Tesla Reporter

We are looking for an ambitious reporter to cover the companies aiming to transform the automotive industry, including Tesla, autonomous and electric vehicle startups, and Elon Musk’s network of companies. This beat intersects high-stakes corporate strategy, massive capital deployment, geopolitical supply chain friction, and bleeding-edge technology—where great journalism is essential as these vehicles go mainstream.

About the role

This role focuses on delivering impactful scoops and deeply reported features about the profound structural shift in mobility. Legacy automakers are pivoting to electrification and autonomy, while pioneers like Tesla and Rivian redefine manufacturing, software integration, and consumer brand loyalty. Robotaxi frontrunners like Waymo are transitioning from experimental concepts to commercial reality, fundamentally challenging traditional car ownership models.

Responsibilities

• Consistently deliver impactful scoops on Tesla, Rivian, Waymo, and rising EV/AV startups, detailing their strategic pivots, production triumphs, bottlenecks, and executive-level thinking.
• Develop deep networks of sources across these companies, navigating C-suites, activist boardrooms, factory floors, software engineering labs, and regulatory agencies.
• Deliver memorable, richly reported enterprise and analytical features on the tech and corporate titans competing in the race for autonomy and electrification.
• Find fresh, proprietary angles on widely reported breaking news stories to ensure the Journal’s coverage stands out.
• Be a flexible player with a wide range of interests and a willingness to pitch outside your beat occasionally.
• Partner seamlessly with data, visual, investigative, and video teams to execute complex multi-platform projects and multimedia series.
• Work closely with other reporters and editors at the Journal covering the global auto industry, particularly Elon Musk’s companies, including SpaceX and Neuralink.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of professional journalism experience covering major corporate beats, ideally in the automotive sector, technology, or industrial manufacturing.
• A proven track record of breaking high-profile corporate news and finding original angles on widely watched stories.
• The high-energy metabolism to deliver accurate breaking news while advancing deeply reported enterprise work.
• The persistence and sophistication to unearth fresh, high-stakes stories through aggressive sourcing, FOIA requests, and deep document mining.
• A highly collaborative spirit and desire to work across global bureaus to dominate stories with macroeconomic implications.
• Excellent communication and organization skills to liaise with editors and colleagues across different time zones.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package covering health, retirement, wellbeing, and more, along with optional benefits to meet diverse employee needs.

Pay

Base pay range: $140,000 - $175,000. This range reflects our good faith estimate and may vary based on a candidate’s experience, skills, location, and other relevant factors. For bonus-eligible roles, targets are determined based on market benchmarks and individual contributions.

This role will be based in San Francisco, Detroit, or New York City.