Education Reporter

Location: San Diego, California, US; remote options are available. Must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at the time of hire.

Salary: $34.01–$36.54 per hour ($70,740.80–$76,000 per year), depending on qualifications; non-negotiable.

Company

hirify.global supports KPBS, a public television, radio, and digital media station serving the San Diego community and producing local and nationally distributed programming.

What you will do

• Report and produce education stories focused on accountability, readiness for life, and mental, social, and emotional education.
• Research topics, analyze data, develop contacts, interview sources, maintain reporting records, and write and edit reports.
• Produce and voice content for radio, television, KPBS.org, social media, and mobile platforms, including audio spots, features, video packages, multimedia projects, and special reports.
• Shoot and edit video, record audio and ambient sound, capture photographs, and distribute content across news platforms.
• Collaborate with reporters, video journalists, editors, producers, and production units to create accurate and contextual coverage.
• Plan education-beat coverage, maintain source files, develop story ideas, fill in for newsroom roles, and participate in public events and fundraising activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism or equivalent years of experience, training, and/or related work.
• Two years of progressively responsible or related experience as a reporter.
• Basic news judgment, knowledge of journalism ethics, and understanding of AP style, news structure, and grammar.
• Ability to write broadcast scripts and/or web stories and voice content for television and radio.
• Ability to perform, or willingness and ability to learn, TV stand-ups and live shots.
• Audio and/or video editing skills, including the ability to shoot, record, and edit content for radio and television platforms.
• Ability to build, develop, and maintain sources and working relationships; knowledge of or willingness to learn about institutions and communities throughout San Diego and Imperial counties or the assigned beat.
• Basic computer and photography skills, including capturing images for digital story illustration.
• Ability to use and maintain, or willingness and ability to learn, field cameras and related equipment.

Nice to have

• Previous education reporting experience.
• Fluency in a foreign language such as Spanish or Tagalog.
• Expertise in analyzing data to identify story trends.
• Accountability-driven journalism experience, including filing FOIA and/or PRA requests.
• Experience with audience engagement tools such as Hearken and social media engagement.
• Digital production experience, including still photography.
• Journalistic experience in public radio or television.
• Knowledge of current San Diego and regional issues.

Culture & Benefits

• Hybrid schedule and remote-work flexibility options, depending on the position.
• Medical, dental, vision, and life benefits; sick leave accruals and paid leave options.
• Ten vacation days, one personal day, thirteen holidays, and winter-break time off.
• Campus facilities, employee discounts, wellness programs, childcare discounts, flexible spending accounts, and employee assistance.
• Professional development opportunities and matching and voluntary retirement savings plans.
• The position is within the SAG-AFTRA bargaining unit.

Hiring process

• Employment is contingent upon satisfactory background-check clearance, including a criminal record check.