The Open Notebook Early Career Fellowship Program 2027

Applications are open for The Open Notebook Early Career Fellowship Program 2027, a paid, part time fellowship designed for early career science journalists who want to strengthen their reporting, writing, interviewing, editing, and storytelling skills. The programme provides fellows with practical experience producing journalism for a professional science writing publication while working closely with an experienced mentor.

The Open Notebook offers the fellowship as a remote programme lasting 12 months. The 2027 fellowship begins on February 9, 2027, and provides a stipend of $6,600. Fellows work with mentors to develop story ideas, report and write articles, participate in editorial discussions, and become part of a community of current and former fellows, mentors, and editors.

The programme is particularly suited to aspiring and early career science journalists who have some experience writing about science for a general audience but have fewer than three years of regular professional science writing experience. Applicants can live outside the United States and are encouraged to apply from diverse backgrounds.

About the Fellowship

The Open Notebook is a publication and training resource focused on helping journalists develop the skills needed to produce evidence based science journalism. Its Early Career Fellowship gives emerging science journalists an opportunity to learn through practical assignments, mentorship, reporting, writing, editing, and participation in a professional editorial environment.

The 2027 fellowship is remote and part time. Fellows are expected to dedicate approximately 5 to 7 hours per week on average, although the workload can vary depending on the reporting and editing stage of each article.

Fellowship Benefits

• $6,600 stipend

• 12 month paid fellowship

• Remote part time participation

• Weekly meetings with an experienced science journalist mentor

• Guidance on story development, reporting, writing, and editing

• Opportunity to publish work through The Open Notebook

• Participation in editorial discussions with The Open Notebook team

• Membership in a community of current and former fellows, mentors, and editors

• Cohort based activities through Slack

• Professional development in science journalism

• Career development guidance and mentorship

• Practical experience working through a rigorous editorial process

Fellowship Activities

During the fellowship, participants will:

• Develop story ideas suitable for The Open Notebook

• Pitch and report stories

• Write four articles of approximately 1,500 to 2,000 words

• Conduct interviews with sources

• Work with an assigned mentor on a regular basis

• Participate in weekly phone or video meetings with their mentor

• Receive multiple rounds of editing and revision

• Annotate stories for fact checking

• Participate in editorial discussions

• Engage with other fellows, mentors, and editors through the fellowship Slack community

The fellowship requires fellows to meet article deadlines, complete revisions on schedule, and make time for interviews and regular mentor meetings.

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to early career science journalists and aspiring science journalists

• Applicants may live outside the United States

• Applicants must have some training or experience writing about science for a general audience

• Applicants must have fewer than three years of regular professional science writing experience

• Internships and student work do not count toward the three year professional experience requirement

• Applicants with more than three years of professional science writing experience may be considered if some or all of that experience was not in English

• Applicants should have a strong interest in pursuing professional science journalism as their primary career

• Applicants must have sufficient English proficiency to participate effectively in the fellowship

• Applications, writing samples, and recommendation letters must be submitted in English

Translated materials are accepted for eligible application materials.

Selection Criteria

Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate:

• A strong intention to work primarily as professional science journalists

• Some training or experience writing about science for the general public

• Understanding of the science journalism profession and its common challenges

• Clear ideas about how they want to grow as science journalists

• Familiarity with The Open Notebook and the types of stories it publishes

• Ability to generate strong story ideas suitable for publication

• Strong writing ability

• Commitment to producing high quality work

• Reliability and ability to meet deadlines

Required Application Materials

Applicants will be asked to provide:

• Responses explaining why they are interested in the fellowship and what they hope to learn

• Information about previous training or experience writing science stories for a general audience

• Information about skills, interests, or perspectives they would bring to the fellowship

• An explanation of their plans during the fellowship period

• Two short proposals for potential The Open Notebook features or multimedia stories

• Two approximately 100 word story proposals rather than full length pitches

• Resume or CV

• One letter of reference from a professor, editor, mentor, supervisor, or another colleague

• Up to two writing or multimedia samples intended for a general audience

• English language writing samples, with translated materials accepted

For audio or multimedia work, applicants may provide the relevant URLs in a PDF for upload.

Applicants may also provide optional information about their background or membership in communities that have historically been marginalized or underrepresented in United States journalism. This information is optional and will be kept confidential.

How to Apply

1. Review the fellowship requirements and confirm that you meet the early career science journalism eligibility criteria.
2. Familiarize yourself with The Open Notebook, its editorial approach, and the types of stories it publishes.
3. Prepare responses explaining your motivation, experience, skills, interests, and plans during the fellowship.
4. Develop two brief proposals for feature or multimedia stories that could be suitable for The Open Notebook.
5. Prepare your resume or CV and one professional or academic reference letter.
6. Select up to two strong writing or multimedia samples aimed at a general audience.
7. Complete the online fellowship application and submit all required materials in English.
8. Ask your reference writer to submit their letter by the separate reference deadline.