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 reporter to cover one of the most pressing health issues of our time: opioids and other aspects of America's substance abuse crisis, which claims tens of thousands of lives each year.

This reporter will chronicle the plight of people with substance abuse disorders and hold to account the forces that have fueled their addiction. A pivotal part of this beat will be identifying emergent trends in the abuse of opioids and other substances, including recognizing new, deadly drugs entering the marketplace and tracking how billions of dollars in legal settlement money is spent by governments. This reporter will collaborate with others on coverage of the Food and Drug Administration, including the agency's continuing efforts to regulate tobacco and e-cigarettes.

The ideal candidate for this position on The Post's Health and Science team brings experience in medical and science reporting and a track record in seeing the hidden story and bringing it to light with precision, doggedness and authority. We seek a reporter with a passion for telling deeply human stories while unearthing the myriad of forces at play in the addiction crisis.

We are looking for a reporter who can execute in-depth enterprise stories and has the metabolism to respond to rapidly breaking developments on this beat. The Health and Science team places a premium on working cooperatively with colleagues who specialize in visual journalism, graphics and data reporting, and expects this reporter to tell stories using all the tools at our disposal.

This position is based in our Washington newsroom.

Interested candidates should upload a résumé with links to their work and a cover letter outlining the experience they would bring to the position to our jobs portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by 09/15/2022 will be prioritized. Your cover letter should be addressed to National Editor Matea Gold, Deputy National Editor Philip Rucker, Health and Science Editor Stephen Smith and Managing Editors Steven Ginsberg and Krissah Thompson.

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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