ProPublica Investigative Editor Training Program
ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.
For the fourth year, ProPublica will invite up to 10 news editors from media companies across the country to participate in a yearlong investigative editing training program, led by the newsroom’s award-winning staff.
Applications are now open. Submissions are due Monday, March 30, at 9 a.m. Eastern time.
As the nation’s premier nonprofit investigative newsroom, ProPublica is dedicated to journalism that changes laws and lives and to advancing the careers of the people who produce it. The goal of this program is to address our industry’s critical need to broaden the ranks of investigative editors. Building a pipeline of talent is a priority that serves us and our industry.
This year’s program will begin with a weeklong boot camp in New York that will include courses and panel discussions on how to conceive of and produce investigative projects that expose harm and have impact. The editors will also get training in how to manage reporters who are working with data, documents and sensitive sources, including whistleblowers, agency insiders and people who have suffered trauma. The program also includes virtual continuing education sessions and support from a ProPublica mentor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this?
The ProPublica Investigative Editor Training Program is designed to help expand the ranks of editors with investigative experience in newsrooms across the country, to help better reflect the nation as a whole.
What kind of experience can you expect?
The program kicks off with a five-day intensive editing boot camp in New York, which includes a series of courses and panel discussions led by ProPublica’s senior editors, veteran reporters and other newsroom leaders. The boot camp will include hands-on editing exercises and opportunities for participants to workshop projects underway in their own newsrooms.
Afterward, participants will gather virtually for seminars and career development discussions with their cohort and ProPublica journalists. Each of the participants will also be assigned a ProPublica senior editor as a mentor for advice on story and management challenges or on how to most effectively pursue their own professional aspirations.
What skills should I expect to learn?
- How to evaluate story ideas and determine the right scope, length and time for getting the work done.
- How to manage a reporter through a complicated accountability story and communicate feedback in ways that build trust and confidence.
- How to edit investigative drafts, spot holes in reporting logic, organize a narrative and guide the reporter through the fact-checking process.
- How to work collaboratively with research, data and multimedia teams to elevate an investigative project.
When is the boot camp?
The five-day, all-expenses-paid boot camp will be held May 31 to June 4, 2026, in New York, with remote sessions via Google Meet throughout the year.
Is there a virtual option for the boot camp?
This boot camp will be held in person and will not have a virtual option.
Will I be responsible for my expenses in New York?
ProPublica will cover participants’ expenses for meals, travel and lodging during the boot camp.
How many participants will be selected each year?
Up to 10 journalists.
Who is eligible?
The program is open to all. The aim is to help broaden our industry’s investigative editing ranks to include journalists from a wide array of backgrounds. We encourage everyone to apply, including those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and rural news organizations, as well as women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. Past participants have come from a wide range of news outlets across the country.
The ideal participants will have:
- A minimum of five years of journalism experience, either as an editor or as a reporter primarily doing work with an investigative or accountability focus.
- A strong grasp of the basics of editing, storytelling, structure and framing.
- Experience managing a team of journalists or a complicated multipronged reporting project.
- An accountability mindset: You don’t have to have been on the investigative team, but we are looking for people with an eye for watchdog reporting and editing.
Am I eligible if I live outside of the United States?
No.
How do I apply?
The application period is now open and closes Monday, March 30, at 9 a.m. Eastern time. Apply below.
What if I have other questions?
Send an email to Assistant Managing Editor Talia Buford at talent@propublica.org.
We know there are great candidates who may not fit into what we’ve described above or who have important skills we haven’t thought of. If that’s you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.
We are dedicated to improving our newsroom, in part by better reflecting the people we cover. (Here is a breakdown of our staff.) We are committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages. And we are taking steps to meet that commitment. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. We are an equal opportunity employer and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age or any other status protected under applicable law.