Opportunities 3/16/2022

Trailrunner Magazine, Bobvila.com, Futurism 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 is on season two of Sex and the City and continues urging you to donate to Ukraine humanitarian aid efforts. 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

►Want to read about the art, business and science of storytelling? The Story is a magazine for media workers. It deconstructs great texts to see how they work, interviews professional storytellers to learn about their craft and – like all good stories – entertains. Read it for free.

Want to promote your job opening / pitch call / new project / ecommerce brand? Consider a Classified Ad. Thanks to partnerships with both Links I Would Gchat You and Words of Mouth, we have three tiers of placement that will get your ad in front of 4K+, 16K+, or 40K+ hyper-engaged readers depending on your needs. Interested? 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 art critic Rahel Aima will take place today, March 16 at 5PM EST. Aima is an associate editor at Momus and has previously been associated with The New Inquiry, Ibraaz, Brownbook, and THE STATE, where she was the founding editor-in-chief. Participants are encouraged to ask questions about racial dynamics in arts publishing, white editorial blight, and the state of art criticism.

–AMA with entertainment writer Rachel Simon will take place on April 13 at 3PM EST. Simon was previously deputy editor of HelloGiggles, entertainment news editor for Bustle, and wellbeing editor for Mic. Participants are encouraged to ask questions about managing stress while freelancing and the art of pitching and promoting your work.

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.

–Thacher Schmid was paid $800 to write an essay on how to fix the moral and societal failure of homelessness for Mic.  There was a wait of several months between when he sent in his pitch and when he heard back, but Senior Editor Kimberly Alters, who runs the Impact vertical, was “great to work with.”

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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 Substance Use Reporting Guide by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction offers journalists an in-depth guide on how to improve reporting on substance use and the people it impacts, including terms to avoid and additional resources.

-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 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

–National Geographic is looking for pitches of timely stories on travel for spring. They are especially interested in travel stories in the Midwest and Great Plains regions, and are specifically not looking for pitches of people and company profiles; galleries and listicles; or food and drink stories. The rates range from $800-$1,000 per piece. Send pitches to [email protected] by April 2.

–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.

–The Muse is looking for pitches of reported features, essays, humor pieces, and opinion pieces on careers and work. They are especially interested in pitches that “shed light, provide insight, reframe, and capture zeitgeists at a moment when careers, work, and culture are shifting and evolving.” The rates range from $300-$600, but they will “consider going higher for the right stories.” Send pitches to [email protected].

–The Resolve is looking for pitches of features, reported news stories, explainers, profiles, interviews, analysis, and personal essays on “race and health, race and justice, and race and the environment.” The rate is CAD $0.50 (USD $0.39) per word for pieces of 800-1,000 words. See their pitch guide for more info.

–BobVila.com is commissioning freelance writers to produce buying guides on home and garden topics. They are specifically looking to assign guides on grills, bird products, and lawn care. The rates range from $250-$600 per guide. Send inquiries to [email protected].

–Catapult is looking for pitches of essays and criticism on pop culture, digital culture, literature, news, science, and other topics. The rates start at $200 per essay. See their pitch guide for more info.

–Slate is looking for pitches of stories on internet culture, fandom, and music. The rates start at $200 per piece. Send pitches to [email protected].

–Trailrunner Magazine is looking for pitches of stories on “trails [and] foot travel in this time of loss, opportunity, and inflection.” They are especially interested in stories of encounters that “made you weep, made you dance, made you spit blood.” The rates start at $200 for digital pieces, and start at $0.25 per word for print features. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to @nicktriolo.

–Live Science is commissioning freelance science writers to produce e-commerce work on “science books, kits, online courses, microscopes, telescopes, [and] all kinds of scopes.” The rates are £150 (USD $200) for pieces of 1,000 words. Send inquiries to [email protected].

–African Arguments is looking for pitches of reviews, listicles, interviews, investigations, essays, features, analysis, and deep dives on African art, culture, creative industries, events, and issues. They are especially interested in pitches on the restitution of African artifacts, films, Afrobeats and Amapiano crossovers, queer Africans, and more. The rates are around $150 for op-eds and $200 for reported features, but can be more based on length and complexity. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected].

–Fed is looking for pitches of stories on food and agriculture under the theme of “textiles” for an upcoming issue. They are especially interested in pitches on “silk production; indigo farming; [and] whether sustainable alternatives will disrupt or reproduce exploitation in textiles and the fashion industry.” The rate is CAD $0.15 (USD $0.12) per word for pieces of around 1,200 words. Send pitches to [email protected].

–Aislin Magazine is commissioning writers to produce event recaps, artist interviews, reviews, and essays on art, fashion, writing, and music for their upcoming issue. They are also commissioning photographers and illustrators. The rates range from $100-$250 per piece. See their pitch form for more info.

–Pride Source is looking for pitches of essays, reported features, profiles, and stories on ideas related to Pride season. They are also looking for pitches on auto, home, and travel stories, and are especially interested in pitches with a Michigan angle. The rates range from $100-$150 for essays, and $150-$250 for features. See their pitch guide for more info, and send pitches and inquiries to [email protected].

–Paste Magazine is looking for pitches of travel stories. The rate is $100 for pieces of 800 words, but “there is some room to negotiate based on the assignment.” Send pitches to [email protected].

–Autostraddle is looking for pitches of stories on sex and relationships from lesbian, bisexual, and queer women and/or trans writers of color. They are especially interested in pitches on sex and sobriety, poly parenting, dating as a queer parent, and other topics. The rates range from $100-$200 per piece. Send pitches to [email protected].

NEW EVERGREEN PITCH CALLS, SORTED BY HIGHEST TO LOWEST RATES

–The Discoverer is always looking for pitches of “travel guides, first-person travel essays, interviews, and anything else you can think of that’s travel-adjacent,” including restaurants and food. They are especially interested in pitches from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ writers. The rates range from $250-$500 per piece, depending on length and scope. See their pitch guide for more info and send pitches to [email protected].

–The Objective is always looking for pitches of stories on “marginalized journalists and audiences in American newsrooms,” including systemic biases in reporting and newsroom practices. The rates range from $200-$600 per piece, depending on the length and story type. See their pitch guide for more info.

–The Bella Donna is always looking for pitches of anonymous op-eds by female identified writers on “personal reflections and epiphanies, thoughtful societal and cultural analysis, philosophy, creative nonfiction, [and] slices of life.” The writer must be willing to be anonymous for “a minimum of six months after [the] piece is published.” The rate is $150 per piece of at least 800 words. 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

–Elite Daily is hiring a contributing editor to join their Dating team on a part-time basis. Candidates should have at least two years of writing experience, and one year of editing or managing experience. The rates start at $27 per hour, and the editor is required to work from Tuesday through Friday, 11AM to 6PM EST.

-UC Global Health Institute is hiring freelance writers to interview key stakeholders and write articles centering on themes of global health, public health, and health equity. They are especially interested in hiring BIPOC writers. The rates range from $200-$500 per assignment.

–Road.Travel is hiring writers to produce road trip guides for 20 U.S. cities, including Anchorage, Chicago, New York, Houston, Salt Lake City, and more. A typical one-day route (routes will range from 1-4 days) has five to seven stops with descriptions  of 50-100 words each. Each city will require 16 completed routes. The rate is $2,500 to write all 16 route guides, which “should take you about 10 working days to complete, spread across 4-6 weeks.” Send inquiries to [email protected] with “[CITY NAME] Road Trip Expert” in the subject line.

EVENTS AND COURSES

NEW: –Mongabay is hosting a free webinar on reforestation next Thursday, March 24 at 6PM EST. The panel discussion will feature two leading experts in the reforestation sector, Robin Chazdon and Erin Axelrod, and journalist Nithin Coca. The webinar aims to help journalists find possible story ideas for reporting on reforestation.

NEW: -The School of Visual Arts is hosting a paid Design Writing and Research summer intensive. The online course will allow participants to “experiment with essential techniques such as interviewing, archive research, close observation, analysis and critique, and then to develop and finesse several projects.” The tuition for the course is $1,800, and the course will run from June 6-17. The deadline to apply is April 1.

-Joe Fassler, deputy editor of The Counter, is hosting an eight-week workshop on food and environmental nonfiction for Sterling College. The course will teach students to craft compelling stories, allow them to workshop their pieces and pitches, and includes multiple guest speakers. The tuition will be $1,250, but there are four fellowships available: three for BIPOC writers and one for a veteran. The course runs from April 4 through May 27.

-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.

GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS

-The International Women’s Media Foundation is accepting nominations for their annual Courage in Journalism Awards. The award honors full-time staff or freelance reporters, writers, editors, photographers or producers who identify as women, non-binary, and gender nonconforming. Self-nominations are not accepted. The deadline to nominate is this Friday, March 18.

-The International Women’s Media Foundation is accepting nominations for their Gwen Ifill Award. The award is given to a woman, non-binary, or gender-nonconforming journalist of color in the U.S. with “a track record of mentorship, leadership, and a commitment to diversity in journalism.” They accept both third-party and self-nominations. The deadline to nominate is March 26.

-The McGraw Center for Business Journalism is accepting applications for their paid grant program. The program aims to support the production of deeply reported enterprise and investigative stories on critical economic, financial, or business issues across a wide array of subjects. The program provides editorial support and grants of up to $15,000. You do not need to be a business reporter to apply. The deadline to apply is March 31.

–The Atlantic is accepting applications for their paid 2022 Michael Kelly Award. The award recognizes work published in a U.S.-based print or online publication that exemplifies “the fearless pursuit and expression of truth.” The winning entry will be awarded $25,000, and each finalist will receive $3,000. The deadline to apply is April 1.

-The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine is accepting submissions for their paid Excellence in Science Communication awards program. The program aims to highlight work by science journalists and research scientists who have produced excellent work on science, engineering, or medicine. Submissions are accepted in six categories, including for freelance journalists and early career journalists. They will award six top prizes of $40,000 and 18 regular prizes of $20,000. The deadline to submit is April 3.

-The Carter Center is accepting applications for their Benjamin von Sternenfels Rosenthal Grant for Mental Health Investigative Journalism program. The program provides training from behavioral health and journalism experts and a grant of $10,000 for a journalist to produce an in-depth investigation into a mental health topic of their choice. Applicants must have at least three years of journalism experience. The deadline to apply is April 6.

–Truthout is accepting submissions for their paid Keeley Schenwar Memorial Essay Prize program. The content 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.

–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.

-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

NEW: -Urban Design Forum is accepting applications for their paid New City Critics fellowship program. The program aims to support the development of five critics from underrepresented backgrounds. Fellows will have access to guest lectures and workshops, research guidance, mentorship, and other services. The fellowship provides a stipend of $15,000, and fellows are expected to meet Monday evenings twice per month in New York. The fellowship also provides a travel or research stipend of $2,000 and an allowance of up to $2,500 for project expenses. The deadline to apply is next Wednesday, March 23.

–New York Public Radio is accepting applications for their paid Death, Sex & Money Internship program. Interns will work with staff to create content for their podcast feed, social media pages, and website. The rate is $15 per hour, and interns are expected to work 35 hours per week from June 6 through August 12. The deadline to apply is March 25.

–MIT Technology Review is accepting applications for their paid Emerging Journalist Fellowship program. The program provides intense and rigorous training that aims to help journalists refine their chosen beat and produce content on that beat. The rate is $20 per hour and fellows are expected to work full-time for six months. The program can be remote or based in Cambridge, MA. The deadline to apply is March 31.

JOBS

NEW YORK

–HuffPost is hiring for multiple positions, including a managing editor to lead their team of Shopping writers; an operations associate to manage editorial workflows and processes of both HuffPost and BuzzFeed; a senior editor to relaunch their Voices vertical on BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and womens’ issues; a weekend trends reporter to work at least one day per weekend starting between 5-7AM EST; and a video producer to script short-form videos for their site and social media pages. The video producer and operations associate positions must be based in New York, while the managing editor, senior editor, and weekend trends reporter positions can be remote or based in New York. The video producer and trends reporter positions are covered in the WGA-E bargaining unit.

-Storyline Media is hiring a program manager to create, run, and evaluate their programming, including co-designing and launching their apprenticeship program. Candidates should have at least five years of project management experience and a knowledge of and interest in art, cinema, and documentary. The salary range is $65,000-$69,000. The deadline to apply is March 31.

-Futuro Newsroom is hiring an editorial director to lead their editorial teams at Latino USA, In The Thick, and Latino Rebels. Candidates should have at least a decade of experience in audio or digital journalism and at least seven years of newsroom leadership experience. Spanish language fluency and proficiency is strongly preferred, but not required. The salary range is $130,000-$145,000, commensurate with experience. The position can be remote but will require occasionally working out of their office in Harlem, New York. The deadline to apply is March 31.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

–HuffPost is hiring a deputy editor to manage their team of 15 reporters as they cover policy and politics. Candidates should have at least two years of experience editing enterprise stories and features, including some experience in investigative journalism. The position can be remote or based in Washington, D.C.

TEXAS

–The Houston Chronicle is hiring for multiple positions, including a data reporter to produce graphics and news apps for breaking news and larger projects; a weekend editor to work Thursday through Sunday; and a food writer to produce stories for their Food & Drink vertical. The deadlines to apply are April 23 for the food writer position, April 29 for the data reporter position, and April 30 for the weekend editor position.

-Rice Business Publications is hiring a Houston-based editor to write and edit articles for their bi-monthly newsletter and yearly print publication, Rice Business Wisdom, as well as their bi-annual print publication, Rice Business. Candidates should have at least three years of writing or editing experience. The starting salary is $55,000. The deadline to apply is next Thursday, March 24.

–Glasstire is hiring an editor-in-chief to oversee all content and lead their editorial team. Candidates should have at least three years of writing and editorial experience, familiarity with contemporary art and art writing, and a track record of strong leadership. The position can be based anywhere in Texas, but preference will be given to candidates based in Houston. The deadline to apply is March 27.

CALIFORNIA

–CalMatters is hiring a Sacramento-based editor to reimagine and lead their California Voices section. Candidates should have at least three years of journalism experience, including some experience as an editor, and familiarity with California issues is preferred. The starting salary is $90,000.

CENTRAL

–Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting is hiring a Louisville-based managing editor to lead their staff of four full-time reporters. Candidates should have at least a decade of journalism experience, including “expansive experience in investigative reporting and editing.” The salary range is $80,000-$100,000.

REMOTE-FRIENDLY

–Futurism is hiring a staff writer to produce news digests and original reporting on technology and science. Candidates should have at least one year of full-time or freelance writing experience, and a demonstrated understanding of the emergent science and technology beat is preferred, but not required. The starting salary is “probably” around $60,000, according to their managing editor, Jon Christian.

–Quartz is hiring a deputy email editor to edit, produce, and develop their suite of editorial emails. Candidates should have at least one year of editing experience, with some experience covering business and the economy, or China, India, and Africa preferred. The position can be remote but candidates must be able to work from 9AM to 5PM EST.

–The 19th is hiring a product designer to use qualitative and quantitative data to design user experiences that serve their audience and business goals. Candidates should have at least four years of experience in product design, and some news experience is preferred. The starting salary is $90,000. The deadline to apply is tomorrow, March 17.

–HuffPost is hiring for multiple positions, including a managing editor to lead their team of Shopping writers; a senior editor to relaunch their Voices vertical on BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and womens’ issues; a weekend trends reporter to work at least one day per weekend starting between 5-7AM EST; and a deputy editor to manage their team of 15 reporters as they cover policy and politics. All positions can be remote or based in New York. The trends reporter position is covered in the WGA-E bargaining unit.

–Bolts is hiring for multiple positions, including a staff writer to cover politics, especially criminal justice and voting rights, as well as a story editor to develop, shape, and produce stories. Candidates for both positions should have a “broad interest in left politics and progressive policy, social movements, criminal justice, and voting rights.” The salary ranges are $70,000-$80,000 for the staff writer and $75,000-$82,000 for the story editor. They began reviewing applications for both positions on Friday, March 11, but the positions will remain open as long as the postings are up.

–Prison Journalism Project is hiring a director of development to manage all aspects of their fundraising, including crafting proposals and reports. Candidates should have at least five years of experience “working with development for nonprofit organizations with budgets of $5 million or more.” The salary range is $90,000-$110,000. The deadline to apply is this Sunday, March 20.

-Futuro Newsroom is hiring an editorial director to lead their editorial teams at Latino USA, In The Thick, and Latino Rebels. Candidates should have at least a decade of experience in audio or digital journalism and at least seven years of newsroom leadership experience. Spanish language fluency and proficiency is strongly preferred, but not required. The salary range is $130,000-$145,000, commensurate with experience. The position can be remote but will require occasionally working out of their office in Harlem, New York. The deadline to apply is March 31.

–Mondoweiss is hiring for multiple positions, including a director of development to expand their fundraising program, as well as a managing editor to lead their editorial agenda. Candidates for both positions should have a demonstrated commitment to Palestinian human rights. The salary ranges are $75,000-$80,000 for the director of development and $54,000-$60,000 for the managing editor. The deadline to apply for both positions is April 1.

INTERNATIONAL

–The Associated Press is hiring a Havana-based reporter to cover Cuba and the Caribbean. Candidates must be able to speak and read English and Spanish, and should have a history of successful beat reporting and a broad and deep understanding of current issues in Cuba and the Caribbean. The deadline to apply is next Wednesday, March 23.