Reporter, National Security

Position description

The Wall Street Journal seeks an ambitious reporter to cover the Pentagon and U.S. national security, based in the Washington bureau.

We are looking for someone who can bring high-stakes and fast-moving stories out of the shadows and deliver piercing journalism to our global audience. The ideal candidate should have significant experience covering foreign policy and national security in Washington, particularly focused on the U.S. military and the Pentagon.

Covering the U.S. military is one of the greatest beats in the world, offering this reporter the opportunity to tell stories about strategy, geopolitics, power, and people. We are looking for a candidate who embraces the opportunity and can bring these issues to life, both from Washington but also anywhere in the world where the U.S. military is engaged.

There will be three primary skills core to this candidate’s success: 1) The ability to cultivate sources in a world where talking to reporters can be highly discouraged, 2) The ability to assemble reporting into an eye-popping narrative story arc, and 3) The ability to work collaboratively with other Wall Street Journal reporters, both in Washington and around the world.

The successful candidate will have a demonstrated history of nailing big scoops and writing agenda-setting investigations. We want applicants to have a very expansive view of this beat’s potential, looking for ways to pull back the curtain on the most important and sensitive national security decisions. Our readers want to better understand the key figures and pressure points.

The position is based in the Journal’s Washington bureau.

You will:

• Break agenda-setting news on your beat.

• Conceptualize and deliver deeply reported enterprise stories.

• Work with colleagues around the country and the world in a 24-hour-a-day global newsroom.

You have:

• At least five years of reporting experience dominating a highly competitive beat and a track record of producing award-winning journalism.

• Deadline skills to report and write clearly under pressure.

• Proven ability to develop sources and write with authority on what is happening and what it means.

• A track record of tackling ambitious projects, finding original approaches to coverage and working with visuals to find creative storytelling techniques.

• A deep understanding of the ins and outs of U.S. geopolitics and the inner workings of the U.S. government’s national security teams.

To apply, please submit your resume, a cover letter detailing how you would do the job, and five examples of your best work. Please contact [email protected] if you have questions.

Union role

Pay Range: $165,000 – $195,000

Application instructions

Please be sure to indicate you saw this position on geopolist.com