Opportunities 12/15/2021

Xtra Magazine, Catapult, Serious Eats and more.

The Study Hall Opportunities newsletter is a weekly compilation of pitch calls; freelance, part-time, and temporary gigs; events; fellowships, scholarships, awards, and grants; internships; and full-time jobs. It’s written by Marisa Clogher, who is now a 6 AM runner and can’t shut up about it. The newsletter is released on Wednesdays. Once in a while, we take a day off for mental health breaks and holidays. 

►Have a job posting, gig, or fellowship you want to be included in the next Opps newsletter? Send them to [email protected] for approval with “Opportunity:” in the subject line. 

►Editors, submit your time-sensitive or evergreen pitch calls to our Typeform page.

►Let us know if you got a job or landed a pitch through the Opps newsletter! Send them to [email protected] with “Opps Success Story:” in the subject line.

►Tell us what resources have helped you in your freelancing so we can share with other Study Hall members. Send them to [email protected] with “Resource:” in the subject line.

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***THE MEDIA CLASSIFIEDS***

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>> Want to promote your job opening / pitch call / new project / ecommerce brand? Consider a classified ad. Study Hall is here to help you distribute weekly listings to over 4,000 hyper-engaged followers of the media industry (editors, writers, executives) through our newsletters. Click through for rates, testimonials, and to get in touch.

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***STUDY HALL EVENTS PROGRAMMING***

►ASK ME ANYTHING: A series of dialogues that will be hosted on our Slack channel covering topics that include: starting a newsletter, feature writing, investigative journalism, content strategy, and longform investigative journalism.

— Longform Investigative Journalism AMA with Injustice Watch senior reporter Maya Dukmasova will take place TODAY, Wednesday, December 15 at 3 PM EST.

— Book Publishing AMA with All My Mother’s Lovers author Ilana Masad will take place January 5 at 3 PM EST

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RESOURCES

Relying solely on, say, the Study Hall Opportunities newsletter to find work is like trying to do the “Y.M.C.A.” dance alone. It’s sad and please put your arms down. Just as that song takes a Village of People to perform, freelancing also takes a village… of resources. There’s no need to feel down, so pick yourself off the ground. It’s fun to read all the R.E.S.O.U.R.C.E.S.

-The Labor Action Tracker by Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations is a comprehensive database of strike and labor protest activity across the United States. The database should be a key asset for freelance and staff reporters on the labor beat.

-The Rate Sharing database by the Freelance Solidarity Project has a searchable list of publications so you know what rates they’re paying for what kind of content. It’s an essential resource for making sure you get the best rate possible (or skip the stinkers who don’t pay well).

Want more resources? Check out the NPR Diverse Sources Database; Online Violence Research Hub; Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Journalists Therapy Relief Fund; Black Journalists Therapy Relief Fund; Developing An Investigative Pitch Guide; Britany Robinson’s Big List of Writing Deadlines; Study Hall Transcriber Database; Freelancing Guide/Editorial Contacts spreadsheet; #FreelancerPayGap spreadsheet; Pitch Guide Database; Chelsea’s Guide to Freelancing doc; Missed Pitches newsletter; PACER; Priya Krishna’s resources for food writing; Election SOS Report; and the Extremism Coverage Prep Guide.

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CALLS FOR PITCHES 

Please note that we are not endorsing every publication or company that is listed here. The decision of whether to engage with a publication or company is entirely up to the reader. In regards to pitch calls, we try to only share opportunities that have fair rates based on publicly available information. While we currently define “fair rates” as being above $100 USD for around 700-800 words and above $0.10 per word for longer pieces, we cannot guarantee that every publication pays this rate. If you have more information on a rate or exploitative business practices from a publication posted, email [email protected].***

TIME-SENSITIVE PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES

–The New York Times Magazine is looking for pitches of short features on “the playful yarns, the wild romps, the delicious, the sexy, the sweet, the bright.” They are interested in pitches from writers anywhere in the world. The rates weren’t publicly given, but are “competitive compared to what other major magazines pay, which is $1-$2 [per] word.” Send pitches to @vauhinivara in “the next few weeks.”

–World Wildlife is looking for submissions of “short, uplifting personal essays about nature’s impact on a writer” for their new print column, Love Letter. They are specifically looking for full drafts and not pitches. The rate is $1.25 per word for essays of 100-300 words. See their submission form for more info and send submissions by January 31.

–MIT Technology Review is looking for pitches about the “rapidly changing world of money and finance.” The rate is $1 per word. Send pitches to [email protected] by 12 PM ET this Friday, December 17.

–Oregon Humanities is looking for pitches of personal essays and nonfiction articles on the theme of “care” for their upcoming issue from Oregon-based writers. The rates range from $500-$1,000, depending on the length and complexity of the piece. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches by next Tuesday, December 21.

-Spruce Eats is looking for “writers with culinary experience” to help with product testing. The rate is about $600 or more, depending on the amount of testing and copy needed. They will be prioritizing BIPOC voices. Email [email protected] if interested.

–Positively Aware is looking for pitches for their upcoming issue on diversity, equity, and inclusion in HIV and AIDS advocacy. The rate is $350 for up to 400 words. Send pitches to [email protected].

–The Muse is looking for pitches of “reported features, essays, perspectives, maybe even humor pieces that shed light, provide insight, reframe, and capture zeitgeist at a moment when careers, work, and culture are shifting and evolving in a big way.” The rate is usually over $300, but they will “consider going up to $1 [per] word.” Send pitches to [email protected]. More details on how to pitch here.

–Mpora is looking for pitches of stories on adventure, the outdoors, action sports, cycling, travel, nature, and fitness and wellbeing for their second and third print magazines. The pitches should be either spring and summer or autumn and winter focused. The rates are £0.20 (USD $0.26) per word. Send pitches to [email protected] before Christmas.

–Catapult is looking for pitches of argument-driven personal essays on travel and postcolonial writing, television, food and drinks, and style. The pitches must incorporate researched and reported cultural analysis. The rate is $250 per essay of up to 2,000 words. See their pitch guide for more info.

–Xtra Magazine is looking for pitches of longform narrative features, dispatches and essays for their Power pillar section, which probes conceptions of identity, queerness and transness, and authority. The rate starts at $300 CAD ($234 USD) and length starts around 1,500 words. Check their pitch guide for more details.

–Streets Minnesota is looking for pitches of stories on transit, transportation, and land use in BIPOC communities. They are especially interested in pitches from BIPOC writers in these communities. The rates range from $200-$250 per piece. Send pitches to [email protected].

–Observer is looking for pitches of features, interviews, profiles, reviews, and essays on art, including galleries, museums, opera, books, NFTS, and other topics. The rates range from $180-$300 per piece. Send pitches to [email protected].

–Briarpatch is looking for pitches of “investigative journalism, interviews, feature articles, narrative reporting, project profiles, comics and graphic texts, book reviews, and photo essays that are rooted in anti-colonial, anti-capitalist, feminist struggle” for their unthemed May/June issue. The rates are between $150-$350 and length varies between 1,500 to 2,500 words. See their pitch guide for more details.

–Fed is looking for pitches about sports science, sports nutrition, food and agriculture, and other intersections of food and sports. The rate is $0.15 per word for around 1,200 words. Send pitches to [email protected].

–Colorado Newsline is looking for pitches on “politics, policy and other stories of interest to Colorado readers.” The rate ranges from $100 to $600 “from quick turnarounds to more deeply reported work,” competitive pay negotiated. Send pitches to [email protected].

–The Dance Current is looking for pitches of reviews, Q&As, personal essays, “body columns,” tips columns, feature profiles, feature stories, photo essays, and in-conversation features for their Spring 2022 issue. The rate ranges from $125 to $400 depending on type of feature. The deadline to pitch is this Friday, December 17.

–Wide Open Country is looking for pitches of features, longform articles, and interviews on country music and the country lifestyle. The rates start at $0.10 per word, and increase for long-form articles and interviews. Send pitches to [email protected].

–Catapult is looking for pitches of personal essays with musical theater commentary and criticism, and some light reporting is encouraged. The rate starts at $200 and essays range from about 2,000-2,500 words. See their pitch guide for more details.

NEW EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES

–Study Hall (that’s us!) recently updated our pitch guide and are looking for new work. We’re looking for blogs, essays, reports, features, Q&As, freelance diaries, digest blurbs, how-tos, guides, panels and talks, workshops, seminars, and AMAs. Rates range from $200 to $1,200 depending on the type of work.

–The Unwritten is always looking for pitches of personal essays on how disability affects your life as well as opinion pieces and features relating to things in the news. The rate is £75 or $100 USD). Send pitches to [email protected].

–The Daring is always looking for pitches organized around four categories: art, music, poetry, and self. The rate for most pieces is $80, and they run 800-1,800 words. The rate for poetry is $30 per poem. See their pitch guide for more details.

–The Puritan is always looking for submissions of fiction, essays, interviews, poetry, and reviews. Rates for prose range from $100-$200 depending on the type of piece, and rates for poems are $25. Check their submission guidelines for more details.

***CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL LIST OF EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES.***

FREELANCE, PART-TIME, AND TEMPORARY JOBS

–Elite Daily is hiring a remote, part-time celebrity writer to identify celebrity, music, and pop culture news; pitch unique, engaging angles on trending content; and turn around clean copy in a fast-paced environment. Candidates should have at least two years of experience writing, reporting, or blogging. The rate is $20 per hour, and they are looking to fill “​​four seven-hour shifts per week” from 9 AM to 4 PM ET.

–Serious Eats is hiring a part-time developmental editor who will “work with freelance editors on updating and improving our existing library of content.” Candidates should have experience editing for a food site or magazine. The rate is $28 per hour, working a minimum of 15 hours per week.

–Insider is hiring Brussels-based tech reporters on a freelance basis to cover “how EU regulations are impacting the way Facebook, Google, Apple, and Microsoft are doing business in Europe and abroad.” Candidates should be able to “cover the long-term effects and break scoops, while explaining these changes to a business and general interest audience.” The rates start at $350 for first-person or as-told-to essays; $500 for photo stories, and $1 per word for deeply reported features. Send inquiries to Tekendra Parmar at [email protected].

EVENTS

-McClatchy is hosting a free Virtual News Career Fair tomorrow, December 16. The career fair will include information on more than 150 newsroom jobs and internships they are currently hiring for. The event will run from 1-5 PM EST.

–The Open Notebook is hosting a series of free Science Journalism Master Classes. The classes cover the following topics: how to find an angle for any science story; how to pitch science stories that sell; and how to spot scientific hype and misinformation. There is no start date and you can sign up for the courses at any time.

GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS

-The International Women’s Media Foundation is accepting applications for their Kim Wall Memorial Fund grant program. The program will provide two grants of $5,000 to women or non-binary reporters who cover (broadly defined) subculture around the globe — and what Kim liked to call “the undercurrents of rebellion.” Candidates for the grant should have at least three years of professional news experience. The deadline to apply is tomorrow, December 16.

-The Creative Power Award is accepting applications for their 2022 grant program. The award provides up to USD $2,000 (or AUD $2,500) to “emerging creators in the US and Australia who are working on projects at the intersection of culture and social justice.” The deadline to apply is this Friday, December 17.

-The Columbia School of Journalism’s literary nonfiction publication, The Delacorte Review, is accepting applications for their Diversity Grant program. The program aims to bring new and diverse voices from underrepresented backgrounds to the publication. The program awards three grants of $1,000, and the three writers are assigned an editor to work with on every step of the writing process over a five-month span. The deadline to apply is December 23.

-The UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism is accepting applications for their paid Ferriss-UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship grant. The program offers 15 grants of $10,000 to journalists “reporting in-depth print and audio stories on the science, policy, business, and culture of this new era of psychedelics.” The deadline to apply is January 31.

-The Knight Science Journalism Program is accepting submissions for their Victor K. McElheny Award for local and regional science journalism. Applicants can submit any work of journalism that covers science, public health, technology, or environmental issues. Entries can be standalone pieces or series and must have been published by a US-based outlet during the 2021 calendar year. The deadline to submit is January 31.

–Red Pepper Magazine is accepting submissions for their Dawn Foster Memorial Essay Prize in collaboration with HCI Skills Gateway. The contest is specifically for UK-based writers aged 35 and under. Applicants are invited to write an essay of 1,500 words on Britain’s housing crisis. The first prize is an award of £1,500 (USD $1,986) and there are four runner-up prizes of £200 (USD $265) each. The deadline to submit is January 31.

–Sports Illustrated is hiring a summer intern for their copy desk. Candidates must be a rising junior, rising senior, or recently graduated senior and should have some experience copy editing. The rate is $17.39 per hour, 35 hours a week for 10 weeks.

-The International Women’s Media Foundation is accepting applications for their United States Journalism Emergency Fund program. The program provides financial assistance to US-based journalists of any gender (including men) who have been “targeted as a result of [their] reporting at events related to the highly charged political unrest and polarization in the US.” The fund covers medical aid, mental health and legal services, and destroyed or stolen equipment or protective gear. Requests will be reviewed in the order they were received.

–SpotlightDC is accepting applications for its investigative journalism grant. The grant awards up to $10,000 for investigative or explanatory journalism projects focused on health care, crime, transportation, corruption, and other matters of public interest in the Washington, DC; Maryland; and Virginia regions. Grant applications are reviewed and awarded on a rolling basis.

FELLOWSHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS

–The Daily Dot is hiring a part-time spring intern. Candidates should be college students and have at least one semester of professional-level newsroom experience. The rate is $20 per hour for 10 hours per week. The deadline to apply is this Friday, December 17.

-The Scripps Howard Foundation is accepting applications for their paid, year-long fellowship program in collaborations with Scripps Washington Bureau and The Texas Tribune. Fellows can choose between two tracks at each publication. For the Scripps Washington Bureau, the tracks are: investigative reporting for video and data reporting. For The Texas Tribune, the tracks are: multimedia reporting and data visualization development. The salary is $50,000, including full benefits, and the program runs from June 2022 through May 2023. The deadline to apply is this Sunday, December 19.

–The American Prospect is accepting applications for their paid, two-year John Lewis Writing Fellowship program in Washington, D.C. The fellow will contribute quick-turn political reporting, news, and analysis, as well as longer-term investigative and magazine projects. Applicants should have at least three years of reporting and writing experience. The starting salary is $58,000 and includes benefits and union membership in the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, “which secures an annual raise.” The deadline to apply is next Monday, December 20.

–NPR is accepting applications for their paid Above the Fray fellowship program in collaboration with The John Alexander Project. The program will provide one “up-and-coming radio journalist the opportunity to cover important but under-reported stories” on global public health or international migration. Applicants should have at least five years of journalism experience. The fellowship covers “all production and living expenses,” and the fellow is expected to prepare and edit the project in Washington, D.C. The deadline to apply is January 15.

–The Chronicle of Higher Education is accepting applications for their reporting internship program. The interns will work as full-time reporters from January through May 2022. The internship pays $700 per week before taxes and applicants should be based in Washington, D.C., but they “may be able to offer flexible work arrangements, depending on your circumstances.” Send inquiries to [email protected].

–MinnPost is hiring a year-long, full-time health equity reporting fellow to cover “the different ways poverty, discrimination, education, employment, transportation, housing and the environment affect health and health care among Minnesota’s BIPOC communities.” Ideal candidates are early career journalists. The salary is $48,000 and includes benefits.

JOBS

NEW YORK

–The Wall Street Journal is hiring a personal finance reporter. Candidates should have at least two years experience “writing on finance topics and ideally have some familiarity with taxes or related topics.” The job will “likely begin remotely,” but the offices are based in New York, NY and Washington D.C.

–FoodPrint is hiring a social media and community engagement coordinator to write, curate, and schedule social media content. Candidates should have one to three years experience with social media management and be based in New York, NY. The salary is $48,000 to $55,000.

–The New York Times is hiring a full-time fact checker for the book review section. The salary was not listed, but this position is represented by the NewsGuild of New York.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

–PBS NewsHour is hiring a senior digital editor to be the “lead editorial decision maker and manager for digital coverage and production around Washington Week and NewsHour Weekend.” Candidates should have at least five years experience managing an online daily news operation and a bachelor’s degree in journalism. The salary was not publicly listed, but they include benefits, 403(B) employer match, tuition reimbursement, and holiday and paid leave programs.

–The Washington Post is hiring a weekend editor to lead their business news coverage from Thursday through Sunday, including responding to breaking news on technology, economic policy, financial markets, and general business. Candidates should have some previous editing experience. The deadline to apply is next Monday, December 20.

CALIFORNIA

–POLITICO is hiring a full-time California education reporter to cover the “state K-12 and higher education, reporting on the intersection of state and federal politics and education policy.” Candidates should have expertise on California education policy and California politics and government. The job is based in Sacramento, CA.

–Here & Now is hiring a full-time producer to pitch story ideas and write copy for interviews and other parts of the show, as well as provide technical support for the program. Candidates should have at least five years experience and a bachelor’s degree. The job is based in Culver City, CA and the salary is listed as “competitive.”

-San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is hiring an assistant manager editor to generate, edit, and produce print and digital content that supports the museum’s programs and events. Candidates should have at least three years experience writing, editing, and producing digital content as well as a bachelor’s degree in English, communications, or a related field. The position is based in San Francisco, CA.

NORTHEAST

–The Emancipator is hiring a special projects manager and marketing lead to “serve as a project manager for site development, fundraising and event planning, and product ownership for vendor relations.” Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in the communications fields or more than eight years of related experience. The salary is not publicly listed but is labeled as “competitive.”

–Here & Now is hiring for multiple positions including senior editor, managing producer, and managing editor. The jobs are based in Boston, MA and are all full-time. Levels of experience and requirements vary with each position.

-AWP is hiring a full-time associate editor. Candidates should preferably have an MFA in creative writing, at least two years experience with an arts organization, strong editing skills, and ideally be based in Delaware, Maryland, or Virginia. The salary range is $60,000 to $65,000 and includes benefits. The deadline to apply is January 20, 2022.

CENTRAL

–South Side Weekly is hiring a Chicago-based managing editor to coordinate the production of their biweekly newspaper and weekly online content. Candidates should have at least one year of editing experience, preferably in a newsroom, and deep knowledge of the South Side’s business, political and cultural history. The position is mostly remote, but attendance at in-person meetings is periodically required. The salary range is $40,000-$45,000. The deadline to apply is this Friday, December 17.

NORTHWEST

–The Seattle Times is hiring a full-time arts and culture reporter. Candidates should have at least one year of beat reporting experience, preferably in the arts. The rate was not publicly listed, but the position does require joining a union.

–Street Roots is hiring a Portland-based investigative reporter to cover poverty, social justice, and social inequity in Portland and Oregon. Candidates should have at least two years of reporting experience, and familiarity with Portland and Multnomah County agencies, politics, and issues. The deadline to apply is this Friday, December 17.

SOUTHEAST

–WDRB is hiring a full-time reporter who can “hit the ground running to cover everything from developing stories to in-depth investigations.” Candidates should have at least one year daily reporting experience and live broadcasting experience. The job is based in Louisville, KY. The salary is not specified, but it is listed as “negotiable” and includes benefits.

REMOTE-FRIENDLY

–Reveal is hiring an investigative editor to “oversee a team of reporters [and] lead major projects with digital, audio, and video storytelling potential.” Candidates should have at least 10 years reporting experience. The salary range is $120,000 to $135,000 and includes benefits and paid time off. Candidates can work remotely or in the San Francisco Bay Area office.

–The Emancipator is hiring a full-time creative director to “build and lead a team of experienced designers, data visualization specialists, and developers whose mission is to develop thoughtful and impactful storytelling.” Candidates should have at least seven years experience in web design as well as a BA or BS in design-related focus. The position is based in Boston, MA but remote options are available.

–US New & World report is hiring a full-time, entry-level associate editor for their travel section. Candidates should have one to two years editing for a professional or student publication. The office is based in Washington, D.C. but the position is open to remote candidates.

–Civil Beat is hiring a full-time newsletter editor to write their daily newsletter and build their weekly and monthly newsletters. Candidates should have two to four years relevant experience and experience working in Hawaii, or a connection to the state. The position is based in Oahu, Hawaii, but they will consider remote candidates in the U.S. Benefits include medical and dental, 401(K) matching, paid time off, and family leave. Send a cover letter and resume to [email protected] by Friday, December 24.

–Insider is hiring a full-time health and parenting editor. The salary range is $70,000-$80,000. The job is based in New York, but remote candidates will also be considered.

INTERNATIONAL

–Insider is hiring a full-time health editor for their UK team to edit pieces on a “wide range of topics, including COVID-19, personal health stories, skincare, fitness, nutrition, and sexual health.” Candidates should have experience as a manager and be able to work with teams across time zones.

–The Chelsea Magazine Company is hiring an assistant editor for their travel team. Candidates should have a “thorough knowledge of the geography of the British Isles, British history and traditions.” The salary ranges from £26,000 to £30,000 and the job is based in London. The deadline to apply is December 31, 2021.