Hawaiʻi State Government Reporter

Honolulu Civil Beat is looking for an experienced reporter to cover the Hawaiʻi Legislature and state agencies, and master our new Digital Democracy tool to land scoops and hold the government accountable.

This reporter will aim to quickly become deeply sourced to land nuanced explainers and investigative pieces that highlight what the state government is doing – or not doing – to address the pressing needs of residents of this unique state.

Digital Democracy, developed by CalMatters, uses AI to gather public testimony, campaign donations, lawmakers’ votes and more into an interactive, intuitive database. The “tip sheets” it produces can help guide newsrooms to potential stories. Our state government reporter will be expected to spot the best ones and then do the nuts-and-bolts reporting and newsroom collaboration to land high-impact stories.

Part of this job involves training Civil Beat reporters and outside groups – such as nonprofit leaders and researchers – in how to use Digital Democracy, and obtaining state data sets to make the tool more robust.

We are interested in Hawaiʻi-based journalists with database experience who want to make the Legislature their beat, one they will own. We are also interested in journalists from the mainland with those skills, who may have covered a state legislature and are interested in delving into Hawaiʻi’s unique political landscape.

This is a Honolulu-based position and we anticipate bringing someone on board in advance of the 2027 legislative session, which begins on January 20.

We are seeking a reporter with a minimum of five years’ experience in a newsroom, preferably in covering government or business beats, who would bring the following to our 40-person staff:

• Detail-oriented, with a proven ability to effectively juggle multiple tasks in a deadline-driven environment.
• Excellent reporting and writing skills to accurately produce breaking stories and spot opportunities for quick-turn watchdog pieces, along with the patience and focus required for longer investigations.
• A track record of developing sources and locating resources, generating story ideas and meeting deadlines to create a steady flow of journalism grounded in balanced reporting and high ethical standards.
• Data journalism skills and knowledge of Hawaiʻi, its culture and its issues are both a big plus.

We recognize that not all interested candidates will fit every part of this description and encourage you to use the cover letter to explain how you believe you would fit and grow into the role.

Salary

The final determined salary offer for this position will depend on experience and qualifications’ therefore, the anticipated salary range for this role is between $75,000 – $95,000.

How To Apply

Candidates interested in joining Civil Beat in helping make a difference in Hawaiʻi should email a resume, 3-5 of the most pertinent clips showing a range of reporting and writing, and a cover letter describing how you would approach this beat to apply@civilbeat.org. Please get your materials in as soon as you can since applications will be accepted only until the position is filled.

Submission deadline is Tuesday, November 24, 2026.

Honolulu Civil Beat seeks to build a newsroom that reflects the diversity and lived experience of people in Hawaii. We encourage people from all communities, especially those underrepresented in journalism, to apply.