Education Reporter

Tell the stories shaping the future of education in Western Pennsylvania.

Education is one of the most important and most debated issues facing our communities. The decisions made in classrooms school board meetings state legislatures and local neighborhoods affect students families educators taxpayers and the future of our region.

If youre a journalist who thrives on breaking news loves digging into complex issues and believes great reporting can help communities better understand themselves wed like to meet you.

90.5 WESA Pittsburghs NPR News Station is looking for an Education Beat Reporter to join our award-winning newsroom. This is an opportunity to cover one of the regions most important beats while producing journalism that informs explains and holds institutions accountable.

Youll report across broadcast digital and social platforms producing everything from daily news spots to enterprise stories investigations and audio features that help our audience understand not just what happened but why it matters.

What Youll Cover

Youll be WESAs lead reporter on education covering K-12 schools and the broader forces shaping education across Western Pennsylvania.

Your reporting will include:

• Breaking news and daily developments affecting schools and students.
• School boards district leadership and education policy.
• State and federal legislation affecting education funding and operations.
• Charter schools vouchers school closures and achievement gaps.
• Accountability reporting that examines whether public institutions are delivering on their commitments.
• The real-life impact of education decisions through the voices of students families educators and communities.
• Youll build expertise that makes you the go-to source on education issues throughout the region.

What Youll Do

Every day is different. One morning you might be covering a school board vote. The next youre interviewing students for a feature or analyzing education data for an investigative story.

Youll:

• Report write produce and edit stories for radio digital and social platforms.
• Deliver accurate engaging spot news under tight deadlines.
• Develop enterprise investigative and explanatory journalism.
• Gather compelling field audio photos and video.
• Pitch original story ideas that deepen our audiences understanding of education.
• Build trusted relationships with students families educators policymakers and community leaders.
• Collaborate across our newsroom on major projects and special coverage.
• Represent WESA at community events and public appearances.
• Participate in station fundraising efforts that support our public service mission.

Who You Are

Youre curious collaborative and passionate about public service journalism. You know how to balance urgency with depth and understand that the best stories begin with listening.

Youll thrive in this role if you:

• Have at least three years of professional reporting experience.
• Produce compelling stories across multiple platforms.
• Can move comfortably between breaking news and long-form enterprise reporting.
• Write with clarity accuracy fairness and empathy.
• Enjoy making complicated topics understandable.
• Have strong news judgment and impeccable journalistic ethics.
• Are energized by building sources and uncovering stories others miss.
• Experience in public radio is a plus but its not required.
• Knowledge of data reporting public records court documents FOIA/Right-to-Know requests and investigative reporting techniques is also valuable.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in journalism or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Three or more years of professional newsroom reporting experience.
• Excellent writing reporting interviewing and multimedia storytelling skills.
• Ability to gather and edit audio for broadcast.
• Experience with photography and video production is helpful.
• Willingness to work occasional evenings weekends and breaking news situations.
• A commitment to ethical journalism collaboration and public service.

About WESA

90.5 WESA is Pittsburghs NPR News Station and home to one of the regions most ambitious local newsrooms. We produce trusted journalism across broadcast digital newsletters podcasts and live events serving audiences throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. Our newsroom values curiosity accountability collaboration innovation and journalism that helps our community better understand itself.

About Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting

Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting is home to 90.5 WESA and 91.3 WYEP serving Southwestern Pennsylvania through award-winning journalism exceptional music programming digital storytelling and community engagement.

At Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting were passionate about the work we do and the impact it has on our community. We foster a collaborative supportive culture where ideas are welcomed leaders are approachable and teamwork is part of our everyday experience. We believe people do their best work when they have the flexibility to balance their professional and personal lives and we embrace that philosophy by creating an environment built on trust respect and accountability.

We also offer:

• Competitive salary starting at a minimum $51000 based on experience.
• Medical dental and vision insurance.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match.
• Three weeks of paid vacation.
• Paid sick leave and company holidays.
• Twelve weeks of paid parental leave.
• Professional development support including conferences training and continuing education.
• The opportunity to do meaningful journalism that makes a difference.

This position is based in our Pittsburgh office. Standard business hours are 9:00-5:00 Monday through Friday with occasional evening or weekend work.

Our Commitment

Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive equitable diverse workplace where all employees feel welcomed respected and empowered to succeed.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion gender gender identity or expression sexual orientation national origin genetics disability age or veteran status.

We Want to Hear From You

We know that great journalists dont always check every box on a job description. If youre excited about this opportunity but your experience doesnt perfectly match every qualification we encourage you to apply anyway. Tell us your story! Were interested in what youll bring to our newsroom.

Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting is committed to building a diverse equitable and inclusive workplace and proudly encourages applicants from all backgrounds and experiences.

Ready to help tell the stories that shape Western Pennsylvania Wed love to hear from you. Please apply and tell us more about yourself with a cover letter and resume. Visit our careers page to get more details and to apply.