Senior Editor, Research

About ProPublica

ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest. We combine rigorous reporting, advanced research methodologies, and collaborative storytelling to uncover stories that matter and drive meaningful change.

About This Role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Editor, Research to lead ProPublica's growing research team, guiding high-impact investigative work across the newsroom while supporting rigorous, collaborative and responsive research at scale. This is a leadership opportunity to shape the future of investigative journalism through strategic research direction and team development.

The research team plays a critical role in many of ProPublica's most impactful and widely read stories, contributing deep reporting, verification and sourcing to both long-term investigations and fast-turn accountability journalism. Research reporters regularly earn co-bylines and contributor credits across text, audio and video projects, and collaborate closely with reporters, editors and partner newsrooms across the country.

Key Responsibilities

In this role, you will lead ProPublica's seven-member research team that works collaboratively across our national, local, Texas and Local Reporting Network desks. Your responsibilities will include:

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with editors, reporters and partner newsrooms, ensuring research is integrated early and effectively into reporting
• Serving as an escalation point for research reporters and newsroom staff, helping resolve complex reporting challenges, tight deadlines and sensitive sourcing or verification issues
• Managing and prioritizing newsroom projects in collaboration with senior editors and newsroom leadership, balancing urgent newsroom needs with longer-term investigative projects
• Assigning research work, shaping strategy and ensuring consistent, high-quality research support across desks, beats and regions
• Providing hands-on editorial guidance to research reporters, including coaching on records strategies, advanced sourcing, database use, open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques and verification methods
• Collaborating closely with reporters and editors to define research goals, frame investigations and connect the dots across large volumes of information
• Effectively managing a substantial research resources budget, including contract negotiations for relevant research tools and platforms
• Hiring, onboarding, mentoring and providing performance feedback for a distributed research staff

What You'll Bring

You should have extensive experience in investigative journalism research, public records expertise, and a proven track record managing editorial teams. You'll need strong knowledge of financial research, government databases, OSINT techniques, and advanced verification methods. Your editorial judgment, ability to mentor emerging researchers, and collaborative leadership style will be essential to success in this role.

Researchers typically balance two to three long-term projects while fielding short-term needs, providing expertise in public records, financial and government research, open-source intelligence and advanced verification. You should be comfortable working in a fast-paced newsroom environment where you can shift between strategic planning and hands-on editorial work.

Work Environment

This is a fully remote position, allowing you to work from anywhere in the United States. You'll report to the Assistant Managing Editor, National, and collaborate across all of ProPublica's reporting desks.

💰 Compensation not publicly listed. Market estimate for similar roles: from $80K, varying by experience and location.