White House Correspondent, Washington Desk
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Intro to Position
NPR’s award-winning Washington Desk produces sophisticated yet accessible coverage of the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court, the Justice Department, national security and electoral politics. Vital to our mission: original reporting, breaking news, breaking ideas with clarity and context and excelling at explanatory journalism. Known for our work ethic, the Washington Desk aspires to great storytelling both on air and online. Our coverage is featured on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, NPR.org, the NPR Politics Podcast and Up First.
We are looking for a full-time correspondent to cover the White House. The position requires experience covering the White House or substantial Congressional or national political experience. The reporter should bring sourcing, energy and sophistication to the beat as well as the ability to think expansively about stories and the best ways to deliver them. The job requires attention to detail, nimbleness in a breaking news environment, big picture thinking and concern for craft. We’re looking for a reporter with five or more years of experience, and we'll place a premium on those with live and lively broadcast experience.
The reporter will be expected to hit daily news deadlines, report longer-form feature and enterprise stories and have the sourcing and drive to break news. The reporter will also be expected to maintain a robust story list and have the ability to report and produce pieces for all NPR programs and platforms with speed and accuracy. Conversational, engaging live broadcast interviews are essential skills.
The position is based in Washington, D.C., and involves occasional travel, weekend work and a variable schedule.
This is a union-represented role covered under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement with SAG-AFTRA
This is an NPR editorial role covered under the terms of the NPR Ethics Handbook. All editorial staff are bound by this guidance. Editorial staff are defined as staff members who play a role in shaping the journalistic or creative direction of NPR's content, including events.
Application Deadline: April 13th, 2026 at 10am ET.
Responsibilities
- Pitches, plans and reports news, features and major enterprise stories for all NPR platforms, including broadcast, podcasts, video and digital.
- Possesses & develops news sources.
- Covers stories as assigned by Washington Desk editors.
- Gathers materials on tape and otherwise, through interviews, press conferences and direct coverage of events.
- In consultation with editors and producers, organizes, edits and produces pieces and news spots.
- Collaborates with editors and show producers to shape on-air discussions (two-ways) and speaks fluently and conversationally live on the air.
- Fulfills administrative obligations arising from assignments, such as filing prompt and accurate expense records and program information/ summaries; maintaining contact with editors and appropriate producers; keeping editors and appropriate producers informed about assignments.
The above duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of required responsibilities, duties and skills. Other duties may be assigned, and this job description can be modified at any time.
Minimum Qualifications
- 8+ years of experience covering the White House, Congress or national politics.
- Experience covering breaking news with authority and accuracy.
- Demonstrated ability to develop, report and break original stories of interest to a national audience.
- Ability to work quickly under deadline pressure: Must be able to report breaking stories for newscasts, major programs and digital.
- Ability and willingness to travel as needed.
- Ability and willingness to work varied shifts.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience producing pieces, on-air conversations and live reports for radio, digital and social audiences.
- Proven ability to consistently work well with others, demonstrating at all times respect for the diverse constituencies at NPR and within the public radio system.
- At least three years writing and voicing pieces and live two-ways for radio.
- Expertise in writing, with excellence in news writing, copy-editing and headline writing.
Education Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Economics, History, Journalism or another writing-intensive discipline and/or equivalent work experience.
Work Location & Requirements
- On-site: This is an on-site role based in Washington, D.C.
Job Type
- This is a full-time, exempt position.
Compensation
Salary Range: The U.S. based anticipated salary range for this opportunity is $165,000 - $183,000 plus benefits. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum salaries NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.
NPR Benefits: NPR offers access to comprehensive benefits for employees and dependents. Regular, full-time employees scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week are eligible to enroll in NPR’s benefits options. Benefits include access to health and wellness, paid time off, and financial well-being. Plan options include medical, dental, vision, life/ accidental death and dismemberment, long-term disability, short-term disability, and voluntary retirement savings to all eligible NPR employees.
Does this sound like you? If so, we want to hear from you.
NPR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. NPR is committed to being an inclusive workplace that welcomes diverse and unique perspectives, all working toward the same goal – to create a more informed public. Qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, lactation, and reproductive health decisions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, transgender status, gender non-conforming status, intersex status, sexual stereotypes, nationality, citizenship status, personal appearance, marital status, family status, family responsibilities, military status, veteran status, mental and physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, genetic characteristics of yourself or a family member, political views and affiliation, unemployment status, protective order status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.
If you are a person with a disability needing assistance with the application process, please reach out to [email protected].
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