California Tech Politics & Policy Editor

About the role

POLITICO is seeking an ambitious, experienced editor to lead coverage of California’s technology industry, politics, and policy as part of its growing California newsroom and global tech team. The editor will helm California Decoded, POLITICO’s daily newsletter focused on the people, power, and policies shaping the state’s technology sector, especially on state and local governments or elections. This high‑impact editorial role sits at the intersection of California politics, technology, and global power, setting the agenda for coverage of the tech industry’s influence in Sacramento while connecting those stories to debates in Washington, London, Brussels, and other tech centers.

The position is based in San Francisco or Sacramento, with regular collaboration across POLITICO’s California, Washington, and global technology teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the editorial vision and daily production of California Decoded, including setting the newsletter agenda, editing copy, and developing distinctive enterprise and analysis.
• Edit reporters covering Silicon Valley politics and influence, California technology policy, lobbying and political fundraising, and emerging technology including automation and autonomous vehicles.
• Help build a cohesive California tech reporting operation, setting priorities and coordinating coverage across beats.
• Shape breaking‑news coverage and enterprise stories that go beyond basic industry reporting to explain who has power, who is lobbying for what, and what comes next.
• Identify stories with implications beyond California and work with POLITICO’s global tech team to connect developments in Sacramento and Silicon Valley to Washington, London, Brussels, and other power centers.
• Work closely with reporters to develop sources, sharpen story ideas, strengthen reporting, and produce clean, authoritative journalism.
• Edit high‑impact stories for POLITICO’s homepage, newsletters, and subscriber audience.
• Help recruit, develop, and mentor journalists as the California tech team grows.
• Collaborate with editors and reporters across California, Washington, and POLITICO’s global newsrooms.
• Maintain POLITICO’s rigorous standards for accuracy, fairness, independence, and nonpartisan journalism.

Requirements

• Significant experience as an editor, reporter, or journalist covering technology, politics, policy, or government, with a strong understanding of California.
• A sophisticated understanding of the technology industry and its relationship with Sacramento and Washington.
• Demonstrated ability to edit ambitious journalism and help reporters turn strong reporting into distinctive, high‑impact stories.
• A track record of breaking news, developing enterprise, and producing journalism that explains not just what happened, but why it matters.
• Excellent news judgment and the ability to move quickly in a demanding daily news environment.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with a clean, clear, and authoritative voice.
• Experience editing or producing a daily newsletter is strongly preferred.
• Ability to see connections across beats and develop stories with state, national, and international significance.
• Collaborative management style and a commitment to developing reporters and working across teams.
• Rigorous commitment to fair‑minded, accurate, and nonpartisan journalism.
• Experience in California technology policy, campaign finance, lobbying, artificial intelligence, automation, autonomous vehicles, or other emerging technologies is a major plus.

Pay

Annual Base Salary: $120,000 – $140,000. The final salary offered will be based on factors including relevant experience, skills, and qualifications.