Staff Writer, Defense

About the Position

CQ Roll Call seeks an experienced, versatile and motivated journalist to join a team of reporters covering defense and national security issues. This is a role for someone who can generate distinctive coverage of defense policy and spending through the lenses of Congress and the Pentagon for a sophisticated audience. The ideal candidate has excellent news judgment, superior writing and reporting skills, and a strong record of breaking news and developing sources. You can connect the dots between policies, politics and people, and can balance spot news and unique enterprise. Experience covering defense and/or Congress strongly preferred.

The position is based in Washington, DC and requires daily reporting from the Capitol.

About the CQ Roll Call Team

Washington’s CQ Roll Call brings up-to-date news, analysis, and insights to senior decision-makers on Capitol Hill. This trusted source of unbiased, impartial information provides authoritative, nonpartisan and accurate congressional news and legislative tracking tools to its subscribers. Through more than 40 print and online products, CQ Roll Call offers insight on the people and institutions that influence public policy and legislation, keeping readers updated on a weekly, daily and real-time basis with coverage of every legislative action in Congress via breaking news, bill tracking, and member profiles. 

Application requirements

All applicants must submit four (4) published writing samples from newspapers, news websites or news magazines that demonstrate reporting and writing ability. When submitting stories, please include a note about your work: What sets it apart from other coverage? What does it illustrate about your approach to journalism? The work samples can be uploaded as documents or provided as direct links that are not password-protected.

The base salary range for this position is $80,000 - 90,000 per year.

#LI-HR1

• Producing daily and enterprise stories as part of a four-person team
• Thriving in a fast-paced, subscriber-focused newsroom where journalism is produced for two websites, a newspaper that publishes when Congress is in session, and dozens of newsletters in front of and behind a paywall
• Contributing to CQ Defense, a subscription newsletter that publishes weekdays when Congress is in session
• Contributing to legislative tracking (coverage of markups and vote entry) on all major legislation and nominations. You will work in tandem with the Legislative Research and Committees teams on coverage of the annual defense policy bill, known as the NDAA, as it moves through both chambers to the president’s desk. Coverage also includes the Defense and Military Construction-VA appropriations bills
• Staying on top of developments about defense and national security in all branches of government, especially the work of the congressional committees with jurisdiction over the Defense Department. The subjects include contracting, counterterrorism, intelligence, national security infrastructure, homeland security, the U.S. military and National Guard, among others
• Collaborating with the Multimedia team on visuals, graphics, audio and other storytelling forms to enhance your reporting 
• Writing profile stories about members of Congress on the Armed Services committees, and other lawmakers and congressional candidates that feed CQ’s Guide to the New Congress and other products about members
• Participating in webinars and other corporate activities to amplify your journalism.

• 3+ years of experience as a reporter at newspapers, news websites, magazines, wire services and other news outlets. Experience in Washington, D.C., for a subscription news outlet, wire service or news bureau covering defense, national security and military topics is strongly recommended
• An ability to find new, creative ways to scrutinize the intersection between Congress and the Pentagon
• A college degree is helpful but not essential. Equivalent, relevant work experience is what matters
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and mastery of AP style
• Strong understanding of defense and national security and the ability to convey your passion for the subject to readers
• A commitment to the journalistic values of accuracy, objectivity, fairness and editorial independence.

Excited about this role, but don't meet 100% of the expected qualifications listed above? We'd still love for you to apply! 

When applying to FiscalNote, rest assured that your application is reviewed by a living, breathing human being and evaluated based on key competencies needed for success in the position. Our Recruiting team maintains awareness of all open roles which means your application may be assessed against multiple positions and we will reach out to gauge your interest in other opportunities as appropriate. Questions or concerns? Contact recruiting.team@fiscalnote.com, we'd be happy to connect!

As part of FiscalNote's commitment to creating an accessible and inclusive hiring process, we strive to provide reasonable accommodations for persons with medical conditions or disabilities that will enable their access to the hiring process. If you need an accommodation, please send an email to recruiting.team@fiscalnote.com to let us know the nature of your request.

About FiscalNote 

FiscalNote (NYSE: NOTE) is a leader in policy and global intelligence. By uniquely combining data, technology, and insights, FiscalNote empowers customers with critical insights and the tools to turn them into action.

Home to CQ, FrontierView, VoterVoice, and many other industry-leading brands, FiscalNote helps organizations stay ahead of political and business risk.

At FiscalNote, We Lead with Values

Know your Audience ∙ Find the Truth ∙ Drive Alignment ∙ Level Up ∙ Own the Job ∙ Bias for Action ∙ Support the Family 

Company Benefits

FiscalNote supports our people by enabling team members with flexibility and benefits to promote well-being and balance, ensuring all FiscalNoters can bring their authentic selves to work. We start by offering competitive salaries, retirement accounts, and equity packages to ensure we’re all FN owners. Plus, our comprehensive benefits packages align with regional requirements and expectations no matter where you are located across the globe. Learn more at https://careers.fiscalnote.com/benefits/.

FiscalNote values diversity. We are committed to equal opportunities and creating an inclusive environment for all our employees. We welcome applicants regardless of ethnic origin, national origin, gender, race, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age. FiscalNote is an EEOC employer.

FiscalNote uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all new employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.DHS.gov/E-Verify.