Indigenous Journalism Fellowship

The Narwhal - Job Posting

Indigenous Journalism Fellowship

Anywhere in B.C.

About the role

Location: British Columbia, (remote, within the province)

Reports to: Michelle Cyca, Bureau chief, conservation and fellowships

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, full time

Type: One-year contract

Start date: mid-January 2026

Working with The Narwhal’s editorial team, in partnership with the Indigenous Journalists Association (IJA) and IndigiNews, the Indigenous journalism fellowship is a one-year opportunity for an early- or mid-career Indigenous journalist who is looking to develop their professional skills and undertake ambitious reporting projects with support and guidance.

The fellow will gain experience in an award-winning newsroom and develop their instincts and abilities as a journalist. They will also receive mentorship and professional development from the Indigenous Journalists Association, and editorial support from IndigiNews. Stories produced by the fellow may be published by both The Narwhal and IndigiNews.

The purpose of this fellowship is to build career pathways for Indigenous journalists, who remain underrepresented in Canadian media, particularly beyond entry-level positions. By supporting the fellow to develop skills in high-quality reporting, conducting investigations, editing, fact-checking, audience engagement and solutions journalism techniques we hope to nurture a leader in Indigenous journalism with the skills and support to make an impact. Fellows who undertake this one-year term at The Narwhal will develop high-level skills in environment reporting related to natural resource development and policy, Indigenous sovereignty and land rights and the impacts of climate change on communities and the ecosystems upon which they depend.

This fellowship is open to First Nations, Inuit and Métis applicants, or Native American tribal citizens and descendants who are living and working in British Columbia. (For this initial fellowship, applicants based primarily in B.C. are preferred for an on the ground reporting experience.)

Responsibilities

• Pitching, developing and reporting stories from in B.C., with a focus on biodiversity, Indigenous Rights, environment and climate change
• Attending weekly editorial meetings
• Working with other members of the editorial team to prepare stories for copy-editing and publication
• Participating in relevant trainings from The Narwhal, IndigiNews and IJA on fact-checking, editing, story development and more
• Contributing to The Narwhal’s house style guide and contributing to the development of best practices for reporting for and in Indigenous communities
• With the support of our editorial team, the fellow will have the opportunity to develop a significant editorial project of their own direction, such as a series or in-depth investigation
• Other editorial responsibilities as required

Qualifications

• Excellent writing skills in English
• Some experience in journalism, in a staff or freelance capacity (work in comparable professional communications, documentary filmmaking or other forms of research and fact-based writing may also apply)
• Awareness and a complex understanding of Indigenous issues
• Commitment to reconciliation, diversity, inclusion and equity
• A genuine interest in pursuing a career in journalism
  

Desired skills (nice to have)

• Editing or fact-checking experience
• Video or script-writing experience
• Completed or working towards a post-secondary diploma or degree in journalism, media studies, communications, English or a related discipline

We offer the following benefits:

• Group health, vision and dental benefits and a health spending account after three months
• A flexible workplace with a vibrant, collaborative culture
• Work-from-home stipend or an opportunity to work from a shared office in Victoria or Vancouver
• Life insurance + accidental death & dismemberment
• Long-term disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• GRSP base contributions after three months
• 20 vacation days per year (prorated),your birthday off
• 10 personal days per year
• Organization-wide holiday shutdown
• Professional development opportunities
• Benefits are subject to change at any time at the discretion of The Narwhal.

When it comes to compensation, research shows wide disparities in how candidates negotiate, which is partially responsible for wage gaps between groups of people. At The Narwhal we have a transparent and competitive salary grid for our entire team. We developed this approach because we wanted to remove the guesswork around compensation and put everyone on an equal footing. The posted salary range is in line with our grid and is not negotiable.

How to apply

To apply, please submit a cover letter and résumé by Sunday, November 2, 2025 11:59 pm PT via Bamboo. Please include your full name in the file name of any attachments you submit. In your cover letter please tell us why specifically you want to work at The Narwhal and what from your previous experience makes you a good fit for this role.

This fellowship is meant to invest in and skills train Indigenous journalists who might otherwise leave the journalism industry. The required skills and experience listed here should not deter passionate prospective applicants. If you think you would be a good fit but are concerned about your eligibility, please reach out to Michelle Cyca, The Narwhal’s bureau chief, conservation and fellowships for more information: michelle@thenarwhal.ca

Applicants must be eligible to work in Canada, and for this fellowship only Indigenous applicants (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) are eligible to apply. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

The Narwhal is working to build an inclusive and equitable team that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from Indigenous candidates who also identify as 2SLGBTQ+, are multiracial, live with disabilities, or come from low-income communities.

About The Narwhal

The Narwhal is an award-winning online magazine that publishes in-depth and investigative journalism about the natural world in Canada.

Think of us as part newsroom, part non-profit and part startup. As a non-profit, reader-funded news organization, our goal isn’t to sell advertising or to please corporate bigwigs — it’s to bring evidence-based news and analysis to the surface for our readers. We’re part of a revolution in public-interest journalism that is reinvigorating the relationship between readers and the journalists who work on their behalf — and we want you to join us.

The storytellers in any society hold tremendous power. At The Narwhal, we recognize that this power represents both a privilege and a responsibility and we aim to use this power for the public good. The Narwhal is working to build an inclusive and equitable team that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage applications from communities traditionally underrepresented in this field.

The pilot year of this fellowship is made possible with support of the Sitka Foundation. As per The Narwhal’s editorial independence policy, The Narwhal retains full authority over editorial content and cedes no right of review or influence over editorial content or news decisions.