Service Journalism Reporter

McClatchy is seeking a collaborative, reader-focused reporter for our Fort Worth service journalism team, whose mission is to help local readers navigate life and news in Tarrant County and North Texas.

The position is based in Fort Worth, Texas, and this service journalist will write for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram news site, star-telegram.com.

This service journalist will report and write to answer reader-submitted questions, dig into local curiosities and issues, use engagement tools like Google Trends to identify local or state topics with high interest, and contribute to projects and breaking news coverage.

This reporter must be ready to move with agility when the news demands. The successful candidate for this position will be able to take assignments and pitch ideas. As such, this reporter must have good time management skills and be organized.

Experience with audience growth and engagement tactics such as digital headline writing and SEO is a must. Expertise in a particular subject area is not required, but the successful candidate will bring a deep understanding of what’s important to local readers and be curious and motivated to write about new topics every day.
We have fun, and we write on the news. Here are just a few of the team’s stories:

Wear what you want to the State Fair of Texas, but these outfits will give you the boot
Penny given to Texas waitress as tip lists on eBay for over $2,500. Here’s the full story
Will Texas see more snow this winter? Here’s what El Nino weather data tells us
Cattlemen’s Steak House in Fort Worth Stockyards to get $3M renovation: What we know

About the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: The Star-Telegram has served the Fort Worth and North Texas community for 117 years. With nearly 1 million residents, it is the 13th largest city in the country and is the fifth largest in Texas. It boasts a lively downtown, concert halls, museums and a historic section – The Stockyards – devoted to the town’s cattle driving past. The West Fork Trinity River runs through the heart of Fort Worth and is home to Trinity Park and its 100-mile network of bike and walking trails. The population is diverse, with about 35% Hispanic or Latino, over 18% Black and about 5% Asian, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Star-Telegram is committed to representing the diverse North Texas communities we cover and to building an inclusive newsroom for staffers of all backgrounds.

What you'll bring:

Have strong writing and reporting skills, as well as excellent news judgment and journalism ethics.
Think about our audiences first and always, with a commitment to tactics that grow readership and community engagement.
Have a passion for the written word as well as video, audio and graphics.
Demonstrate speed, competitiveness and SEO savvy through aggregating and storytelling tools.
Work well in a team environment.
Data reporting experience is a plus.

Preferred education & experience:

College degree or equivalent work experience.
At least 1-3 years of reporting experience.

When applying, include a persuasive cover letter, your resume and four to six examples of your best work.