Reporter (Project Homelessness)
The Seattle Times, the Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper and media company, is looking to hire an experienced Reporter to join our community-funded Project Homelessness lab. This two-year grant-funded project aims at finding solutions and empowering citizens and decision maker alike to address a seemingly intractable community problem: homelessness. As a member of this team, you will produce hard-hitting watchdog and investigative stories, contextual pieces, narrative stories, graphic layouts and multimedia features aimed at informing and engaging readers in a region trying to solve a growing homelessness problem.
Ideally, you would have demonstrated experience finding and writing compelling, in-depth stories. Your strong investigative skills and experience analyzing finances (and other data) should be a key strength in your repertoire. Multimedia skills and knowledge of homelessness issues are pluses. Finally, you should be able to meet swift deadlines; write quick breaking stories as well as longer, more complicated articles in a variety of genres; deliver clean, error-free writing that is fair and well-researched; and use social media and other technology tools to expand contacts, establish visibility and cover news.
Please note: this grant-funded position is only scheduled for four months. Renewal after July 2019 is likely but not guaranteed.
Responsibilities
- Prepare accurate, fair, balanced and carefully researched stories and multimedia posts to meet assigned deadlines.
- Seek a variety of sources in covering a story. Seek out and act quickly on story opportunities on all platforms.
- Aggressively follow through on stories, including interacting with readers after publication through chats, comments or other engagement tools.
- Handle a variety of stories and writing approaches. Write with authority based on a clear understanding of a topic or beat.
- Develop sources on continuing stories while maintaining a steady flow of new story ideas.
- Produce enterprise stories and stay ahead of stories by anticipating or uncovering developments.
- Use documents effectively and link to source documents from stories.
- Seek diversity in coverage.
- Be willing to take leadership of a story or project.
Qualifications
- Experience: At least three years of reporting experience in a news organization and a track record of front-page, hard-hitting news features and issue stories.
- Education: Four-year degree in journalism or a related field (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).
- Must be knowledgeable in the Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, and have the ability to do simple data analysis.
- Must keep technological skills current and adapt to and embrace current and future newsroom publishing and company systems such as Methode, WordPress, Outlook, UltiPro, etc.
- Prior experience using Smartphones, tablets or other Web-enabled devices to monitor news, file stories from the field, and cover breaking news.
- Social-media skills, including the ability to use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other emerging social networks to gather and disseminate news, reach new audiences and track the changing social landscape.
- Digital video and photography skills a plus, to supplement reporting and writing.
- Proven reader-engagement skills, including participation in chats, comments or use of engagement tools on sites such as Reddit.
- Must understand and uphold the standards, ethics and mission of journalism at The Seattle Times, regardless of platform.
- Must be willing to travel and work unusual schedules when news coverage demands it.
- Must keep well informed about news in general and assigned specialties by reading The Times and other online and print publications.
This position requires union dues be paid monthly. Additionally, this position requires a drug screen for controlled substances, background check, and reference check on a post-offer basis as a condition of employment. Finally, this role requires a personal vehicle, proof of car insurance, and driver’s license.
Founded in 1896, The Seattle Times continues its tradition as a family-owned, independent newspaper that cuts through the clutter and provides readers with timely, relevant news. As the largest newsroom in the Pacific Northwest, we serve the region with thoughtful journalism that makes a real difference in our community. And as a media solutions company, we combine cutting-edge digital capabilities and service with the values and integrity of respected traditional media… with an established audience of 1.8 million. At The Seattle Times, you’ll find work that matters.