Career Center

The Seattle Times, a family-owned news organization and one of the nation’s premier regional news sources, is hiring a Communities Reporter to join our newsroom’s Features department.

This reporter will dive deep into the many diverse communities in the Pacific Northwest and report on how these communities are shaping current events and our region, while keeping a finger on the pulse of the issues, shared histories and events that matter. We challenge you to take the time to get to know the communities we cover and find stories that provide a window into the connective tissue and cultures of the diverse peoples that make up this region.

The Communities reporter should:

• Have strong cultural competence and experience covering race, culture, disability, LGBTQ+ issues, and marginalized communities with sensitivity.
• Have demonstrated an ability to familiarize themselves with the neighborhoods and communities of a city. A familiarity with Seattle’s neighborhoods and communities is a bonus.
• Have a proven track record of generating story ideas off a beat.
• Be a versatile reporter who can cover anything from breaking news to enterprise in an expedient, productive fashion.
• Be a creative writer with a distinct voice.
• Be a sharp, personable interviewer who is able to relate to all sorts of people.
• Be comfortable with reporting in all forms — through in-person interviews, on the phone, on a video call, or any other medium.
• Be able and willing to pitch in and cover other topics as needed within the scope of the Features department’s coverage areas. (These include arts and entertainment, culture, lifestyle, food and drink, travel and outdoors.)
• Yield diverse and knowledgeable sources who will help break news, track emerging research and add perspective to coverage.
• Work with a team led by an editor and collaborate with beat reporters on other teams. • Work with colleagues in Photo, Graphics/Interactives and the Digital Audience Team to coordinate visuals and digital assets for stories.
• The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic colleague and a champion of our core values of accuracy, journalistic ethics and inclusion.

Qualifications:

We are committed to diversity and creating an inclusive newsroom and encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply. If your profile doesn’t match this job description exactly, you may still be a candidate for this position. Please let us know how your skills and experience relate to the role and its objectives in your cover letter.

• Experience: Three to five years of work as a reporter for a newsgathering organization. Experience covering race, culture and ethnicity is preferred.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree or relevant equivalent experience.
• Experience covering breaking news and filing from the field, including writing quick, accurate posts that are followed by more complete stories that provide necessary context and perspective.
• Collaborative spirit; diplomacy when communicating up, down and across teams.
• Strong command of standards, ethics and mission of journalism at The Seattle Times.
• Ability to analyze facts and make judgments about relevance, newsworthiness, fairness, etc., under pressure and on deadline.
• Cultural competence and awareness of best practices related to inclusive journalism.
• Experience in traditional, shoe-leather reporting, as well as using social media to find and source stories. Familiarity with digital news production, live blogging, and using analytics to inform story choices are also a necessity.
• Ability to write clearly, accurately and creatively on multiple platforms and social networks.

Please note: This union position requires you to pay dues each month. You will also be required to take a pre-employment drug screen for controlled substances (excludes marijuana) and a criminal background check.

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 2.1 million. At The Seattle Times, you'll find work that matters.

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