Sr. Reporter - Politics

The MPR News Politics Reporter is responsible for covering issues related to politics, campaigns and government from the Minnesota Capitol to Washington D.C. The position requires the ability to cultivate and generate sources to keep MPR News ahead of the competition. It requires knowledge of how the Legislature and elections work, how the state budget is put together and how policy debates translate into the lives of Minnesotans.

In this role, you will produce regional stories for radio programs, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered, daily newscasts and podcasts. Your reporting will also appear on the MPR News website, in daily newsletters and on social media. Other duties include live Q&As with MPR News hosts.

Though much of the job requires coverage of meetings, news conferences and other events related to politics and government, you will also have opportunities to focus on developing original enterprise stories that expand the audience’s understanding of Minnesota politics, campaigns and legislative activities.

Knowledge of radio production is a plus but not an absolute requirement. An ability to be trained and to sound good on the air is required.

MPR News trains all new employees. You will be given beat-specific guidance on assignments as your primary role, and you will be assigned some general assignment stories. While you will have an assigned shift, per the news cycle and staffing needs of a daily news organization, you may be assigned to work an early morning, night and/or weekend shift.

Expected Compensation Range: $33.10 - $39.72/hour. Exact hourly rate determined by experience and education related to the role, organizational compensation structure and internal equity.

Application Deadline: Open until filled

Position Responsibilities:

Develop sources in Minnesota politics and government
Record interviews for broadcast
Write radio scripts and mix audio for news programs and newscasts
Report on live radio broadcasts as assigned
Write digital stories for MPRNews.org
Take images or create other visual content to support digital workflows
Collaborate with editors, digital producers, radio producers and reporting staff
Work with politics team to develop and share ideas, sources and coverage plans
Uphold journalistic standards of accuracy and fairness
Deliver substantive reports quickly on varied subjects
Routinely break stories
Function as a leader in news judgment
Fill in on daily news shifts and on weekends several times a year
May be called upon to fill in as Editor and/or Host

Required Education and Experience:

BA degree or equivalent work experience in journalism
Senior Reporter Level: 5+ years reporting or similar experience

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

Strong writing and analytical skills
Demonstrated ability to write for radio, broadcast and/or print
Ability to construct stories with multiple interviews and scenes
Experience reporting on a beat
Demonstrated ability to meet daily deadlines
Ability to pivot to breaking news
Willingness to participate in live reports and host two-ways
Ability to learn radio production workflows, produce content for multiple platforms and take photographs
Familiarity with data practices laws and ability to analyze large amounts of data and other information
Social media fluency that builds audience/followers and upholds journalistic standards
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
Willingness to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, in step with the news cycle

Preferred Skills and Experience:

Prior experience covering politics
Command for developing long-term reporting projects
Knowledge of Spanish, Hmong, Somali or another language used by a large population of Minnesotans

Reporting to this Position: None

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation
Ability to manage some work outside of standard office hours as needed
Physical Demands:
Required to move about in an office environment and sit for extended periods of time
Required to move about in the community
Frequent use of hands for data entry/keystrokes and simple grasping

Working Conditions:
Moderate noise level
Occasional exposure to prevalent weather conditions