Investigative reporter Job at Investigative Reporters and Editors in Asheville

Asheville Watchdog is seeking a skilled investigative reporter to join our award-winning team in western North Carolina.

We’re looking for an ambitious, experienced reporter who can produce a mix of short-term and long-term accountability and investigative stories. The reporter’s primary focus will be the region’s healthcare system, including Mission Health and the Dogwood Health Trust.

The region’s healthcare system has experienced significant issues, including an exodus of physicians and nurses since the sale of Asheville’s once-nonprofit hospital to for-profit HCA Healthcare in 2019. In 2023, Mission and HCA were sued by the North Carolina attorney general, who alleged they weren’t honoring commitments made at the time of the sale.

The successful candidate should have a track record of versatility, as they will be called on to occasionally write about other topics, depending on our needs, and will collaborate with other award-winning investigative reporters on individual stories and longer-term projects from time to time.

We’re seeking a reporter who can build sources quickly, is equally comfortable with shoe-leather reporting and using data and public records, and who writes cleanly. We’re a small, highly collaborative team, so the successful candidate must have a record of working well with others.

Responsibilities

• Produce a steady stream of high-impact stories
• Generate a lengthy and ever-evolving list of investigative stories
• Identify and secure public records to drive reporting
• Collect and analyze data to report exclusive, high-impact stories
• Bulletproof stories before publication

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree or commensurate work experience
• Three to five years of reporting experience, with an emphasis on healthcare reporting
• Experience collecting and analyzing data
• Aptitude with public record-based reporting
• Excellent writing skills
• A thorough understanding of journalism ethics
• Experience shooting video and photos is a plus

We offer a generous mix of paid time off plus all federal holidays, and a stipend for health insurance. The position pays an annual salary of $65,000 to $75,000 and is based in Asheville, which is renowned for its art and food scene, craft breweries and outdoor activities in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.