The Seattle Times is hiring: Climate Reporter in Seattle

Overview

The Seattle Times is hiring a Climate Reporter. The Seattle Times, a family-owned news organization and one of the nation’s premier regional news sources, seeks a reporter who will lead coverage that explores the connections between climate change and the region’s biggest and most influential businesses, from Microsoft, Amazon, Costco, Starbucks and Boeing to startups driving innovation. The beat reporter will join The Times’ Climate Lab, a community-funded team dedicated to coverage of the changing climate in the Pacific Northwest, and bolster its sweeping environment coverage. The reporter should be able to reach consumers making everyday decisions and business audiences, tracking regulatory changes and shifts across industries.

You will join a team working on the cutting edge of climate change’s impacts, including wildfire, drought and extreme heat, public policy, research and solutions. You’ll highlight innovations among businesses and explore the intersection of business and government regulations with an eye toward accountability while covering the emerging challenges and opportunities of our time. The Climate Reporter will be capable of pivoting from breaking news, enterprise and features to long-form storytelling and watchdog journalism, and will weave narratives that explain the real-life implications of a changing climate.

Responsibilities

• Understand key issues of climate change and its differing effects on communities of people with varying social, economic, racial and ethnic backgrounds.
• Write clear stories with a variety of approaches. Seek locally focused stories with national and international appeal, and stories that challenge readers’ preconceived notions and spark curiosity.
• Be immersed in the Pacific Northwest’s business world and understand its influence on government policy.
• Develop diverse and knowledgeable sources to break news, track emerging research and add perspective to coverage.
• Post breaking news stories for the website and social media, followed quickly by updates with more detail and context.
• Identify stories that will drive readership using social media, callouts and audience analytics.
• Collaborate with the Climate Lab editor and beat reporters on other teams, including the Times’ Pulitzer-winning Business department.
• Work with Photo, Graphics/Interactives and the Digital Audience Team to coordinate visuals and digital assets for stories.
• Uphold the core values of accuracy, journalistic ethics and inclusiveness.

Qualifications

• Experience: At least three years’ work as a reporter for a news organization.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree or relevant equivalent experience.
• Experience covering business topics is advantageous.
• Experience covering breaking news and filing from the field, including writing quick, accurate posts followed by fuller reports with context.
• Experience in watchdog and accountability journalism.
• Collaborative spirit and diplomacy across teams.
• Ability to mine databases and public records for stories.
• Strong command of standards, ethics and the mission of journalism at The Seattle Times.
• Ability to analyze facts under pressure and on deadline, with sound judgment about relevance and fairness.
• Cultural competence and awareness of inclusive journalism best practices.
• Ability to write clearly on multiple platforms and social networks.
• Experience in traditional reporting and using social media to source stories; familiarity with digital news production and analytics.

Compensation

The full salary range for this position is $62,425 to $104,700. We typically pay between $75,000 to $90,000, depending on experience and qualifications.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and long-term disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Optional life and AD&D insurance and long-term care insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• 10–20 days of annual vacation accrual (increasing with tenure)
• 10 days of annual sick accrual; unused sick pay accrues to an extended illness bank
• 9 paid holidays
• Monthly internet stipend for remote workers
• Subsidized transit cards and parking
• Complimentary Seattle Times subscription
• Wellness program
• Fertility coverage (with lifetime limits) for eligible employees
• Parental leave options

Additional information

• Please note: this position requires the successful completion of pre-employment assessments including a criminal background check, a drug screen (excluding cannabis), and a motor vehicle report after an offer is made. Reliable transportation to respond to work assignments is required. If you use a personal vehicle, you must provide a valid driver’s license and auto insurance meeting company liability limits prior to hire. This is a union-represented position.
• For accommodation requests due to disability, contact Human Resources at careers@seattletimes.com with the description of needed accommodations.