Education Lab Reporter

The Seattle Times a family-owned news organization and one of the nations premier regional news sources is looking to hireanEducation LabReporter. This reporter will focus on early childhood education and elementary education.

Education Lab is a team focused on equity journalismfromearly childhood to post-secondarythat is financially supported by local foundations and other groups. It combines in-depth reporting with an ambitious communityengagement effort. This reporter willjoin a dedicated teamthat has been an industry leader for more than a decade.

Werelooking for an experienced journalist who can dig into the full range of childcare and early childhood education issues includingequitableaccess and how families are grappling with costs and other challenges of caring for their young children. We want toidentifypromising solutions and explore what rolesgovernmentsand the private sector can play in preparing children for their futures. We also want a reporter who can deftly handle the intersection of early childhood education with the traditional K-12system andbreak down policy debates into approachable and interesting stories.

Successful candidates will have experience covering education systems and a strong understanding of education trendspoliciesand challenges at the statelocaland federal level. We are looking for a collaborative reporter who can help the team cover the most pressing education issues of our time.

Responsibilities

• Be curious and widely read about education issues and be ready with a diverse ever-growing story list that mixes daily stories with longer-term enterprise and watchdog pieces.
• Use good empathetic interview techniques to gain a better understanding of your story and the people in it.
• Write with authority based on understanding of your subject matter. Show your excellent command of language and self-edit for crisp clean copy.
• Be comfortable filing public records requests and flexing your investigative muscles on a daily basis.
• Analyze databases to find your own story ideas.
• Work closely with photographers and graphic artists to illustrate your stories.
• Pitch solutions stories that interrogate responses to problems.
• Makeengagementpart of your reporting. We want your creative ideas for how we can better interact with our community.
• Be a good team member. We pride ourselves on trusting and supporting each other and being flexible during unexpected moments of need.
• Model unimpeachable ethics and standards.
• Master new digital tools and write with a digital-first approach whenwarranted. (i.e. writing iteratively in breaking-newssituations.)
• Demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion in story choicesourcingand framing.
• Contribute to coverage of major breaking news and larger newsroom initiatives. Participate ina staffrotation covering occasional weekend and holiday breaking news shifts.

• Experience: A minimum of four years reporting experience preferably at a metropolitan daily news organization. You should have at least a year with a specific emphasis on educationorstate and federalgovernment.
• Education: College graduate or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• You should be able to read education research and quickly separate the wheat from the chaff.
• It is our job to reach underserved communities many of which include immigrants. Fluency in a language other than English is an advantage.

Compensation:The full salary range for this position is $62425 to $104700. We typically pay between $62425 to $85000 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 days of annual vacation accrual increasing with tenure up to 20 days
• 10 days of annual sick accrual; unused sick pay accrues to an extended illness bank
• 9 paid holidays
• Monthly internet stipend for predominately remote employees
• Subsidized transit cards and parking costs
• Complimentary Seattle Times subscription
• Wellness program
• Fertility coverage (with lifetime limits) for eligible employees
• Parental leave options

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 once an offer has been made. This position requires that you have access to reliable transportation to respond to work assignments. If you opt to use a personal vehicle for transportation you must be able to provide proof of a valid drivers license and auto insurance meeting the companys liability limits prior to hire. Finally please note that this is a union-represented position.

Founded in 1896 The Seattle Times continues its tradition as a family-owned Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper that cuts through the clutter and provides readers with timely relevant news. We serve the Pacific Northwest with thoughtful independent 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 1.9 million. At The Seattle Times youll find work that matters.

If you need assistance to accommodate a disability please contact Human Resources at and provide a description of the reasonable accommodation(s) needed.