Bridge Michigan, the state’s preeminent public policy online news site, seeks a dogged, curious Capitol reporter who can help us find great stories about the intersection of policy, politics and life.

The ideal candidate has an investigative mindset and is a generous teammate, joining a newsroom dedicated to producing great journalism, scrutinizing public spending and policy and preserving reporters’ work-life balance.

Ideally, we’re looking for someone with a track record of producing great scoops and clips. A hard work ethic and desire to be a star is a plus, as you would work with a team of great reporters and editors who will bend over backwards to help you produce the best work of your career. We will support you with training, mentorships and generous budgets for travel and records requests.

We wish to expand our perspective and ways of thinking about what’s news, and seek someone who can help uncover stories that need to be told, exposing how Lansing works, how taxpayer money is spent and how policies impact residents.

This is not a breaking news job, although deadline stories are required. Bridge Michigan’s brand is built on revelatory enterprise, and we will give you the time and space to produce those stories.

Bridge Michigan is one of America’s great civic news organizations, with secure funding and a clear mission to improve Michigan through our reporting. We are committed to lifting diverse, often ignored voices and covering the state in an equitable manner — but we are also zealously nonpartisan and committed to questioning conventional wisdom in our reporting.

Position Requirements

• Two years’ experience in journalism, preferably with one year covering government or politics.
• A good package of clips, preferably related to government or politics.
• Good instincts, a curiosity of how things work and why they sometimes go wrong.
• A creative mindset, passion for reporting and knowledge of Michigan. This is not a remote job.
• A commitment to fairness, seeing all sides, a willingness to be surprised and follow facts.
• A collaborative mindset and generous spirit. We want our reporters to be aggressive, but they need to be good co-workers. 

Bridge Michigan has offices in Lansing and Ypsilanti. The job requires in-person reporting in Lansing, but we are flexible otherwise and trust reporters to determine their best work environment. 

This position reports to the executive editor for innovation and daily news.

How to apply

To apply, email jobs@bridgemi.com and write “Capitol Reporter” in the subject line. Candidates should include a cover letter explaining how they would approach the position, four to seven work samples and a resume. 

About the Center for Michigan and this Position

Bridge Michigan is a publication of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Center for Michigan. All staff of Bridge Michigan are employees of the Center for Michigan. 

Founded in 2006, the Center for Michigan is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making Michigan better through high-quality, nonpartisan journalism and engagement. 

The Center for Michigan offers competitive salaries and flexible work arrangements. The targeted compensation for this position begins at $65,000 annually.  Our offices have a casual environment and we respect work-life balance. Benefits at the Center for Michigan include:

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance
• 4-6 weeks of maternity/paternity/adoption leave 
• Minimum three weeks paid time off per year
• Eight paid holidays

The Center for Michigan is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity in our workforce and creating an inclusive environment. As we work toward building an organization that better reflects the communities we serve, we especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including people of color, women, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The Center for Michigan will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including familial status, gender identity, and sexual orientation), age, disability/handicap, height, weight, marital status, familial status, veteran status, citizenship, or any other classification protected by federal or state law or local ordinance.

About Bridge Michigan

Bridge Michigan is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that provides passionate and rooted Michigan readers with honest, fact-driven journalism on the state’s diverse people, politics, and economy. We serve as your watchdog on the biggest issues impacting your daily life, giving you insightful coverage you can’t get anywhere else.

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