The Ben Bagdikian Fellowship Program offers a crash course in investigative journalism. Mother Jones fellows dive deep into every aspect of a national multimedia outfit—covering breaking news, assisting and conducting investigations, ensuring accuracy and impact, and seeing from the inside how awards are won. Fellows build on their reporting and research experience, working with reporters, editors, and our digital, audio, and art teams to master all the dimensions of a prize-winning digital and print publication.
Mother Jones fellowships are full-time positions. The next fellowship cycle will begin June, 2023, and run for one year. Applications will be open starting in April.
Those who are still in school or are only available part-time are not eligible, nor can fellowships be used for course credit. Because the first two weeks of the fellowship consist of intensive group trainings, all applicants, without exception, must be prepared to start on June 1, 2023. Mother Jones is not able to furnish work visas for applicants from outside the United States.
Fellows receive a $3,600 monthly stipend, plus an additional $200 per month for health care, supported by grants from the Irving Harris Foundation, Lannan Foundation, and Helen and Will Webster Foundation and by the generosity of our contributors.
Mother Jones believes that a diverse newsroom strengthens the quality of our workplace and reporting. We strongly encourage applications from members of communities that have been historically underrepresented in media, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities.
Position Descriptions
Editorial Fellowship: The editorial fellowship is a demanding, research-intensive foray into investigative journalism. Fellows work closely with reporters and editors on fact-checking, research, and reporting. You’ll receive training in every aspect of the editorial process, from research tools and methods to media law, and have opportunities to learn audio and data reporting, explore magazine feature writing, and hone your investigative skills. You’ll attend regular skill-building sessions covering topics that span the operations of a media organization.
Editorial fellows work closely on our award-winning bimonthly print magazine. By fact-checking our investigations, columns, and other reported pieces, fellows reverse-engineer a reporter’s work and learn what it takes to report, organize, and write a magazine story. Fellows are also expected and encouraged to report on subjects including national politics, climate change, the justice system, reproductive rights, and culture.
Fellows may also become involved in various digital projects—working on our newsletters, helping with web production, and aiding with our Climate Desk partnership—depending on interest and need.
Mother Jones has offices in San Francisco, Washington, DC, and New York. Most editorial staff are currently working remotely. The 2022-’23 fellowship cycle will start remotely, but there may be an opportunity to return to one of our offices before May 2023.
How to Apply
To apply to our editorial fellowship, complete this form.
More About the Fellowship