Reporter

Job summary

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is seeking a reporter to lead a sustained government accountability reporting initiative covering Hawaii’s state and county governments. The journalist will combine traditional investigative reporting with Grassroot’s proprietary tech tools that crawl government websites for meeting transcripts, budgets and other public documents, surfacing exclusive leads.

The journalist will produce stories that expose government waste and overreach and highlight real-life experiences to drive meaningful policy change. This position reports to the managing editor or an executive designated by the chief executive officer.

Responsibilities

Investigations and reporting

• Develop, research and write investigative stories that hold Hawaii’s state and county governments accountable, focusing on infringements of individual rights, wasteful spending and budgeting, proposed tax increases and regulatory burdens on farms, restaurants, healthcare facilities and other businesses.
• Use technology to monitor government meetings, transcripts, budgets and documents and generate story ideas.
• Pursue leads through public records requests, interviews, data analysis and on-the-ground reporting.
• Tell the human stories behind policy failures, profiling the families, business owners and workers directly affected by overregulation, taxation and violations of individual rights.
• Verify all facts rigorously and ensure every story meets high standards of accuracy, fairness and sourcing.

Publication and partnerships

• Produce a steady pipeline of stories for Grassroot’s website, newsletter and social media channels, working with the communications team on presentation and promotion.
• Share exclusive tips and collaborate with local news outlets across the state to extend the reach and impact of investigations.
• Cultivate and protect confidential sources and manage tips submitted by the public.
• Discuss findings in media interviews and at Grassroot events, as needed.

General

• Participate in staff calls and editorial meetings.
• Represent Grassroot at state and national conferences, as needed.
• Perform other duties as needed to fulfill the mission of the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum three years of professional reporting experience; investigative, government or accountability reporting strongly preferred. Candidates should be prepared to share clips or a portfolio of published work.
• Strong alignment with Grassroot’s mission to advance human flourishing through individual liberty, economic freedom and accountable government.
• Demonstrated ability to break original stories from documents, data and sources.
• Working knowledge of public records and open meetings laws, such as Hawaii’s Uniform Information Practices Act and Sunshine Law, or the ability to master them quickly.
• Comfort digging through budgets, meeting minutes, transcripts and datasets; experience with AI-assisted research tools is a plus.
• Excellent writing for general audiences, with the ability to turn complex fiscal and regulatory issues into clear, compelling narratives.
• Sound news judgment, including rigorous standards for sourcing, verification and fairness.
• Self-starter able to manage a beat and a story pipeline independently.
• Familiarity with Hawaii government, politics and community life is a strong plus.

Compensation and benefits

This is a full-time position.

Full-time employment includes:

• An annual salary of $60,000 to $80,000, reflective of experience.
• A comprehensive employee benefits program, including full medical, dental and vision coverage.
• A retirement plan with a 3% employer match, available after two years of consecutive employment and subject to the plan’s terms and revisions.
• Thirteen working days of paid time off per year. PTO is not available and does not accrue during the first six consecutive months of employment and cannot be carried into following years.
• Paid federal and select state holidays including Christmas and the day after Thanksgiving.

About the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute devoted to advancing human flourishing through individual liberty, economic freedom and limited, accountable government.

Disclaimer

This job description is not intended to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may be changed or assigned at any time without notice.