Description
Uncover and report systemic issues, wrongdoing, and matters of public interest through in-depth research, records analysis, and interviews. Develop original story ideas, verify evidence, and produce long-form print, digital, or broadcast investigations while adhering to legal and ethical standards.
- • Develop investigative story ideas from tips, data, and beats.
- • Evaluate leads, triage tips, and set reporting priorities.
- • Form reporting hypotheses and plans with editors.
- • File public records requests (FOIA and state equivalents).
- • Research court filings, business records, and regulatory databases.
- • Collect and authenticate documents, photos, audio, and video.
- • Build and analyze datasets to reveal patterns and anomalies.
- • Conduct in-depth interviews with sources and subject-matter experts.
- • Cultivate, vet, and protect confidential sources and whistleblowers.
- • Use secure communications and source-protection protocols.
- • Perform on-the-ground reporting, observation, and stakeouts when needed.
- • Verify facts with multiple independent sources and evidence.
- • Check reference materials, archives, and news files for context.
- • Organize findings into timelines, memos, and evidence matrices.
- • Seek comment and right-of-reply from subjects of investigations.
- • Draft long-form stories, scripts, and multimedia copy.
- • Edit and revise work to meet editorial and legal standards.
- • Collaborate with attorneys and standards editors to mitigate risk.
- • Create visuals, annotations, and data visualizations to support findings.
- • Coordinate and appear in broadcast segments presenting investigations.
- • Record, photograph, or videotape interviews and scenes.
- • Produce and log taped or filmed interviews and b-roll.
- • Adhere to ethical guidelines on privacy, undercover work, and deception.
- • Manage project timelines, budgets, and multipart series deliverables.
- • Maintain detailed notes, citations, and source documentation.
- • Transmit reporting securely from remote or sensitive locations.
- • Publish digital packages, interactives, and explainer sidebars.
- • Monitor public response, corrections, and impact after publication.
- • Pitch investigations and provide regular progress updates.
- • Mentor colleagues on records searches, OSINT, and data methods.
- • Coordinate with production staff for releases and embargoes.
- • Follow newsroom style, formatting, and quality standards.
Related specializations
Interview options
Interview options
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Interviewee accent
Interview time
Related Pathways
Arts, Entertainment, & Design
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Sources & Standards:
This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
