As technology reorders everything from economies, energy grids, international geopolitics and the lived experiences of ordinary people, openDemocracy, in collaboration with Tech Policy Press, is looking for an enterprising, well-sourced candidate to track, investigate and analyse this rapidly evolving beat in the UK.
This is a unique, 12-month UK-based fellowship in which the selected candidate will be embedded within the UK bureau of openDemocracy’s international newsroom and will have access to mentorship from Tech Policy Press’s editors in Europe and the US.
Their articles will be platformed by both publications to ensure their work reaches a wide, diverse and influential audience.
While candidates with journalism experience will be given preference, we are open to applications from researchers, lawyers, technologists and public policy professionals looking to make a transition into journalism.
Key responsibilities
The selected candidate will:
- Work with openDemocracy with mentorship from Tech Policy Press editors to produce at least one piece of reported analysis and one well-reported feature a month.
- Jump on fast-moving breaking news stories when required and be available to appear on podcasts and press appearances to publicise their work.
- Work with editors to develop and publish at least one long-term investigation during the course of their fellowship.
- Attend meetings as required and meet their deadlines.
Who is eligible to apply?
Candidates should have a demonstrated interest or background in journalism, tech policy, media, AI or related fields, and be committed to producing high-quality, public-interest work during the fellowship.
This is a journalism fellowship, so candidates with journalism experience are preferred, but we will also consider researchers, lawyers, technologists and public policy professionals looking to transition into journalism.
Location: This is a UK-based fellowship, so all candidates should be eligible to live and work in the United Kingdom. openDemocracy will not provide support or sponsorship for a work visa.
London-proximate candidates are preferred to make it easier to attend meetings, build sources, etc. Candidates based outside London should describe how they can make their location work in their cover letter.
Application process
To apply for the fellowship, please send the following materials to recruitment@opendemocracy.net:
- Three to five recent clips of your work
- A cover letter (two pages max) describing how you would approach covering the intersection of democracy and technology in the UK
- A short memo of one to three pitches for reported features you would like to work on in your first few months of the fellowship, and a broad idea for a long-term investigation
- A recent CV or resume
- Three professional references
Key dates
- Rolling deadline for applications: 10 January 2026
- We hope to inform applicants of their status by 30 Jan 2026
- The fellowship will start on 1 March 2026 and run for 12 months.
Fellowship stipend: £30,000 per annum, paid out monthly.
