Native American Journalists Association

Salary & Benefits: US $50,000; plus healthcare & retirement benefits
Deadline to apply: May 15, 2023
Please note: Only applications submitted via email to jobs@modfarmer.com will be considered.

About us:
Originally founded in 2013 as a print publication, Modern Farmer has embarked on an exciting transition from a for-profit digital publication to a nonprofit initiative dedicated to raising awareness and catalyzing action at the intersection of food, agriculture, and society. Through independent journalism, community building, and partnerships, we aim to educate, inform, and drive positive change in the interest of a more resilient and equitable food system in North America.

We are a small team with a passion for highlighting the experiences and perspectives of the real people who intersect with our food supply: farmers, farmworkers, researchers, entrepreneurs, advocates, and more. We have always organized our editorial approach around stories of food and agriculture, from production to your plate. Now, we’re expanding our focus on the future: technology, innovation, and solutions to ensure the sustainability of our environment, our food supply, and the livelihoods of our food producers.

About the job:
Modern Farmer is seeking a full-time staff writer to join its editorial team. The ideal candidate is a creative and enterprising reporter with demonstrated experience in the areas of agriculture, food systems, technology and innovation, and/or climate and the environment. We’re looking for someone who is interested and adept in not only identifying problems and interrogating issues, but reporting on solutions and using reporting to drive positive real-world action and impact.

The Staff Writer will be an employee of US-based nonprofit organization Acceso Impact, of which Modern Farmer is an initiative, and will report to Modern Farmer’s Director of Content.

The primary responsibilities for this role include:

• Developing and maintaining relationships and sources within the ag and science community
• Staying up-to-date on current issues and anticipating emerging themes and stories
• Conceiving of original and compelling story ideas
• Delivering high-quality reported stories on deadline
• Producing approximately 6-8 stories per month, depending on length and complexity
• Collaborating with the editorial team to conceptualize special features
• Adhering to Modern Farmer’s editorial standards and strategy

For this role, we are looking for an individual with the following qualifications:

• At least 3-5 years of professional experience in journalism
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated experience in reporting and writing news/feature stories
• Exposure to/interest in issues related to agriculture, food systems, climate change, labor and equity, and/or science and technology
• Highest journalistic and personal ethics
• An undergraduate degree or equivalent work experience
• The ability to work collaboratively in a remote context
• Comfort working as part of a small, dynamic, and evolving remote team

We’re also interested in hearing from individuals who may have these additional qualifications:

• Experience in investigative and data journalism
• Experience in multimedia storytelling
• Experience in nonprofit journalism
• Spanish language proficiency

The story of land use and farming in North America is, in part, a story of the disenfranchisement and marginalization of Indigenous communities and people of color. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do, and we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.

To Apply
Please send your CV, a cover letter that includes two Modern Farmer story pitches, and links to/clips of three published stories to: jobs@modfarmer.com; include ‘Staff Writer’ in the subject line.

Please note: Only applications submitted via email to jobs@modfarmer.com will be considered.

Modern Farmer is a project of Acceso Impact, a US nonprofit organization. Acceso Impact is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Acceso Impact makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.