Full Fact, the UK’s independent fact checking organisation, is recruiting a senior journalist to join its news and online team. If you’re an experienced journalist who cares about tackling bad information, this is an exciting opportunity to join a team focusing on online misinformation and fact checking breaking news, and spearhead our fight against false and misleading claims on social media.

You’ll cover everything from viral misinformation about UK and world events and misleading use of generative AI to hoax posts spreading in community Facebook groups. You will have the opportunity to make a measurable difference, learn new skills and have your work seen by millions. You’ll help us monitor online misinformation, research and write fact checks, explainers and features, and identify and expose patterns in misinformation. And your work will play a vital role in ensuring accurate and impartial information is available to the public as we head towards the next general election.

Full Fact fights bad information. Our team of independent fact checkers, technologists and campaigners works to find, expose and counter it.

If you are interested in applying but not sure you have all the skills, please do apply. We are open both to supporting learning on the job and to rearranging tasks within the team to suit the skillsets of the best applicant.

Job Definition

You’ll be one of the fact checkers who are the backbone of our editorial team—working in a team of four focusing on online misinformation and breaking news.
You’ll be responsible for spotting, exposing and tackling bad information, writing a number of fact checks each week, and also writing features and other content as required.

We’re looking for candidates with proven journalism experience and a strong understanding of what we do, but prior fact checking experience isn’t necessary. You will need to be able to quickly master and explain tricky, nuanced topics in clear, concise copy—and must have an eye for a story.

Outcomes

• Monitoring for misinformation on social media and elsewhere online, ensuring we can quickly identify the most harmful viral claims

• Pitching fact checks based on a good understanding of the misinformation landscape and Full Fact’s aims

• Producing accurate, engaging and publication-ready copy to combat the spread of bad information, to tight deadlines

• Ensuring we hit agreed output targets, including for Third Party Fact Checking

• Develop contacts, subject knowledge and expertise across the news and online landscape

• ‘Fact checking for change’, ensuring that as well as publishing fact checks we identify and act upon solvable problems

• Improving our understanding of online misinformation and what can be done to combat its spread

• Work with other teams within Full Fact, such as policy and communications, to ensure we have a good overview of online misinformation and to further the organisation’s work

• Pitching and writing features based on patterns of online misinformation

• Helping with other ad hoc tasks carried out by the editorial team, such as responding to reader emails and media requests

What we are looking for from you

Political impartiality and sensitivity:

• You are committed to the political neutrality of our work and have a good understanding of impartiality (you can read more about this on our website).

• Understanding of public debate and online discourse in the UK and sensitivity to the political and media context we work in.

Job skills/competencies

• Strong research and writing skills—we’re ideally looking for someone with significant journalism experience

• Excellent communication skills, and a track record of communicating with a non-specialist audience

• Demonstrable knowledge of the UK social media landscape, with experience working in online journalism preferred

• Ability to hit tight deadlines and respond rapidly to breaking news

• Strong understanding of social media and the way in which information and misinformation spreads online

• An understanding of what it takes to meet the highest standards of accuracy, balance and Full Fact’s styles and principles

• An ability to understand and master new topics rapidly

• Understanding of digital channels, audiences and formats

• Ideally OSINT and online verification skills and experience

• Ideally experience of identifying and correcting misleading claims in public debate

• Ideally experience using the Freedom of Information Act

What we offer

Starting salary of £36,700 – £43,785 per annum depending on experience.
Workplace Pension
Generous holidays

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays.

• In addition, we close the office and stop work for a period between Christmas and New Year.

• Day off for moving home.

Remote-first working and a comfortable, centrally located London office with good transport links.
Employee Assistance Programme.

How to apply

Upload your CV and cover letter using the link via Full Fact’s website below by 10am on Tuesday 2 January 2024.

Our recruitment platform will remove identifying details such as email addresses to allow us to sift applications anonymously. Before applying, please read the requirements we place on staff to protect Full Fact’s independence and non-partisanship https://fullfact.org/get-involved/jobs/#standards