Washington Post

Information and Influence Reporter

Washington Post$120K — $165K *
Media
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of impactful reporting experience in technology, media, politics, or similar fields.
  • Strong news judgment with the ability to identify key trends.
  • Experience translating complex systems into accessible, engaging journalism.
  • Excellent skills in reporting, interviewing, and source-building.
  • Proven ability to deliver both timely news and in-depth enterprise stories.
  • Analytical mindset with a passion for how information shapes society.
  • Collaborative approach with willingness to work cross-discipline.

Responsibilities

  • Break news about key players and platforms in the information ecosystem.
  • Produce in-depth reports on misinformation and new digital media trends.
  • Analyze the impact of AI and emerging technologies on information sharing.
  • Investigate the influence of political actors and tech companies on public perception.
  • Follow financial and power incentives behind information distribution.
  • Spot emerging cultural and technological trends affecting audience trust.
  • Create explanatory journalism and narratives to clarify complex topics.
  • Engage audiences with multifaceted storytelling formats across platforms.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Company-paid pension and a 401(k) match.
  • Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave.
  • Nine paid holidays and two personal days.
  • 20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent.
  • Access to robust mental health resources.
  • Backup care and caregiver concierge services provided.
  • Gender affirming services available.
  • Pet insurance options for employees.
  • Complimentary digital subscription to The Washington Post.
  • Leadership and career development opportunities offered.
Full Job Description

Application Instructions

Please list all professional experience and explain any gaps in employment history. All of your application materials, which may include PDF files of work samples and/or links to audio, video, photography or graphics, must be uploaded to the field labeled Resume/Cover Letter/Work Samplesto be considered for the position.


The Washington Post is seeking an enterprising, creative and deeply curious reporter to cover the rapidly evolving information ecosystem — exploring the forces that shape what people know, what they believe and how ideas spread in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

This beat sits at the intersection of media, technology, politics and culture. The reporter will examine the institutions, platforms, personalities and economic incentives that determine how information is created, distributed and consumed. From the rise of artificial intelligence and creator-driven media to misinformation campaigns, ideological ecosystems and online influence networks, this beat will illuminate how information has become one of the defining sources of power in modern society.

This is a role for a reporter who enjoys untangling complex systems, following money and influence and revealing the people and organizations driving change behind the scenes. They should be equally comfortable writing fast-paced news stories, ambitious investigations, explanatory journalism and compelling narratives that help readers understand an increasingly complicated world.

This position is based in our Washington, D.C., newsroom, though exceptional candidates in New York or San Francisco may be considered.

What Motivates You:

  • You are fascinated by how information is created, amplified and sometimes weaponized.

  • You are curious about the intersection of technology, media, politics and power.

  • You enjoy uncovering emerging trends before they reshape public life.

  • You thrive on explaining complex systems in ways that are clear, engaging and accessible.

  • You are energized by collaboration and ambitious enterprise reporting.

How You'll Support the Mission:

  • Break news on the people, organizations and platforms shaping today's information ecosystem.

  • Produce enterprise reporting on misinformation, disinformation, online influence campaigns and the evolving digital media landscape.

  • Chronicle the growing role of artificial intelligence, creator economies and emerging technologies in the production and distribution of information.

  • Investigate how political actors, technology companies, media organizations and online communities influence public understanding.

  • Follow money, incentives and power to reveal how information ecosystems are built, sustained and monetized.

  • Identify emerging cultural, technological and political trends that shape how audiences consume and trust information.

  • Produce explanatory journalism, reported analysis and narrative storytelling that helps readers make sense of a rapidly changing media environment.

  • Collaborate with relevant reporters across the newsroom to produce comprehensive, cross-disciplinary journalism.

  • Engage audiences through newsletters, social media, video, podcasts, live events and other evolving storytelling platforms.

The Skills and Experiences You Bring:

  • A track record of producing impactful reporting on technology, media, politics, business or related subjects.

  • Strong news judgment and an instinct for identifying consequential trends.

  • Experience covering complex systems and translating them into accessible journalism.

  • Excellent reporting, interviewing and source-building skills.

  • A demonstrated ability to produce both breaking news and ambitious enterprise.

  • A sharp analytical mindset and curiosity about the ways information shapes society.

  • A collaborative spirit and eagerness to work across disciplines.

  • A commitment to accuracy, fairness and the highest standards of journalism.

Interested candidates should upload a cover letter, résumé and three examples of their work (as PDFs) to our jobs portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by Sept. 29 will be prioritized. The cover letter should be addressed to Deputy Technology Editor Tom Simonite, Tech and Media Editor Alexis Fitts, Deputy Futures Editor Juliet Eilperin and Futures Editor Zachary Goldfarb.

The starting salary range for this position is $120,000 - $165,000. The actual starting salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements.

  Collaboration makes us stronger. That’s why our offices are designed with open layouts, modern technology, and easy access to transportation. With certain exceptions for newsgathering and business travel, we work on-site five days a week.

Compensation and Benefits

Wherever you are in your life or career, The Washington Post offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits for every step of your journey:

  • Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage

  • Company-paid pension and 401(k) match

  • Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave

  • Nine paid holidays and two personal days

  • 20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent

  • Robust mental health resources

  • Backup care and caregiver concierge services

  • Gender affirming services

  • Pet insurance

  • Free Post digital subscription

  • Leadership and career development programs

About Washington Post

The Washington Post is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most-widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large international audience. Daily broadsheet editions are printed for D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The newspaper has won the Pulitzer Prize 65 times for its work, the second-most of any publication. It is considered a newspaper of record in the U.S. Post journalists have also received 18 Nieman Fellowships and 368 White House News Photographers Association awards. The paper is well known for its political reporting and is one of the few remaining American newspapers to operate foreign bureaus. The Post was founded in 1877. In its early years, it went through several owners and struggled both financially and editorially. Financier Eugene Meyer purchased it out of bankruptcy in 1933 and revived its health and reputation, work continued by his successors Katharine and Phil Graham, who bought out several rival publications. The Post's 1971 printing of the Pentagon Papers helped spur opposition to the Vietnam War. Subsequently, in the best-known episode in the newspaper's history, reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein led the American press's investigation into what became known as the Watergate scandal, which resulted in the 1974 resignation of President Richard Nixon. The advent of the internet expanded the Post's national and international reach. In October 2013, the Graham family sold the newspaper to Nash Holdings, a holding company owned by Jeff Bezos, for $250 million.
Learn more about Washington Post
Industry

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Washington Post

More Media Jobs

Find similar Information and Influence Reporter jobs: