Roanoke Times seeks tech reporter

The Roanoke Times seeks a savvy reporter to cover Western Virginia’s growing technology community and other regional business stories.

We want a reporter to write about nationally recognized companies and small startups born out of research at Virginia Tech, home to one of the nation’s top engineering programs. The region has more than 100 tech companies, many of them based in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg.

We’re looking for a tech geek jazzed about innovation, but who also understands venture capitalism and government funding. We value reporters who thrive on change, experimentation and a journalistic mission to serve the community. This position is based in our New River Valley office, 10 minutes from Virginia Tech, and the reporter also will cover other business stories throughout the region.

Essential duties and responsibilities:

• Conceives and executes original enterprise story ideas and spots daily news stories of interest to Roanoke Times and Roanoke.com readers.
• Uses social media and other digital tools to engage readers, develop ideas and break news.
• Remains on top of national and regional technology trends, and bring those to life in Southwest Virginia.
• Understands the financial issues facing researchers and technology companies, and be able to explain those to our readers.
• Develops knowledge and expertise in the business of technology (including many specific companies), and its relationship to Virginia Tech.
• Writes clearly (and from a consumer’s perspective when appropriate) about companies, computers, software, consumer electronics, social media as well as bio-medicine, biotechnology, military technology and energy technology.
• Covers other New River Valley business stories.
• Serves as a general assignment reporter and a backup to Virginia Tech beat writer and other reporters as needed
• Collaborates with photographers, designers and team leaders to develop breakouts and visual elements that help tell the story.
• Develops a wide range of sources.
• Works occasional holiday, weekend and evening shifts.
• Completes other duties as assigned.

To apply, go here.