Tech Policy Reporter

Application Instructions

Please list all professional experience and explain any gaps in employment history. All of your application materials, which may include PDF files of work samples and/or links to audio, video, photography or graphics, must be uploaded to the field labeled Resume/Cover Letter/Work Samples to be considered for the position.

Job Description

The Washington Post is seeking a high-energy reporter to cover the rapidly evolving and increasingly symbiotic relationship between Washington and Silicon Valley.

We are looking for an aggressive, versatile reporter who knows how to work sources, explain complex policy decisions for a general audience and seize opportunities to tell the big story about the role the tech titans are playing in President Donald Trump’s Washington. The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to break agenda-setting stories and a familiarity with the basics of tech policy, from antitrust and AI regulation to relations with U.S. allies and adversaries. We seek someone who also can distill complicated ideas into big-picture analysis, conveying with urgency how policy choices made today will move markets, enrich (or impoverish) individual investors – and set fundamental parameters for the future of human interaction.

Responsibilities:

• Seek and break news on the often-outsized personalities of Big Tech as they work to extend their sway from Silicon Valley to Washington. 

• Cover policy positions regarding tech – including AI, social media and antitrust – as they are formulated and adopted by the Trump White House and Congress. Assess and illuminate the role of executive branch agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission.

• Track how the Trump administration works to influence global tech policy -- including the stricter regulations of the European Union -- and seeks to box out China from gaining the upper hand in key technologies. 

• Look for broader themes in tech policy that set the agenda and illuminate how policy changes affect consumers. 

• Root out indications of conflict of interest in tech policy and look for the 'who profits' question as the new administration takes shape. 

• Rigorously adhere to the highest ethical standards in preparing reports that give all involved a fair hearing and a chance to comment. 

• Think creatively about the best format to tell your stories, collaborating with data reporters, designers, photo editors and the video team to make your reports impactful and resonant.  

Preferred qualifications:

• At least five years' experience covering policy in Washington or elsewhere, with a track record of breaking impactful stories. 

• Demonstrated ability to work fast and write clearly on deadline. 

• An eagerness to collaborate with colleagues across the newsroom in a competitive environment.  

• Experience with tech policy is a plus but not required.  

Interested candidates should upload a cover letter, résumé and three examples of their work (as PDFs) to our jobs portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by Mar. 7 will be prioritized. The cover letter should lay out your ideas for owning this beat and be addressed to Tech Policy Editor James Graff, Tech Enterprise Editor Alexis Sobel Fitts and Business Editor Lori Montgomery. 

The salary range for this position is: $122,500.00  -  $204,100.00  USD Annual. The actual salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience, and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements.

The Washington Post’s policy for employees is five days per week in the office, with exceptions for newsgathering and general business travel.

Compensation and Benefits

Wherever you are in your life or career, The Washington Post offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits for every step of your journey:

• Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage

• Company-paid pension and 401(k) match

• Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave

• Nine paid holidays and two personal days

• 20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent

• Robust mental health resources

• Backup care and caregiver concierge services

• Gender affirming services

• Pet insurance

• Free Post digital subscription

• Leadership and career development programs

Benefits may vary based on the job, full-time or part-time schedule, location, and collectively bargained status.

The Post strives to provide its readers with high-quality, trustworthy news and information while constantly innovating. That mission is best served by a diverse, multi-generational workforce with varied life experiences and perspectives. All cultures and backgrounds are welcomed. 

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