♕ STUDY HALL OPPORTUNITIES 07/20/2023 ♕

The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, High Country News, 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 will be seeing Barbie tonight and recently dyed their hair and eyebrows white. The newsletter is (usually) released on Thursdays. Once in a while, we take a day off or publish late for mental health breaks and holidays.

►To help make the Opps better for all of our members, we introduced an Opps Feedback Form. Let us know what we can do to improve the newsletter.

►Editors, submit your time-sensitive or evergreen pitch calls to our Pitch Webform.

►Work at a publication that’s hiring or found a job we should see? Send it to our Jobs Webform.

►Need more info on Study Hall or want to check out our resources? Head to our Linktree.

►Have any other freelance gig, grant, internship, fellowship, or other opp you want to be included in the next Opps newsletter? Send them to [email protected] for approval with “Opportunity:” in the subject line. 

►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 them with other Study Hall members. Send them to [email protected] with “Resource:” in the subject line.

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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 many resources designed to help media workers. Have a resource you’d like to see included? Send it to [email protected] with “Resource:” in the subject line. 

NEW: -The IRE23 Tipsheets & Audio page of the Investigative Reporters and Editors site has a variety of slideshows and other materials from their ongoing conference sessions, including “Investigative techniques you can use in everyday reporting,” “Freelancer secrets: How to get paid for doing good investigative work,” and more. 

-The Working Sources database by the Economic Hardship Reporting Project compiles less-visible experts with on-the-ground and professional experience in the fields of Labor, Economics, Drugs, and Care. They will soon also include sources in the fields of Military, History, Housing, and Disability. 

-The New to Freelancing guide by the Freelance Solidarity Project provides support and resources to media workers who are freelancing for the first time. The guide includes contract advice, rate databases, and more. 

-The Fund for Investigative Journalism provides emergency grants of up to $10,000 for stories on threats to democracy in the US. The fund reviews proposals on a rolling basis and ends on December 31st, 2023.

–Trusting News has launched a series of “trust kits” that are designed to help journalists build trust with their readership. 

Want more resources? Check out Accessible Social; Reporting Job Board; Resources For Journalists Seeking Therapy; Trans Journalists Association’s Style Guide; NBCC Book Coverage Publication List; Who’s Behind This Website Checklist; SpotlightDC Investigative Journalism Fund; United States Journalism Emergency Fund; Transcription Tool Safety Guide; Labor Action Tracker; Rate Sharing Database; NPR Diverse Sources Database; Online Violence Response 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; Study Hall Fact Checkers 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 listed here. Engaging with a publication or company is entirely up to the reader. Regarding pitch calls, we try to only share opportunities with fair rates based on publicly available information. While we currently define “fair rates” as above $200 USD for around 700-800 words and above $0.20 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 FAIR RATES 

NEW: –Nexus Media News is commissioning a story on “HBCUs and climate education/leadership, ideally from an HBCU alum.” The rates start at $500. Send pitches to [email protected] by TOMORROW, July 21. 

NEW: –The Body is looking for pitches of reported pieces on “the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and its role in shaping the narrative around HIV.” The rates start at $400. Send pitches to [email protected] by this Monday, July 24. 

NEW: –Chron is looking for pitches of profiles, reported features, commentary, trend pieces, and other content on food and other topics. The rate is $0.50 per word and “maxes out at $400,” according to food editor John-Henry Perera. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected]. 

–Container Magazine is looking for pitches of tech and climate features, including stories from people “that have been erased from dominant white Western narratives” and “pitches for experimental formats, live events, video content and podcasts.” The rate is £300 ($387 USD) for 1,000 words or a range of £200-£250 ($258-$323 USD) per day for “freelance contributions (illustrations, event fees etc).” See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches by July 31.

NEW –Xtra Magazine is looking for pitches of reported pieces and essays with multiple sources on “the intersection of queerness, transness, and tattooing.” They are not interested in personal essays on what your tattoo means to you/how it made you queer, profiles of artists, or people talking about their queer tattoos. The rates start at $400 CAD ($304 USD). Send pitches to [email protected] by next Friday, July 28. 

–SFGATE is looking for pitches of features on Burning Man from writers who will be attending the event. Rates start at $250 but are higher “for more complex features.” Send pitches to [email protected] by August 14. 

–Cake Zine is looking for pitches of historical deep dives, personal essays, interviews, profiles, cultural criticism, and other formats for an upcoming issue on the theme of “Tough Cookie.” “Untraditional pitches related to seasonal traditions are welcome, but not required.” The flat rate is $200 for 500-1,000 words and $300 for 2,000 words, or $125-$175 for short pieces of 350 words or less. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected] with “WRITING/VISUAL PITCH — Last Name” in the subject line by this Tuesday, July 25 at 9 AM EST. 

TIME-SENSITIVE PITCH CALLS, BELOW FAIR RATES 

NEW: -APL Media is looking for pitches of topical stories on homes and interiors, health and wellbeing and finance and legal topics for their September supplements. The rate is £150 ($194 USD) for 600 words. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

NEW: –Full Stop Magazine is looking for pitches of essays on contemporary literature. They are also interested in reviews of works in translation. The rate is $150 per essay. Send pitches and inquiries to [email protected] or [email protected]. 

NEW: –Taos News is commissioning business writers in Taos, NM to cover their sponsored content. “Writers should have a keen grasp of local businesses and be able to work cooperatively with business owners and their staff.” The rate is $125 for “650 words and three photos (taken or supplied).” Send inquiries, including two samples of published articles, to [email protected].

NEW: –City Hall Watcher is looking for pitches of municipal analysis and reporting on the Toronto City Council. The rates start at $150 CAD ($114 USD) for shorter pieces and $300 CAD ($229 USD) for full issues. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

NEW: –whynow is looking for pitches of features, interviews, stories, and reviews on music, art, film, and TV. The rates range from £80-£150 ($103-$194 USD) “for the vast majority of pieces.” See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected]. 

NEW: –Reader’s Digest UK is looking for pitches of articles on “sustainable cooking, healthcare for marginalized communities, as well as dating and relationship pitches with an LGBTQ+ slant.” The rates range from £70-£100 ($90-$129 USD), depending on the piece. Send pitches to [email protected] by the end of July. 

NEW EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES

–High Country News is always looking for pitches of reported pieces, essays, and other content on issues related to the Southwestern US (covering California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado). The rates range from $0.50-$1.50 per word, “depending on the writer’s experience and our experience with the writer.” See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected] and/or [email protected]. 

-Nevermind Media is always looking for pitches of longform stories “from the back pages of music history for a to-be-launched podcast.” The scripts will be for episodes that are approximately 30 minutes, they are “looking for writers who are willing and able to record their scripts,” and will pay for a studio session to record it. The rate is $500 for a 15+ page script. Send pitches to [email protected] and [email protected]. 

–Beer & Weed Magazine is always looking for pitches of columns and features on Maine-based craft brewers and growers or the people who enjoy their products. The rate is $250 for 750-word columns and $375 for 1,500-word features. See their pitch guide for more info, including how to pitch. 

–Going is always looking for pitches of first-person essays on “one single once-in-a-lifetime experience” or deep dives on “a single city, region, state, country, or island” for their Worth the Flight or Going Places newsletters, respectively. The rates start at $250 for Worth the Flight and $300 for Going Places. Send pitches via the individual pitch forms for Worth the Flight or Going Places.

–Insider is always looking for pitches of stories from writers about “traveling with their car on the Amtrak Auto Train.” They are also interested in other Amtrak pitches “if you have any upcoming trips with any special bookings (like a roomette) or long routes (over 5 hours) coming up.” The rates start at $245. Send pitches to @nuclearunicorns on Twitter.

–Insider is always looking for pitches of personal essays on parenting, health, sex and relationships, and college life. THey are particularly interested in pitches on “having younger parents, having older parents, [and] complex relationships with your family (including siblings).” The rate is $200 for 600 words. Send pitches to [email protected]. 

–Little White Lies is always looking for pitches of reviews, interviews, longreads, and other formats on mainstream and independent cinema. The rates are £0.15 ($0.20 USD) per word. See their pitch guide for more info, including which editors to pitch to. 

***CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL LIST OF 300+ EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES.***

FREELANCE, PART-TIME, AND TEMPORARY JOBS 

NEW: –Ambrook Research is hiring a contributing writer to produce one 750- to 1,000-word reported feature per week on farming and food production for its Research section. “Stories will be a mix of writer pitches and assignments.” Candidates should have at least two years of reporting experience. The rate is $500 per story. Send inquiries to Jesse Hirsch at [email protected] for more details.

NEW: –The Daily Dot is hiring a part-time assistant editor to “help craft, analyze, and write for its web_crawlr newsletter on a weekend shift from Thursday through Saturday. Candidates should have at least one year of newsletter experience. The rate is $40 per hour, requires working 15-24 hours per week, and “there is an opportunity to add more hours when the newsletter editor is out.” No application deadline info was given for this role.

NEW: –The New York Times is hiring for multiple positions, including a remote project manager to work with its Safety and Security team from July to February, a NYC-based senior program manager for T Brand Studio on a temporary contract, and a Nairobi, Kenya-based bureau manager to join the International desk on a seven-month fixed-term contract. The annual salary ranges are $100,000-$120,000 for the remote program manager and $100,000-$128,000 for the NYC-based senior program manager. No application deadline info was given for these roles. 

NEW: –The Rumpus is hiring a part-time editor-in-chief to “lead [its] mostly volunteer editorial team and drive the editorial vision” of the literary magazine. Candidates should have at least two years of editorial experience, “ideally in a managing editor, senior editor, or EIC role.” The position is remote, pays a $1,500 monthly stipend and requires working 15-20 hours per week, which equals out to $25-$18.75 per hour. The deadline to apply is August 4. 

NEW: -SweetRush is hiring a freelance copy editor to proofread and edit “a variety of documents for many well-known national and international companies.” Candidates should have at least three years of copy editing experience. The rate ranges from $35-$45 per hour, and “hours will vary depending on the incoming workload and your availability.” The position can be remote within the US. No application deadline info was given for this role.

–The Economist is hiring a UK-based interactive visual journalist on a limited-term contract. Candidates must have experience with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, information/data design, D3.js, and web and/or user experience design. The contract will last six months, “with the possibility of extension.” The annual salary range is £40,000-£65,000. The deadline to apply is July 31. 

FULL-TIME JOURNALISM JOBS

NEW YORK CITY

NEW: –The New York Times is hiring a senior editor to expand the editorial approach and direction of The Ezra Klein Show, and a deputy tech editor to “examine how tech and policy intersect.” Candidates for both positions should have at least seven years of editing experience. The salary ranges are $138,000-$157,000 for the senior editor and $134,000-$185,000 for the deputy tech editor. No application deadline info was given for these roles. 

NEW: –City & State is hiring a senior reporter to cover NYC politics for its City Hall bureau. Candidates should have at least three years of reporting experience in NYC and have sources within the city’s political landscape, including City Council members, the mayor’s staff, and more. The salary range is $70,000-$80,000. The deadline to apply is July 31. 

NEW: –GZERO Media is hiring a senior writer to write and edit articles about international politics for its site and flagship newsletter, GZERO Daily. Candidates should have at least five years of reporting experience and three years of digital media experience (comfortable with newsletters, CMS, HTML). The salary range is $48,500-$95,000. The position can be based in New York City or Washington, DC. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

NEW: –CNN is hiring an associate producer to support the production of content for its audio department. Candidates should have at least two years of editorial experience, “with a strong audio background.” The salary range is $53,144-$98,696. The position can be based in New York City or Washington, DC. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

NEW: –BOMB Magazine is hiring a circulation manager to oversee “all day-to-day retail and subscriber operations” for its print magazine. Candidates must have some understanding of the periodical marketplace. The salary range is $65,000-$70,000 and the publication operates on a four-day workweek. The deadline to apply is August 14. 

CHICAGO

–City Bureau is hiring a lead development writer to draft and oversee “tailored fundraising communications of all kinds,” including grant proposals. Candidates should have excellent formal writing and editing skills. “Special consideration will be given to applicants who have worked closely with Chicago’s South and West Side communities.” The salary is $71,000. The position can be remote but requires “occasional in-person meetings and work sessions.” The deadline to apply is next Thursday, July 27. 

CALIFORNIA

NEW: –The San Francisco Chronicle is hiring a reporter to cover public safety in the Bay Area, “taking a lead role in reporting on crime and the courts as well as policing and civil rights.” Candidates should have at least two years of newsroom experience and must be able to take one weekend shift per week. The salary range is $75,000-$85,000. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

REMOTE-FRIENDLY

NEW: –Audubon is hiring an associate editor to work on stories for their digital outlet and quarterly print magazine. Candidates should have at least three years of experience in one of the following beats: science journalism, environmental journalism, or conservation/wildlife journalism. The salary range is $53,000-$71,000, the position is union eligible, and can be either remote or hybrid from their NYC office. Send inquiries about the position to deputy editor Jessica Leber at [email protected]. They “will consider applicants on a rolling basis until the position is filled.” 

NEW: –Sports Illustrated is hiring an executive editor to oversee its digital editorial team (including “at least three Assistant Managing Editors and a newsroom of 30+ editors, writers, and content creators”). Candidates should have at least seven years of leadership experience in sports media. The expected salary range is $150,000-$200,000. No application deadline info was given for this role. 

NEW: -The Arena Group is hiring a newsletter editor to oversee editorial strategy for its Men’s Journal and Sports Illustrated newsletters. Candidates should have at least two years of editorial experience, including some “familiarity with audience development, curation, programming, and Ad Ops.” The salary range is $65,000-$90,000. 

–The Marshall Project is hiring an engagement reporter to support its Life Inside essay series, produce a “Reader to Reader” column for its quarterly magazine, and other tasks. Candidates should have extensive community journalism experience, and some familiarity with FOIA requests “would be helpful, though not required.” The salary range is $80,000-$95,000. The position can be remote within the US or based in New York City. The deadline to apply is next Friday, July 28. 

INTERNATIONAL

NEW: –The New York Times is hiring a New Delhi-based correspondent to cover “India and the broader region of South Asia.” Candidates should have a track record of reporting for newspapers, digital news or magazines, and a “deep knowledge of India and surrounding countries.” No salary or application deadline info was given for this role. 

FULL-TIME WRITING JOBS 

REMOTE-FRIENDLY

NEW: -Farm Sanctuary is hiring a staff writer/editor to write and edit copy for “all channels, including website, magazine, email, commerce, social media platforms, and advertising.” Candidates should have at least three years of journalism or writing experience. The salary range is $60,000-$65,000 (paid hourly). The deadline to apply is TOMORROW, July 21 at 12 PM EST.

NEW: -Blue Bottle Coffee is hiring a senior copywriter to write copy for “all marketing materials including, but not limited to, email, digital advertising, e-commerce and website content, blog posts.” Candidates should have at least five years of experience as a copywriter or copy manager, and some experience managing freelance writers and editors. The minimum salary is $100,000. No application deadline info was given for this role.

NEW: -Pax8 is hiring a content writer and project coordinator to edit, revise, and finalize written reports, draft initial versions of commerce documents, and other tasks. Candidates should have at least five years of writing experience, including some “previous work experience with commercial or technical writing.” The starting salary is $68,000. 

NEW: -Birdeye is hiring a content writer to produce “content for B2B SaaS companies, including blogs, whitepapers, case studies, eBooks, and more.” Candidates should have at least three years of writing experience, ideally for B2B SaaS companies. No salary or application deadline was given for this role.

-punctum books is hiring an associate editor to “copy edit approximately 30–35 book manuscripts per year.” Candidates should have at least two years of copy editing experience and extensive familiarity with the Chicago Manual of Style. The salary range is $45,000-$55,000. The position can be remote anywhere in the US. The deadline to apply is August 1. 

GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS

NEW: -The International Women’s Media Foundation is accepting applications for its Kari Howard Fund for Narrative Journalism Grant program. The program provides grants of up to $5,000 for print journalists or print journalists leading a multi-media team anywhere in the world (although projects must be reported and published in English). Applicants must identify as women or nonbinary to be eligible. The deadline to apply for funding is August 20. 

-PEN America is accepting applications for its Bare Life Review Grant program. The program aims to support literary works in progress by immigrant and refugee writers. The works must be fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry. The program awards grants of $5,000 each. The deadline to apply is TOMORROW, July 21. 

-Little, Brown Spark, in partnership with the Psychotherapy Networker, is accepting submissions for its New Voices Award program. Applicants can submit a “non-fiction book proposal on any topic within any branch of psychology.” The program is specifically for “previously unpublished (with the exception of articles, academic papers, or self-published books) and unagented writers from underrepresented backgrounds.” The award provides a $50,000 advance, a ticket to the Psychotherapy Networker’s 2024 Symposium in Washington, DC, and a $500 travel stipend. The deadline to apply is October 15. 

FELLOWSHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS

NEW: -Climate Tracker is accepting applications for its COP28 Asia Fellowship program. The program provides funding for four climate journalists (two in-person and two virtual) to cover critical issues for their country and region throughout the global summit, which takes place from November 30 through December 12, 2023. Applicants should have at least three years of journalism experience. The deadline to apply is August 4. 

NEW: -Macmillan Publishers is accepting applications for its Fall 2023 Internship program. Interns will learn about the basic structure and operations of specific departments in one of two tracks: Shared Services (legal, HR, DEI, etc) or Trade Publishing (editorial, production editorial, etc). The internship is remote, pays $15 per hour, and requires working “no more than 25 hours per week.” No application deadline was given for this program but the internship will begin on September 11. 

-The Columbia Journalism School is accepting applications for its 2023 Age Boom Academy Fellowship program. The program is designed to train journalists on issues of housing and healthy longevity, and the 2023 program will focus on “housing for an aging population.” The fellowship is entirely online and includes panel sessions and 1:1 interviews with expert sources. “There is no cost for accepted fellows but [they] expect fellows to generate reporting.” The deadline to apply is TOMORROW, July 21. 

-Poynter and Google News Initiative are accepting applications for their Misinformation Student Fellowship Program. The program is “focused on combating mis- and disinformation in communities,” and places fellows in local newsrooms, including The Kansas City Defender, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and La Esquina in Houston, TX, among others. The program provides a $10,000 stipend for the duration of the fellowship. The deadline to apply is TOMORROW, July 21. 

-Humanity in Action is accepting applications for its 2023/24 Landecker Democracy Fellowship program. Each fellow will create or expand on a project that “helps strengthen democracy,” with the theme this year being: “Democracy and the Politics of Memory.” Applicants must have at least five years of professional experience. Fellows will receive hands-on training, support, and a stipend of €15,000 ($16,380.90 USD). Applicants can be based anywhere within the US, UK, EU, or Ukraine. The deadline to apply is August 6. 

–ProPublica is accepting applications for its Diamonstein-Spielvogel Visual Journalism Fellowship program. The fellow will join the editorial team for two years and collaborate on in-depth investigative projects, and pitch and produce independent visual stories. Candidates should have at least three years of professional photojournalism experience and be able to travel for photo assignments around the US. The salary is $75,000 and will begin by September 15. The deadline to apply is August 8. 

-The Cullman Center of the New York Public Library is accepting applications for its 2024-2025 Fellowship program in New York City. The program awards 15 fellowships to scholars and writers, including journalists, whose work will “benefit directly from access to the research collections at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.” The fellowship includes a stipend of up to $75,000, the use of an office with a computer, and full access to the Library’s physical and electronic resources. The program runs from September through May. The deadline to apply is September 29. 

-NPR is accepting applications for its Next Generation Radio training program in various cities throughout 2023. The five-day program is designed to give participants “the opportunity to learn how to report and produce a non-narrated audio piece and a companion multimedia story.” The program partners include WUNC/North Carolina Public Radio, St Louis Public Radio, and NAJA Next Gen Radio: Indigenous, among others. There is no fee for the program, and stipends are available to selected reporters. The deadline to apply varies depending on the location.