USA TODAY is hiring an education reporter to cover breaking news and deeply reported national enterprise.
This reporter will capture how education is evolving after a pandemic, how education is funded, the role of technology in schools and how culture wars shape how students learn, among other topics.
We are looking for a reporter who will break news and balance dailies alongside longer-term reporting fueled by data, public records and revealing interviews.
We want a journalist with big ideas and the skills to bring those ideas to life — someone who can coax people to share information they weren’t supposed to give a reporter.
A language other than English and a strong understanding of underserved communities is a strength for this reporter, given that many schools remain segregated, and more than half of all public-school students nationwide are young people of color.
The reporter will be joining USA TODAY’s award-winning education team. The ideal candidate can work independently but also collaborate regularly with reporters across the newsroom.
This role also will entail working occasionally with staff across the USA TODAY Network, which includes more than 200 daily newspapers.
Candidates should have a track record of covering education or policy issues on a regular basis and a portfolio that reflects deep reporting and examples of strong storytelling.
This position is remote and can be based anywhere in the US, except for Alaska and Hawaii or based at our headquarters in McLean, VA. If you live near one of our local newsrooms, you may have the option to use that as a base of operations.
We are a digital-first news organization. We want someone who wants to try new ways of reaching an audience, such as through YouTube, TikTok Instagram and more. An understanding of audience metrics is helpful.
Responsibilities:
- This role also will entail working occasionally with staff across the USA TODAY Network, which includes more than 200 daily newspapers
- Deliver compelling stories, scoops and exclusives that inform and engage our audience
- Provide thoughtful, in-depth reporting
- The ability to write quickly under deadline
- Collaborate across the USA Today Network, teaming up with reporters, editors and visual journalists to create multimedia content that will help us grow audience
- Package and optimize stories to help them reach the widest possible audience
- Promote personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand
- Provide great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions
- Perform other duties as necessary
Qualifications:
- We want a journalist with big ideas and the skills to bring those ideas to life — someone who can coax people to share information they weren’t supposed to give a reporter
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in journalism or any other subject or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Minimum of 5 years’ reporting/newsroom experience
- Prior education reporting experience is essential
- The ideal candidate must demonstrate strong news judgment, the ability to file accurate, concise, and clean copy on tight deadlines, and to build on breaking news with smart short- and long-term enterprise ideas
- A mindset of curiosity, growth and change, and a willingness to try, be wrong, and learn from setbacks
- A flair for lively, conversational writing and engaging headlines
- A track record of generating scoops and exclusives
- Experience generating quick-turn news stories, thoughtful enterprise, and in-depth projects
- An interest in new ways of informing and engaging audiences on social platforms and alternate story forms
- A collaborative approach and strong communication skills
- Understanding of – or eagerness to learn about – audience analytics and how they can help inform content decisions
- Ability to shoot still photos and short videos to accompany stories
- This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law
Job Level: National News Reporter III
Minimum salary: $72,000
We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:
- Your resume – one to two pages.
- A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
- Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.
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