Opportunities 04/20/2022

Healthline, Scientific American, STAT, 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 Chris Erik Thomas , who was working for an art fair in Düsseldorf for the first half of April but has officially returned to study halls. 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 CLASSIFIED ADS

****ANNOUNCEMENT: The Classified Ads will be on a break through to the end of April, but we’ll be back soon. Want to learn more about promoting your job opening / pitch call / new project / ecommerce brand? 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: the politics of labor, racial dynamics in arts publishing, and managing stress while freelancing.

–AMA with writer and editor Alex Hazlett will take place on Wednesday, April 27 at 3PM EST. Hazlett was previously director of special projects at Mashable, and currently writes for Chalkbeat, Undark, Vox, The Cut, NBC Digital, and Romper. Participants are encouraged to ask questions about newsletter strategy, time-tracking and spreadsheets, and cultivating a beat (or three).

–AMA with journalist and researcher Zachary Siegel will take place on Wednesday, May 4 at 5PM EST. Siegel writes for a variety of news outlets and magazines, including New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, Slate, and WIRED. Participants are encouraged to ask questions about hybrid reporting that bridges writing, reportage, and personal narrative as well as burnout, moral injury, and addiction.

These hour-long conversations will be held in an AMA format in the #general channel on Slack (you’ll need a subscription with Slack access to attend). If you have requests — someone you’d like us to invite or a topic you’d like us to cover — feel free to shoot a note to [email protected] . If you need help updating your subscription, please email [email protected] .

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OPPS SUCCESS STORIES

Did you turn a pitch call into paid work or land a job, fellowship, internship, or some other gig you found in the Study Hall Opps newsletter? Let us know and we’ll give you a shoutout. Send the details to [email protected] with “Opps Success Story” in the subject line.

–Lindsay Wallace was paid $400 to write a list of 10 nostalgic Disney Channel Original movies to stream for Time. She received the assignment after answering a pitch call in a previous Opps newsletter. Lindsay’s editor, Angela, was “super friendly and kind, and this is the best rate I’ve ever gotten for a list.”

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RESOURCES

Mastering the art of freelancing requires more than just perusing the Study Hall Opps newsletter every week. To help you get the most bang for your buck, we keep track of the many, many resources designed to help journalists. Have a resource you’d like to see included? Send it to [email protected] with “Resource:” in the subject line.

-The Who Published This Website Checklist by Columbia Journalism Review is an essential guide to help journalists and researchers unmask the owner of a website, and also includes tips on tracing the origins of social media accounts and images.

-The Spring 2022 Fellowships and Residencies List by BOMB Magazine tracks all the current fellowships, residencies, and prizes accepting applications, including the location, deadline and residency period.

-The NBCC Book Coverage Publication List by the National Book Critics Circle tracks over 80 publications that publish book coverage (reviews, interviews, essays, etc.). The list includes editor names, contracts, pay rates, and more.

Want more resources? Check out the SpotlightDC Investigative Journalism Fund; United States Journalism Emergency Fund; Transcription Tool Safety Guide; Labor Strike Action Tracker; Rate Sharing Database; 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; 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

–MIT Technology Review is looking for pitches of news, features, profiles, and other story formats on the intersection of technology and gender for their upcoming issue on gender. The rate ranges from$1 to $2 per word. The deadline to pitch is this Friday, April 22 .

–Discover Magazine is looking for pitches on anything and everything found on Earth, past or present, for their Planet Earth column. The rate is $1 per word. Email [email protected] .

–The Statesider is looking for pitches of stories, maps, infographics, photo essays, and other formats on U.S. travel and culture. The rate is $500 for stories of at least 1,200 words, but reach out if you “want to do something shorter, significantly longer, [or] add complexity in some other way.” See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches by the end of April.

–The Local Magazine is looking for pitches of personal essay pitches on the climate crisis from young writers for an upcoming climate issue. The rate is around CAD $0.75 (USD $0.60) per word. Send pitches to [email protected] .

–Fatherly is commissioning a feature on trying psilocybin for depression that combines first-person experience with research on the topic. The rate is around $450 for a piece of 1,000-1,200 words. Send pitches to [email protected] .

–Jewish Currents is looking for pitches of reported features, essays, book reviews, artist profiles, and other criticism on the theme of “rest,” including labor and anti-work politics; debt jubilees; mutual aid; and other topics. The rates start at $400 for reviews and essays, and are “up to $1 per word” for deeply reported print features. Send pitches to [email protected] with the subject line “REST: [description of pitch]” by next Saturday, April 30.

–Chegg Life is looking for pitches of service journalism, personal essays, interviews, and reported stories on student debt, that appeal to college students and recent graduates. They are especially interested in pitches that intersect with mental health or personal finance, and that offer guidance around current events/policy. The rates start at $350 for pieces of 800 words. Send pitches to [email protected] .

–Healthline is looking for pitches on “all things gender-affirming care,” including 101 guides for youth, guides for caregivers, medical professional insights, and more. They are specifically looking for pitches only from trans, gender non-conforming, nonbinary, and gender-expansive writers. The rates range from $350-$450 per piece of 1,400-1,700 words. Send pitches and inquiries to [email protected] with “GAC” in the subject line by next Friday, April 29.

–Refinery29 UK is looking for pitches of opinion pieces on the final season of Derry Girls . They are particularly interested in “strong unique takes, reasons you love the show, are sad to see it go, and what it means to you.” The rate is £200 (USD $261) per piece. Send pitches to [email protected] .

–Variable West is looking for pitches of critical and analytical dispatches on West Coast artists showing at the Whitney Biennial from writers based in (or traveling to) NYC. The rate is $200 per dispatch of 1,000 words. Send pitches to [email protected] .

–Hell Gate , a new worker-owned news outlet, is looking for pitches of essays, photography, reported stories, and features on New York City. They want to cover topics as varied as flood mitigation in Central Queens, the disappearance (and reappearance) of underground music venues, below-the-radar union battles, wildlife in all urban contexts, an especially galling subway ad, and a decades-old grudge between spa owners. Rates start at around $200 for an essay or blog post of about 700 words; $250 for a photo assignment; $300 for a reported story; and $400 for a longer feature of at least 1,200 words. To pitch, send an email to [email protected] with “pitch” in the subject line within the next three weeks.

–Adventure Uncovered is looking for pitches of stories on “the intersection of adventure and social [or] environmental change through the lens of abundance” for their upcoming issue. The rate is £100 (USD $130) per piece. See their pitch guide for more info, and send pitches to [email protected] . “There is no deadline, but good ideas will be commissioned as they come in, so sooner is better!”

NEW EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES

-Shutterstock is always looking for pitches of blog posts, analysis, and op-eds on the topic of “Creative Guidance in a Changing World.” Their audience is marketers, business owners, and designers. The rate is $350 per article of around 1,000 words. Send pitches to Kristina Libby via Twitter ( https://twitter.com/kristinalibby ) or email ( [email protected] ).

–ARTnews is always looking for pitches of features and sharp opinions or essays on the art industry, how it works, and how it is rapidly changing. They are particularly interested in pitches on art and technology; institutional change and malfeasance; the global art market; and other topics. The rates typically start at $0.33 per word for stories of 650-2,500 words. See their pitch guide for more info.

–Artsy is always looking for pitches of artist profiles, exhibition reviews, art market analysis, artist lists, fair coverage, collector profiles, and other formats. They are especially interested in pitches from QTPOC writers. The rates start at $0.30 per word and increase based on experience. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected] .

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

FREELANCE, PART-TIME, AND TEMPORARY JOBS

–The Strategist UK is hiring a temporary senior editor to field pitches, generate story ideas, commission and line-edit e-commerce stories, and more. Candidates should have at least four years of editing experience and some management experience. The position is on a fixed-term contract of 10 months. This position is remote, and pays £72,000 (USD $94,347.72). The deadline to apply is May 10.

-Blue Stoop is hiring a part-time co-director of programs to implement programs that create “pathways to access writing education, inspiration, and professional support.” Candidates should have a passion for the literary arts and must be located in Philadelphia or in one of their six county service areas. The rate is $40 per hour, and the position requires working 15 hours per week. The deadline to apply is May 16.

–Road.Travel is commissioning two travel writers to produce multiple road trip guides based out of the state of Hawaii, as well as the city of Nashville, TN. The Hawaii-based writer will create “five one-day routes, two two-day routes, and one three-day route for $1,100.” The Nashville-based writer will create “five one-day routes, two two-day routes, and two three-day routes for $1,400.” Each route needs five to seven points of interest of 50-100 words each.

–New York Focus is hiring multiple contributing reporters to produce investigative stories and “shorter stories following up on those investigations, focused on New York state and city politics.” Candidates should have a demonstrated aptitude in reporting in-depth stories. The rate is $800 per investigative article, and “may be lower for less intensive follow-ups and other shorter stories.” The position is remote, “but the ideal candidate lives in or near New York state.”

–Moonlight Editorial is hiring freelance writers to produce “SEO-driven explainers for various clients in the business and ecommerce space, on topics ranging from payments to accounting to marketing.” The articles are ghostwritten, and writers are provided a detailed brief, including an outline, for every article. The rate is a flat fee based on assigned word count, but “rates range from $0.40-$0.50 cents per word.” Send clips and inquiries to [email protected] .

-Set on a Hill Animation Studios is hiring a freelance writer to assist with a rewrite of a comedy script for a family animated film. The rate is $1,000 for a rewrite of a 60-90 page script, but the rate is negotiable and writers “do not have to rewrite the entire thing if that doesn’t fit their budget.” Send inquiries to at [email protected] with examples of comedic film or TV script writing experience.

-Columbia Engineering is hiring a New York-based, part-time assistant editor to research, report, and write stories on technology issues and trends. Candidates should have at least two years of writing experience, including a “background in covering technology or science or demonstrated enthusiasm to learn challenging new subjects.” The position requires working 25 hours per week.

–STAT is looking for a freelance journalist to write a report for a health care industry audience on the use of blockchain in health care. The length of this report would be between 8,000 and 10,000 words, including an introduction and conclusion, for a flat fee of $5,500. It would require some reporting and serve as a guide to how the technology is being used and its potential in the field. Interested reporters, please email [email protected].

EVENTS AND COURSES

–Jewish Currents is hosting a discussion on the experience of writing from prison. The panel talk will include incarcerated writers and will focus on the challenges of writing in a restricted environment, their experiences with repression, and the support they’re seeking for their work. The discussion will take place this Tuesday, April 26 from 12PM to 1PM EST.

NEW: -Professional Editors Network is hosting a free workshop on creating contracts and other documents. The event will be led by attorney David Koehser and focus on what contract language makes sure you get paid, what recourse you have if a client doesn’t pay, and other topics. The event is on May 10 from 6PM to 7:30PM CDT.

-Meredith Talusan, a writer and contributing editor at them, is hosting a weekend workshop for “academics who want to transition to writing for the public.” The two-day bootcamp will include a lecture on May 21 and workshops on May 21 and May 22 that will cover op-eds, long-form essays, narrative nonfiction, memoir, and autobiographical fiction. Tickets are $125 for the lecture only, and $300 for the lecture and workshops, however there are scholarships available to cover the costs for both the lecture and workshop.

–Raconteur is offering a free, 12-week online course for budding business journalists, “particularly writers from communities and groups that have typically been marginalized and under-represented in our industry.” Applicants cannot have previously paid, published work or a degree in journalism, and they must be residents of the UK or the Republic of Ireland. The course runs from June 6 to August 29.

-NYU School of Professional Studies is hosting a paid summer program, How to Write Op-Eds and Personal Essays. The program will teach participants how to pitch a story to an editor and will conclude with a complete essay ready for publication. The tuition for the course is $829, and the course will be self-paced and run from June 13 to August 5.

GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS

-The Whiting Foundation is accepting applications for their annual creative nonfiction grant program. The program provides grants to “writers in the process of completing a book-length work of deeply researched and imaginatively composed nonfiction.” The program provides grants of $40,000 to 10 grantees, and writers must have a “project under contract with a publisher in the United States, the United Kingdom, or Canada.” The deadline to apply is this Monday, April 25 .

NEW: -The Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) is accepting applications for their Facebook Journalism Project Scholarship program. The program provides grants of $10,000 to five journalism students who identify as part of the American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, First Nations, and Métis communities. Applicants must be current or new NAJA members. The deadline to apply is next Saturday, April 30.

–Truthout is accepting submissions for their paid Keeley Schenwar Memorial Essay Prize program. The contest will highlight original, first-person essays of 1,500 words or less on the topic of prisons, policing or a related subject. The contest is only open to people who are currently or formerly incarcerated. The two winners will be awarded a prize of $3,000 each, and their essays will be published on Truthout . The deadline to submit is May 1.

–Feminist Press is accepting submissions for their Louise Meriwether First Book Prize progrm. The program publishes a debut work of either fiction or nonfiction that is between 30,000 and 80,000 words. The contest is only forwoman or nonbinary authors of color. The winner will be awarded a prize of $5,000 and a contract for publication. The deadline to apply is May 8.

NEW: -The Andy Warhol Foundation is accepting applications for their Arts Writers Grant program. The program provides grants ranging from $15,000-$50,000 to “emerging and established writers who write about contemporary visual art” in three categories: articles, books, and short-form writing. The deadline to apply is May 18.

–Oxford American is accepting submissions for their Fall 2022 Fiction Contest. Submissions must be made by a “writer whose fiction has not yet been published in a print publication with a circulation over 5,000 copies.” They are especially interested in submissions with “ties to the South or a story that furthers our mission of exploring the complexity and vitality of the South.” The contest winner will receive a prize of $1,000 and be included in their Fall 2022 issue. The deadline to submit is May 15.

FELLOWSHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS

–The Nation is accepting applications for their paid summer and fall 2022 internship program. The program pays $18 per hour ($630 per week), and interns are expected to work 35 hours per week. The internship can be remote but preference will be given to “those able to be in the NY metropolitan area during the internship.” The program runs from July 11 through December 18. The deadline to apply is this Friday, April 22 .

-Voces Internship of Idaho is accepting applications for their paid internship program. The program aims to provide resources for young Latino Idahoans to get professional paid experience to kick-start their careers. Applicants must be recent graduates from an Idaho high school, or a current college junior, senior, recent graduate, or something equivalent, and must be of Hispanic or Latino descent. Fall and spring semester internships are part-time, while the summer semester program is full-time. Send applications to [email protected] by this Sunday, April 24 .

–Business of Fashion is accepting applications for their paid Next Generation Black Journalists Fellowship program. The program is “designed to train and publish aspiring Black writers in the field of fashion business journalism.” Black writers from any country are eligible to apply, and a formal education is not necessary. The program is part-time, and runs from June 1 through the end of November. The fellowship is paid, however no rate was publicly given. The deadline to apply is next Saturday, April 30 at 5 PM EST.

NEW: -The Kitchen is accepting applications for their paid digital content fellowship program in New York. The fellow will develop and produce web and media content for their digital channels. Applicants should have at least one year of content production experience, and a “familiarity with diverse intersections of New York art, culture, communities, and histories.” The starting salary is $45,000, and the fellow is expected to work full-time for one year. The deadline to apply is May 2.

–Grist is accepting applications for their paid fellowship program. Fellows can choose between programs covering climate solutions , data , environmental justice , the Midwest , Indigenous affairs , and the news . The fellowship pays $3,334 per month and fellows are eligible for health benefits. The deadline to apply is May 13.

NEW: –Jewish Currents is accepting applications for their paid 2022-2023 fellowship program. The fellow will evaluate pitches and other editorial content; fact-check print and web pieces; edit, report, and write pieces; and other tasks. The fellowship pays $41,000, and the fellow is expected to work full-time for one year. The fellowship is remote, but “applicants should be able to work on Eastern Time.” The deadline to apply is May 15.

–Apple News and the National Association of Black Journalists are accepting applications for their paid fellowship program. The program is aimed at recent graduates and early career journalists, and fellows will rotate between various editorial teams before choosing a single focus area. Candidates must be able to work out of New York or Cupertino, CA. The fellowship is for one year, runs from June 2022 through February 2023, and the rate is $42 per hour. The deadline to apply is May 13.

–Marie Claire is accepting applications for their paid editorial fellowship program. The fellow will write for “all [their] verticals, in addition to supporting [their] senior editorial staff.” The fellowship is based in New York, and fellows will be expected to work Monday through Friday from 10AM to 5PM for six months. The fellowship is paid, but the rate was not publicly given. Send clips and a resume to [email protected] .

–StreetsblogMASS is accepting applications for their paid summer and fall fellowship program. Fellows will cover the election, housing, and transportation issues in Massachusetts. Applicants should have a strong interest in transportation policy, and must live in or near Massachusetts in order to attend public meetings, conduct interviews, or visit project sites. The program can last for either three or six months, and will pay $12,500 per quarter as well as up to $1,00 in “registration fees or travel costs associated with professional development events or training.” No deadline to apply was publicly given.

JOBS

NEW YORK

–New York Focus is hiring a staff reporter to produce “a mix of investigations and news stories on issues related to climate, energy, and environmental justice in New York state.” Candidates should have a familiarity with climate and environmental policy and with New York politics. The starting salary is $55,000, commensurate with experience. The deadline to apply is May 15.

–Scientific American is hiring a managing editor to guide their editorial vision and increase traffic and subscriptions. Candidates should have at least seven years of journalism experience, including knowledge of science, health, technology, or the environment.

-The Metropolitan Opera is hiring an associate editor to produce original content for both their print and digital media platforms, including program books, marketing materials, and ads. Candidates should have some experience in a not-for-profit arts environment, and an extensive knowledge of music, opera, and the performing arts.

–WNYC is hiring an associate producer to research and pitch stories for their daily news program, The Brian Lehrer Show . Candidates should have at least two years of experience in a “rigorous, media or research-driven environment,” and an enthusiasm for live public radio and the issues that matter to the listeners. The position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement between New York Public Radio and SAG-AFTRA.

–Bustle is hiring an entertainment news and strategy editor to assign and edit stories from their team of part-time writers, as well as identify “traffic opportunities and additional coverage areas.” Candidates should have at least three years of editing or writing experience. The position can be remote, but candidates based in New York are preferred.

CALIFORNIA

-Southern California Public Radio is hiring a Pasadena-based senior editor to manage their team of reporters, including assigning and editing daily stories, special projects, and other content. Candidates should have at least five years of reporting or editing experience, and at least two years of managing experience. The salary will be “no less than $106,914.”

NORTHEAST

-The Institute to End Mass Incarceration is hiring a Cambridge, MA-based managing editor to oversee the publication of their online journal, Inquest . Candidates should have at least five years of editing experience, and an “understanding of the landscape of current efforts to address the crisis of mass incarceration” is preferred. The salary range is $69,100-$116,100, commensurate with experience, and the editor will be expected to work 35 hours per week. The deadline to apply is May 13.

NORTHWEST

–InvestigateWest is hiring an investigative reporter “who lives to expose wrongdoing, corruption, exploitation, the holes in society’s safety nets and the powerful people responsible for fixing them.” Candidates should have a track record of producing in-depth stories and be able to work both independently and collaboratively. The job is based in Seattle, WA but is open to remote candidates based in the state of Washington, Oregon or Idaho. The salary range is $40,000 to $65,000 based on experience. The deadline to apply is May 6.

REMOTE-FRIENDLY

–Protocol is hiring a reporter to cover “how new technologies are being used to tackle climate change – and how the tech industry is reckoning with its own environmental impact.” Candidates should have “experience and expertise in climate tech but can also explain why it matters to a business audience.” The salary range is $75,000-$90,000 . position can be remote, but candidates based in San Francisco, New York, and Washington, D.C. are preferred.

–Bustle is hiring an entertainment news and strategy editor to assign and edit stories from their team of part-time writers, as well as identify “traffic opportunities and additional coverage areas.” Candidates should have at least three years of editing or writing experience. The position can be remote, but candidates based in New York are preferred.

–NPR is hiring a reporter to cover “the role corporations are playing in our changing climate.” Candidates should have at least seven years of journalism experience, including “a robust body of climate journalism work that includes stories about corporate activity and accountability.” The starting salary is $120,000. The position is covered under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement with SAG-AFTRA. The deadline to apply is May 7 .

–Black Feminist Future is hiring a director of communication to build the communications team and “develop our culture shift work that will focus on building narrative and cultural power to disrupt misogynoir and advance Black feminisms.” Candidates should have at least seven years of communications experience. The salary range is $85,000 to $100,000. The deadline to apply is in May.