High Country News is looking for informed and enthusiastic editorial fellows to report on issues of impact for the Western United States. We cover the West through in-depth, inclusive and insightful journalism, reporting from its cities and suburbs to its rural and natural spaces. 

“I didn’t go to journalism school. I never went to any graduate program in writing at all. If I was starting out now, I’d go to Colorado and work for High Country News. I’d try to get writing somewhere for somebody, get paid for it, and see what went on. My inclination would be to grow on the job, but not to the exclusion of these programs. Writing teaches writing. The doing of writing develops the writer, and the teacher coaches.”

John McPhee

Fellowships

Every year, High Country News offers up to three year-long fellowships. This position is remote and open to candidates who reside in Arizona, Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington or Wyoming. Working hours are flexible, but fellows should expect to work approximately 40 hours each week. Fellowships traditionally start each January. 

Fellows are paid a stipend on a bi-weekly basis of $1,665.60 ($20.82 an hour), as well as a work-from-home allowance of $46.15 bi-weekly and a one-time signing bonus of $1,000 intended to help defray the cost of IT equipment. In addition, this position is eligible for healthcare benefits starting on the first of the month, following 60 days employment. Paid vacation, sick leave and holidays are included. 

We plan to hire three fellows for the 2025 program year, which will run from January to December 2025.

  • The Virginia Spencer Davis Fellow will bring a desire to report on rural communities in the West, and how those communities are changing.
  • The Indigenous Affairs Fellow will ideally have lived experience as a person of Indigenous identity and/or a sophisticated understanding of Indigeneity, and an interest in reporting on Indigenous communities and issues.
  • The Climate and Science Fellow will have an interest in covering the future of the West under our changing climate, including climate justice, the green energy transition, ecosystem resilience, climate mitigation, scientific research and more.

All three will approach their work with curiosity and fair-mindedness.

The closing date for applications was October 27, 2024. 

Our fellows are a key part of the HCN team, developing, reporting and writing stories that matter. As we continue to broaden our coverage of the West, we encourage emerging journalists from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities to apply, to help us tell a more complex, complete story of the West. 

Fellows go on to become leaders in journalism and public life. They pursue careers as reporters, editors, educators, lawyers, policymakers and freelance writers. Above all, they deepen their knowledge of reporting with depth and nuance on the issues of critical importance to the Western U.S. and the national conversation.

The fellowship requires established reporting and writing skills and an interest in covering the modern West. We’re looking for enthusiastic, committed early-career journalists ideally with at least two years of professional writing (or equivalent) experience; we understand that lived experience can be as or more valuable than professional experience. 

Please email careers@hcn.org for further information.