BuzzFeed seeks labor reporter

We’re looking for a tenacious reporter to tell the story of 21st century labor: one where workforce management software and the sharing economy are as significant to the lives of working Americans as labor unions and factory floors once were. As the market for well-paying, stable middle class job evaporates, there is a huge story to be told in what is replacing it, and how the nation’s biggest employers are treating their workers.

The beat is broad and can include everything from new forms of labor activism to the rise of the freelance economy and the politics of the minimum wage. As robotics, software and offshoring continue to eat away at the labor market, the successful candidate should produce original reporting that gives a clear-eyed view of the winners and losers.

This is perhaps the most important story in the U.S. economy, and we are seeking a candidate who wants to own it and make it theirs. The ideal candidate must be as comfortable covering the scene at a fast-food worker protest as they are asking hard questions of executives – this beat has a lot of crossover potential.

Responsibilities:

• Identify big-picture themes in the modern labor market and the individual stories that illustrate them, including daily news stories and longer features
• Develop a network of sources within companies, activist groups and labor unions
• Build a strong presence in the social media conversation around jobs, wages and labor activism.

Requirements:

• Passion for the story: this beat will live and die based on the enthusiasm of the reporter
• All experience levels will be considered, but the candidate must have a hunger to break news that drives the national conversation around labor issues
• Strong presence across social media

To apply, go here.