Thanks to a generous grant from the McCormick Foundation, the Student Press Law Center is seeking applicants for a 13-month fellowship position for a recent college graduate with experience in editing, news writing and design for both print and Web-based publications. The position will begin in the late spring of 2016 and end in the summer of 2017 in coordination with the academic term. (Precise start and end dates can be adjusted to accommodate minor scheduling conflicts.)
The full-time position will include health and dental insurance and public transportation benefits and will pay a salary equivalent to $39,000 for the 13-month fellowship.
Applicants with a journalism degree will be given preference, but those with extensive writing and editing experience with student or commercial news media will be considered as well. The position may be especially appropriate for someone who is considering entering graduate or law school in fall 2017.
Duties of the McCormick Publications Fellow at the SPLC will include:
- Serving as managing editor of the SPLC’s thrice-yearly magazine, the SPLC Report, and the News Flash section of the SPLC’s website. The McCormick Publications Fellow will help develop the editorial focus of our publications, including writing news stories and coordinating and editing stories written by SPLC journalism interns. Applicants should have significant experience both in reporting/news writing and in editing and directing the work of other reporters. An understanding of basic legal concepts and terminology is helpful.
- Maintaining and updating the SPLC website. The McCormick Publications Fellow will be responsible for updating the site’s news content and helping us come up with ideas for new and relevant content of all types. Must be comfortable with online technology and content management systems. Experience in online journalism and basic working knowledge of HTML a must.
- Maintaining the SPLC’s social media accounts and email newsletters. The SPLC has a Facebook, Twitter, YouTube channel, Instagram and Snapchat. Applicants should have an understanding of how to increase reader engagement in each platform.
- Designing the SPLC Report and other SPLC publications. Applicants should have design/layout experience and should have experience using a desktop publishing program (Adobe InDesign preferred) and related applications such as Photoshop.
- Assisting the executive director in selecting SPLC journalism interns. The McCormick Publications Fellow will perform initial reviews of intern applications, interview top candidates and make hiring recommendations to the executive director.
The ideal candidate will have a degree in journalism or mass communications (or extensive news writing and editing experience with student or professional media if the degree is in another area); will be well-organized, detail-oriented, hard working and efficient, with a strong sense of responsibility and commitment to the principles of press freedom; and will have a sense of humor and be comfortable working in an informal but professional environment. Applicants must be willing to commit to serving the full 13-month fellowship. The McCormick Publications Fellow will work closely with all of the SPLC staff members but will be directly supervised by the Center’s executive director.
The Student Press Law Center is a 40-year-old nonprofit organization devoted to protecting the free press rights of high school and college journalists. The SPLC resides in a suite of smoke-free offices near Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. Employees have access to an on-site gym.
To be considered for the position, an applicant should submit the following materials:
- a letter describing your qualifications and interest in the position based on the above job description.
- a complete resume.
- the names and phone numbers of two references familiar with your work as a journalist.
- two to three samples of your news writing.
- two to three samples of pages or publications you have designed or produced layouts for. Also include links to any websites you have designed.
Applications will be considered until the position has been filled, but applicants are encouraged to send in their materials by April 8, 2016.
Please email applications to Frank LoMonte at director@splc.org
The Student Press Law Center is committed to equal opportunity in employment regardless of race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age or disability.