Education and Breaking News Reporter
The News Tribune seeks a smart, energetic education and breaking news reporter to join its award-winning newsroom in Tacoma, one of America’s most diverse and fast-growing communities.
At The News Tribune, we put a premium on breaking stories first as well as investing in hard-nosed, accountability journalism that our audience can’t get anywhere else.
Our journalism focuses on our local communities, and in that role we have the ability to spotlight problems, highlight solutions and truly make a difference -- all the reasons you got into journalism. And we are part of McClatchy, a digitally driven company focused on innovation, with newsrooms in 30 communities in the United States.
In 2021, our team exposed how an engineering decision made five decades ago during the design of an Interstate 5 bridge has resulted in climate-driven flood risks that threaten to sever the West Coast’s main north-south freeway. That work resulted in the state Legislature earmarking $75 million for design of a new bridge and won The News Tribune a McClatchy President’s Award.
Also in 2021, our team-based coverage of the decision to file charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter against three Tacoma police officers linked to the death of Tacoma resident Manuel Ellis won second place in SPJ Region 10’s Breaking News category.
We are headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, a lively region for news and an interesting place to live. Our community is growing, with up-and-coming restaurants, breweries, thriving museum and theater districts and myriad opportunities for outdoor recreation, from water sports to mountaineering. We’re uniquely located near three national parks — Mount Rainier being our favorite — and the Sound. The big-city lights of Seattle are only 30 miles away.
As an education reporter, you will cover important issues like education in a mid- or post-pandemic world, graduation rates, budgets, higher education affordability and more. The afternoon breaking news part of the job will require you to work closely with the morning breaking news reporter to close any holes in stories or catch any other breaking news that happens later in the day.
We’re looking for a self-paced reporter who can spot and report stories without waiting for an assignment and who can cultivate reliable sources.
The expected schedule is Monday through Friday with an expected start time around noon or 1 p.m. depending on coverage.
The anticipated base pay range for this position is between $21.64 and $24.04. Individual base pay may vary within that range depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, relevant education, department equity, training, geography and local wage and hours laws.
In this role, you will need to:
- Focus on stories that build readership
- Master engaging multimedia storytelling
- Demonstrate speed, competitiveness and SEO savvy through aggregating and storytelling tools
- Work well in a team environment.
The successful candidate should meet many, though not necessarily all, of the following requirements:
- College degree preferred.
- 1-2 years of reporting experience.
- Must have reliable transportation. Must have valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance required (at least minimum insurance required for the state in which the employee works).
- Strong writing skills, excellent news judgment and a demonstrated ability to “see the story” that is going to matter to readers.
- Commitment to ethics.
- Ability to build source networks and bring a constant flow of story ideas.
- Ability to work collaboratively to aggressively tackle stories.
- Comfort with a job that will be demanding, fast-paced and constantly evolving.
- Facility with data, public records and business reports.
What we’ll bring: As a journalist at McClatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on health, well-being, wealth and daily life, our package options includes healthcare coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no-cost wellness resources and even coverage for four-legged friends. Our overall benefit package also includes a 401(k) with employer match, competitive paid time off and corporate holidays, and a variety of mental health benefits. With an excellent support team and with focus on your well-being as a top corporate strategy, McClatchy provides benefits to support you and your family in achieving your health and wellness goals. For more information on McClatchy's benefit plan, please visit McClatchyLivewell.com.
To apply, include a persuasive cover letter, your resume and four to six examples of your best work.
About McClatchy:
Our impact is growing every day. 30 growing markets. Over 65 million monthly readers. 56 Pulitzer Prizes. A strong portfolio of dynamic partnerships and smart investments. Our award-winning journalism, digital reach, and commitment to innovative growth have never been stronger. As a member of the McClatchy family, you are part of a flexible, empowering, and exciting culture dedicated to creating a work/life balance and consistent opportunities for growth—a place where you have a voice and the ability to impact our future. It’s an exciting time to be here. Our company is experiencing the most transformative period in its history. We’re growing rapidly in the digital space and delivering award-winning journalism in innovative ways.