Public Safety & Courts Reporter

Strengthening and empowering all of the communities we serve.

NJ Advance Media, which produces content for NJ.com and the Star-Ledger,online newspaper, has an exciting opportunity for a Public Safety and Courts Reporter.

We're seeking a candidate who can delve into the major public safety and legal stories of the day with the urgency required for our fast-paced breaking news team while balancing larger stories the reflect the broader impact of those issues on New Jersey residents. You’ll dig deeper into big legal cases and find stories that advance the narrative beyond the first-day story. You’ll be well sourced with officials in the top law enforcement agencies in the state and expected to develop exclusive stories from those connections. You’ll be writing fast and often, and you’ll have a hunger to get the details, get them right, and get them published before our competitors is essential. Experience with data analysis is a plus.

You'd be joining the newsroom's largest team of reporters and working side-by-side with a friendly, dedicated and ambitious group of reporters and editors with decades of experience covering New Jersey from every angle.

The base salary range is $57,000-$65,000 per year.

For this position, we are looking for a candidate with:

A degree in journalism or communications or equivalent education and work experience with a proven ability in journalism reporting and writing
A minimum of three years in journalism with a proven ability in reporting and writing required
Experience in breaking news, public safety and court reporting, as well as search engine optimization is preferred
An ability to cultivate sources to break news and drive coverage that differentiates our organization from competitors
An ability to work independently under deadline pressure and prioritize tasks appropriately
A sound understanding of news writing, journalistic ethics and story structure
Experience using social media to find stories and promote content
Ability to work remotely
Availability to work weekends, some holidays and occasional irregular hours to meet the needs of the breaking news staffing

This job requires reliable transportation to meet with sources and/or cover events.