Future Perfect Fellow

Vox Media•Washington, NY

13h

About The Position

Future Perfect covers the world through a particular prism: What are the best ways to do good in this world? What are the stories that are both important — meaning they affect large numbers of people and animals — yet are undercovered by the media at large? And what are the solutions to those problems that have actual traction in the world we live in? Inspired in part by the philosophy of effective altruism, Future Perfect strives to shine a light on neglected stories that have, or will have, a profound impact on the lives of billions of humans and animals. Since its launch in 2018, Future Perfect has developed a loyal following for its idiosyncratic, mission-driven approach to news. Among our key subject areas include global poverty and public health, the catastrophic and existential threats that we face, and animal welfare and factory farming. We cover the philosophies and practices surrounding philanthropy and major companies, and the moral and ethical questions that underpin individual and policy choices. Our journalism is rigorously evidence-based, prizing data and research over vibes and anecdotes. We’re not afraid to go against prevailing media narratives if we believe they’re ultimately false, and we’re looking for writers who are willing and eager to do so. True to the name of the vertical, we constantly ask ourselves: In 10, 20, 30 years, what will we look back on and wish we devoted more time covering? Then we go ahead and do those stories today. This spring, thanks to a generous grant, we’re hiring a new class of three fellows to help us ensure Future Perfect is telling the most important stories to our audience and approaching those stories with nuance and discernment. The fellowship is a one-year, full-time position. The Future Perfect Fellowship is a perfect opportunity for emerging journalism talent, especially with expertise in or at least real enthusiasm for our key areas, like animal welfare, AI, biotechnology and global development/health. We’re also open to more established, early to mid-career writers who have shown expertise in some of our subjects or wish to make a switch and focus on them, and can benefit from a year working and publishing with our team. The fellowship will be a year-long program that will involve opportunities to publish regularly on Future Perfect. Aside from intensive feedback from editors, fellows will also have dedicated mentors, exclusive networking opportunities, and skills training sessions featuring journalists from Vox Media and other outlets. This fellowship should be considered an opportunity to grow as a writer.

Requirements

Previous writing and reporting experience, especially on or around our core subject areas. This can include professional publication, college papers, non-profit writing, even online newsletters. What we’re looking for is evidence of original thinking and writing skill.
A demonstrated passion for and familiarity with Future Perfect’s areas of coverage, including artificial intelligence; global poverty and global health; pandemics and other catastrophic threats to humanity; animal welfare and factory farming; moral philosophy; effective altruism more broadly; and philanthropy.
A major factor is being able to understand and articulate what makes Future Perfect’s approach different from that of other verticals in subjects like climate change or health that may cross over with our material.
An interest in explanatory journalism of the kind long-practiced by Vox.
Tenacious curiosity and a creative approach to storytelling, including an interest in telling stories about the world through the Future Perfect lens.

Nice To Haves

Bonus points for demonstrated expertise or previous work in one or more of the above subjects, especially artificial intelligence and global health policy — two areas where we expect to double down on.