Annual Base. The final salary offered will be based on factors including relevant experience, skills, and qualifications.

Target Start Date: December 1, 2026

We value our people.

About Us

POLITICO illuminates the forces shaping global power. Since 2007, we have delivered intelligence that anticipates tomorrow's headlines, not reports on yesterday's news. As politics has increasingly become the defining force of our era, our work has never been more vital.

Cabinet secretaries and Ministers start their mornings with our analysis. CEOs shape strategy around our reporting. Advocacy leaders rely on our insights to move policy. We deliver the straightforward facts and clear-eyed analysis they need to navigate the most complex political landscape of our lifetimes.

Our 1,100+ publishing professionals across the world's key democratic capitals—Washington, Brussels, London, Paris, Berlin, Sacramento, and New York—form the world's premier politics and policy newsroom. We tell the story of how power really works by explaining who wields it and how they plan to exercise it, connecting dots others miss and delivering scoops from sources others don't even know exist.

Innovation has always been a core tenet of our story. At launch, we bet that depth would trump scale, that talent would trump traffic, and that politics would become central to modern life. In 2011, we made another bet and launched POLITICO Pro to help decision-makers understand the business of government, transforming both how they shape government action and the business of journalism itself.

These bets have made POLITICO the most successful digital news startup of its generation and the indispensable resource for leaders who shape the future. Today, we are a rarity in media: a growing, profitable, and sustainable news organization.

POLITICO is a subsidiary of Axel Springer SE, a family-owned transatlantic media company headquartered in Berlin and New York. Axel Springer is dedicated to shaping the future of journalism in the free world, believing that a free and informed society is essential to democracy. The company’s guiding principles - first articulated as The Essentials by founder Axel Springer in the aftermath of World War II - remain a cornerstone of the company’s foundation today. Learn more about Axel Springer.