Investigative Reporter

The Tributary, a nonprofit investigative newsroom headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., is seeking an accountability reporter who wants to tell deeply reported stories focused on the Florida Legislature, governor’s office, state agencies and law enforcement. 

Florida – home to the current president and future presidential aspirants – helps set the national agenda. Its policies affect millions of Floridians before getting exported to the rest of the nation. But the state government routinely throws up roadblocks to journalists seeking to get under the hood of its agencies. This reporter will nonetheless produce high-impact journalism that holds its state officials accountable. Doing so will require resourcefulness. 

That coverage will take the form of long-term, intensive projects and quicker turnaround enterprise stories. A mix of both is a requirement for this position.

This is not an entry level job. We are looking for a journalist with a track record of demonstrating hustle and creativity while navigating opaque government bureaucracies. That could mean past experience with long-term investigations or as an ambitious daily beat reporter. Past reporting experience in Florida is a major plus but not required. A collaborative spirit is also necessary: We often partner with other Florida news organizations to increase the reach and impact of our journalism. 

What this position is not: A state politics beat. This reporter might be examining jail inspection reports, conflicts of interest in state contracts, campaign finance curiosities or a cold case. What they won’t be doing is navel gazing over the controversy of the day or who’s winning the news cycle. 

The Tributary is a punchy nonprofit newsroom run by veteran journalists, and we plan to add more reporting firepower in the months ahead. Our mission is simple: We believe news in the public interest has the power to improve our state by informing citizens and holding government accountable. We do this by filling reporting gaps throughout Florida, not by duplicating work already being done. 

You’ll add to our award-winning coverage as we look to expand our footprint statewide.

Some recent past examples of our work: The Tributary’s coverage of dire medical conditions within the Duval County jail spurred state and local investigations, culminating in the cancellation of a $98-million healthcare provider contract. A year later, deaths in the facility were cut in half. The Tributary’s investigation last year into a hastily approved contract in Miami exposed a South Florida lawmaker whose votes benefited her son’s employer as she tried to help a school bus camera vendor win new contracts. Follow-up reporting in collaboration with the Miami Herald prompted the sheriff to suspend enforcement of some traffic violations. 

This year, our senior investigative reporter unraveled the decades-old prosecution of a man on Death Row, exposing a prosecution marred by critical omissions about the linchpin state witness and other questionable decisions and practices.

Responsibilities 

The reporter will:

• Work with the executive editor and projects editor to discuss, form, report and write stories.
• Develop sources within the government and in affected communities to help tell stories that expose wrongdoing, hold the powerful accountable and provide Floridians the information they need to make informed decisions.
• Produce a mix of quick-hit enterprise work and long-term projects.
• Develop collegial relationships with other news organizations.
• Be open minded. We ask our journalists to participate in community events, forums, media interviews and other public engagements. This is a critical component of our mission and audience development strategy – i.e., to help ensure our reporting reaches people who are otherwise tuned out of local and state news.

Qualifications

We are also open minded! We don’t get caught up on past titles, mastheads, or the school you went to. Give us your best clips, and we’ll go from there.

We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities. 

Location

Although The Tributary has an office based in Jacksonville, living in the city is not a requirement. However, frequent travel to Jacksonville and Tallahassee would be required. If you want to live elsewhere in Florida, we’re open to talking about that and how it would fit with your vision for this beat.

Pay and benefits

The salary range for this position is $70,000 to $80,000, depending upon experience. The Tributary also has generous paid vacation and holiday time, matching 401(k) and subsidized health insurance.

Deadline

11:59 p.m., May 5, 2025.

To apply

Send us a cover letter outlining your vision for this beat, and send us five of your best clips. Email jobs@jaxtrib.org.