Career Center

Responsibilities

NBC News Digital is not just growing, it is transforming.
 
Innovation has always been one of the pillars lifting NBC into the ranks of elite journalism. From politics to pop culture, disinformation to data graphics, investigative to lifestyle, we have applied that spirit of constant renewal, reinvention and creativity to our news coverage. As we look to the future of journalism, NBC News Digital continues its streak in ambitiously growing and building its streaming and digital properties -- this time with a significant investment of nearly 200 jobs. We are looking for brilliant, enthusiastic, first-rate journalists who want to join us for the ride and are prepared to innovate and make an impact on the future of storytelling. 

NBC News Digital is hiring a reporter to uncover exclusive stories through accountability-driven public records requests.
 
This reporter will generate a constant flow of ideas for FOIAs, and have a knack for strategically targeting requests, as well as for pulling the most newsworthy nugget out of a stack of documents. The reporter will deliver both short-term scoops and long-term investigative projects. 

When big news breaks, the reporter will immediately file clear and specific records requests that will help map out the next few months of coverage. The reporter may work on one or several beats but should also be eager to tackle the top news storylines of the day and find fresh angles, regardless of the topic. The reporter should also build sources who can point NBC News to which records exist and the right records to request.

The reporter should be a leader in the field of open records. They should have a familiarity with how public-records laws work and are applied, find creative ways to shake records loose, and work closely with our legal department — from crafting appeals to suing for records when necessary. The reporter should also be incredibly organized, keeping track of FOIAs filed, due dates, appeal dates, and more, making sure that not a single filing slips through the cracks.

This reporter, a member of the Enterprise team, will also be a newsroom-wide evangelist for public records requests, running training sessions and advising colleagues on crafting FOIAs for maximum impact. The reporter will collaborate with reporters across the newsroom, including the breaking news, politics, health, business, tech, science and video desks. 

We are open to candidates who are based in New York, Los Angeles or Washington, D.C., where NBC News has bureaus, as well as candidates who would like to work remotely in another region of the United States. 

This position is represented by the NewsGuild-CWA.

Qualifications/Requirements

• 7+ years of experience at a major newspaper, website or magazine.
• A proven track record of consistently breaking big news stories based on reporting generated through sources and public records requests that received national attention or award recognition.
• Deep familiarity with requesting public records from states and the federal government, appealing denials, finding alternate ways into records when denied, and reviewing records to pull out groundbreaking information.
• You are a thought leader when it comes to public records, constantly looking to break new ground.
• Experience training other reporters on FOIA requests.
• Multiple examples of well-written and deeply reported enterprise stories.

- Must submit an attestation disclosing your COVID-19 vaccination status and, if partially or fully vaccinated, submitting your vaccination record no later than 7 days following commencement of employment.
- Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the commencement of employment or adhere to enhanced protocols if Company determines your job position requires accessing an NBCUniversal worksite.
- Must be willing to adhere to all Company COVID-19 workplace safety policies and protocols.

Desired Characteristics

• You have a high emotional IQ and are able to work collaboratively with people around the newsroom and NBC News at large.
• You understand that you are part of a team and that the team’s success is everyone’s success.