Investigator

WHO WE ARE

American Oversight is a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog that advances truth, accountability, and democracy by enforcing the public’s right to government records. We use multiple tools, backed by aggressive litigation, to fight attacks on democratic institutions, threats to civil rights and liberties, abuses of power, and erosion of government transparency. We expose and disrupt these attacks – and the officials and networks behind them –by forcing the government to turn over records officials would rather keep secret.

Since our founding in 2017, American Oversight has worked on numerous issues of national importance.

Our team has:

• Secured a court order to preserve the records in the 2025 “Signalgate” scandal, and spurred a related investigation by the DOD inspector general that found Secretary Hegseth had put troops’ lives in danger and violated federal recordkeeping laws
• Forced DOGE to implement a records preservation policy to ensure long-term accountability in the wake of its chaotic actions
• Revealed the Trump-sanctioned pressure campaign on the Ukrainian government by forcing the Trump administration to turn over records initially withheld from Congress
• Unmasked sham “audits” of the 2020 election in Wisconsin and Arizona of the 2020 election, which used taxpayer money to undermine state elections
• Exposed the Trump administration’s unprecedented uses of personal data to target immigrant communities and remove people from state voter rolls 

We are committed to fighting threats to democracy at the federal, state, and local levels, using time-tested and innovative tools to expose misconduct, defend against attacks on marginalized communities, and demand accountability.

For more information, please visit our website: g 

JOB OVERVIEW

Reporting to the Director of Investigations, American Oversight seeks a highly motivated and tenacious Investigator with an unyielding commitment to integrity, transparency, and accountability to join our team. 

The Investigator is a core member of American Oversight’s Investigations team, leveraging public records and open-source research to conduct complex investigations, uncover underreported angles, expose hidden agendas, and advance the organization’s broader portfolio of priority issues. 

The Investigator will use public records and open-source intelligence to pursue rigorous, high-impact investigations into government corruption, abuses of power, and the erosion of democratic norms — helping to expose misconduct, strengthen accountability, and safeguard democratic institutions. 

The ideal candidate will bring sharp investigative instincts, sound judgment, and a demonstrated interest in public interest topics, including but not limited to immigration enforcement and civil liberties, alongside a deep commitment to transparency, accountability, and the core principles of democracy.

RESPONSIBILITIES (including but not limited to)

• Monitor news and track other sources to identify emerging issues where American Oversight’s investigations can have the greatest impact, and proactively propose strategic, high-impact ideas that leverage public records and open-source intelligence.
• Craft strategic, litigation-ready public records requests to federal, state, and local agencies aimed at exposing decision-making, funding flows, and political influence. 
• Conduct rigorous review of document productions to identify key facts, patterns, inconsistencies, and gaps; analyze documents in context to surface unreported insights and emerging trends, and synthesize findings into clear, accurate, and strategically useful outputs such as newsworthy narratives that advance government accountability or actionable insights that equip partners’ advocacy and litigation.
• Support American Oversight’s external engagement by contributing to meetings, briefings, and background conversations with journalists, advocates, and allies.
• Communicate proactively with government agencies regarding public records requests, triaging priorities and working closely with the Legal team to ensure timely and effective pursuit of responsive materials.
• Support document processing and information management, ensuring incoming records are well-organized, searchable, and accessible. 
• Draft public-facing content — including blog posts, reports, talking points, and briefing materials — that distills investigative findings into clear, contextualized, and actionable narratives, as needed.
• Contribute to organizational initiatives and special projects as needed, bringing an investigative lens to emerging priorities and cross-functional efforts.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• 2+ years post-graduate experience in government investigations, investigative journalism, or policy research, or a related field involving in-depth investigative research and analyses. 
• Interest in American Oversight’s mission of government accountability and transparency; commitment to public interest advocacy. 
• Strong skills in the following areas:
  • Problem Solving and Critical Thinking : Identifies and anticipates problems and surfaces creative solutions to achieve desired outcomes; scans the landscape and connects dots among many disparate data points and situations.
  • Communication : Conveys ideas, information, and emotions clearly and effectively — both orally and in writing — adapting language to suit different audiences and contexts. Produces well-organized work with minimal errors, reflecting a strong grasp of content and a high level of accuracy, clarity, and professionalism.
  • Project and Time Management : Ability to multitask and independently manage multiple projects with varying scopes, timelines, and stakeholders; adapts priorities as necessary to meet organizational goals while maintaining good judgment of relative priorities.
  • Judgment and Decision Making : Makes sound, timely decisions by weighing priorities, anticipating outcomes, and aligning choices with American Oversight’s values and goals. Uses logic, experience, and context to recommend effective, mission-driven actions.
  • Strategic Thinking : Obtains information and identifies key issues and relationships relevant to achieving a goal or vision; evaluates potential risks and benefits to potential plans of action before recommending courses of action; adjusts plans as needed to achieve key objectives.
  • Collaboration : Is an inclusive, highly engaged team player; proactively seeks and provides thought partnership, assistance, and/or resources with/to colleagues.
• An understanding of and fluency in relevant news developments, the political landscape, and how public records can inform news coverage, and government action, and accountability.
• Experience working in and/or desire to contribute to workplaces with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 
• Self-motivated, collegial, and able to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong technology skills with an aptitude to learn quickly, ramp up on, or test new platforms or technology (e.g., AirTable). Proficiency in Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint); Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) and file-sharing platforms (Dropbox).

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated interest in, or experience with, immigration enforcement, civil liberties, or related policy areas. 
• Familiarity with federal Freedom of Information Act and public records requests. 
• Experience with other publicly available datasets and information sources that could be used to enhance American Oversight’s existing accountability work. 
• Experience with document and case management tools (e.g., Airtable, DocumentCloud) and/or with data analysis and visualization tools.

We encourage individuals to apply even if they do not have any of the desired qualifications.

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this position is $62,000 - $78,000 (commensurate with experience). This position is a full-time, exempt position.

BENEFITS

• Remote-first work environment 
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Generous paid time off 
• Paid office closure from Christmas Eve to New Years’ Day
• 403(b) with up to 4% employer match
• Flexible scheduling policy aligned with core business hours
• Summer Fridays
• Up to $100/month reimbursement for internet services and personal device 
• Professional development stipend
• $400/yr home office stipend 
• Commuter benefits

LOCATION

This is a remote position and may require occasional travel to American Oversight’s Washington, DC office for team meetings and staff retreats. Our office in Washington, DC is an optional workspace.

TIMELINE

We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis and will continue to do so until the position is filled. OUR COMMITMENT TO AN INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE

At American Oversight, we value and strive to hire, develop, and grow a diverse and inclusive team. We are an equal opportunity employer, and encourage applications from all individuals without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local laws. We strongly encourage individuals to apply for opportunities at American Oversight even if they do not have any of the desired qualifications.