Fellow, Upshot

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It’s why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It’s why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination. And it’s why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it’s worth paying for. 

Join the 2026 New York Times Fellowship class as a data reporter or visual journalist on the Upshot team in New York. 

The Upshot is a small, versatile team that publishes analytical and explanatory journalism, often on policy and politics. And we often use data, visuals and interactivity to explain the world in new ways.

As a fellow, you will pitch your own ideas and contribute to group projects in various forms. That work may mean making a 3D animation of a massive pressure wave, finding and interviewing the Tom Brady of other jobs, visualizing the Caitlin Clark effect or analyzing results in a contested international election.

We are open to proposals on a range of roles. Typically, our fellows come with at least a year of reporting experience, along with technical or domain knowledge — in politics or policy, data, statistics or data analysis, information graphics, or web development. You don’t need to be an expert with data or technology, but you should be comfortable with it. And you don’t need to be a seasoned beat reporter, but you should be ready to pitch, report and write on complicated topics.

Much of our best work involves working as a team. You should be excited about collaborating with other members of the Upshot and colleagues across the newsroom.

Finally, we want you to know the Upshot and our work. Why do you want to work on this desk, as opposed to a different one? Make clear in your cover letter why the Upshot is the place for you.

This is an in-office position and includes regular attendance in the office four days each week. There may be some flexibility to work remotely per your departmental guidance. You may be required to work some nights, weekends and holidays as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Gather data, analyze it and create news articles or graphics to share this analysis
• Participate in training and social programs designed for the fellowship
• Collaborate with colleagues across the newsroom
• Demonstrate support and understanding of our value of journalistic independence and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world

Basic Qualifications:

• No more than five years of full-time, professional journalism experience, excluding internships 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Record of multiple news internships or equivalent experience
• A track record of using statistics and data analysis to drive reporting 

To apply, upload a résumé, cover letter and a page that includes links to your best work (aim for quality and range over quantity). The application will prompt you when to upload materials. In your résumé or cover letter, include an explanation of your role for your work samples. Applications that fail to include any of these materials or follow these instructions will not be considered.

You must be authorized to work in the United States. We will not sponsor work visas for the fellowship, but we will consider applicants with valid work authorization or a valid student visa that can be extended with Optional Practical Training.

You may apply to only one fellowship position per year. For instance, if you apply as an Upshot fellow, you should not apply for any other positions in the fellowship. Duplicate applications will be discarded.

The application deadline is 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Nov. 19. 

The Times Fellowship generates a high level of interest, so we cannot acknowledge the status of applications upon receipt or during the vetting process, which can take eight weeks or more. We cannot accept applications that are mailed or emailed to us. We will contact you for interviews as needed.

The fellowship program will begin on or about June 1, 2026, and end on May 21, 2027, subject to satisfactory performance. There is no guarantee of a full-time position upon completion of the program.

For more information about the Times Fellowship, visit here. 

This position is represented by the NewsGuild of New York.

The annual base pay range for this role is between:$82,414.80—$82,414.80 USD

The New York Times Company is committed to being the world’s best source of independent, reliable and quality journalism. To do so, we embrace a diverse workforce that has a broad range of backgrounds and experiences across our ranks, at all levels of the organization. We encourage people from all  backgrounds to apply.

We are  an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate on the basis of an individual's sex, age, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation or affectional preference, gender identity and expression, disability, genetic trait or predisposition, carrier status, citizenship, veteran or military status and other personal characteristics protected by law. All applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected characteristics.  The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)’s Know Your Rights Poster is available here. 

The New York Times Company will provide reasonable accommodations as required by applicable federal, state, and/or local laws. Individuals seeking an accommodation for the application or interview process should email reasonable.accommodations@nytimes.com. Emails sent for unrelated issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.

The Company encourages those with criminal histories to apply, and will consider their applications in a manner consistent with applicable "Fair Chance" laws, including but not limited to the NYC Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act.

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