Assistant Producer (The Indicator Podcast)

Application Deadline: Friday, December 1st at 5:00 PM EST

The Indicator is one of the biggest daily podcasts around reaching millions of listeners every month. At all levels, producing The Indicator entails working collaboratively in a small, tight-knit team that moves fast. Everyone is expected to pitch stories, keep up with the news, and contribute to editorial insights about economics, business, and finance. Producers will book guests, conduct interviews, gather tape, assist in field reporting, plan logistics of projects, collaborations, trips, and generally whatever needs doing as well as mix episodes on tight deadlines. Candidates should not apply if they do not want to be mixing audio on a regular basis.

Collective Bargaining Agreement Statement (only use for union-represented roles): This is a union-represented role covered under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement with SAG-AFTRA.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Edit, cut, mix, and produce episodes from raw materials gathered by host/reporters/producers with minimal guidance.
Cut down and repurpose podcast episodes for radio air and other platforms.
Assists hosts/cohosts with tracking.
Assist hosts/cohosts with recording sources.
Assist hosts/cohosts with research and accessing news and/or archival tape.
Independently book guests and conduct interviews.
Occasional help with fact-checking and writing digital copy for episodes and social media channels.
Join group edits and contribute insights and ideas to help sharpen your colleagues’ work.

The above duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be assigned, and this job description can be modified at any time.

REQUIRED SKILLS

Experience in podcasting and/or radio broadcasting.
Experience in editing and mixing audio. Pro Tools experience preferred.
Experience and demonstrated commitment to fact-checking.
Demonstrated ability to work quickly and efficiently under deadline pressure.
Ability to handle more than one assignment at a time; ability to prioritize, anticipate, and communicate effectively.
A record of working well with others, maintaining professionalism, kindness, care, even under deadline pressure.
Ability and willingness to work varied shifts.
Proven ability to consistently work well with others, demonstrating, at all times, respect for the diverse constituencies at NPR and within the public radio system.
Subject matter knowledge of economics, business, and/or finance at a high fluency, aka the ability to decode the jargon in other business news into plain English.

PREFERRED SKILLS

Experience in a news environment and/or working experience in the field of economics, finance or business. Ambition and interest in improving all ways The Indicator reaches the audience, including our web and social media presence and new ways we have yet to attempt.
Experience in podcasting and/or radio broadcasting.
Digital media skills, including proficiency in social media as a news-gathering technique.
Ability to inject humor and surprise to even dry subject matter like economics research reporting, or better yet, not even finding the subject matter dry at all, and an ability to spread that kind of infectious enthusiasm into our episodes.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT

While we place value on formal education, we love candidates with loads of experience. We would like to hear about your knowledge level and enthusiasm for the subject matter we cover. Relevant experience in lieu of education will be highly considered.

All applications must include a resume and cover letter to be considered.

It’s OK to be casual and conversational in your cover letter, that’s how we are on the show, that’s how we are with each other. Overall, your application should answer the question: how will hiring you change The Indicator for the better?
What are you curious and passionate about? What areas of economics, business or finance do you imagine pitching stories about regularly?
Please tell us what you think we should stop doing, and what you think we should start doing, or do more of, and how you would help us do that.
Please choose a recent episode you might have approached differently and tell us how you would have improved it. Be concise, and brutally honest. We appreciate that. And please do it as you might if you were on the team giving feedback to a colleague. I.e. constructively with kindness, empathy and precision.

WORK LOCATION

Remote Permitted: This is a remote permitted role. This role is based out of our Washington, DC office but the employee may choose to work on a remote basis from a location that NPR approves.

JOB TYPE

This is a full time, exempt position.

COMPENSATION

Hourly Rate: The U.S.-based anticipated hourly rate for this opportunity is $36.06 - $40.86 per hour. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum hourly rate NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.

Benefits: NPR offers access to comprehensive benefits for employees and dependents. Regular, full-time employees scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week are eligible to enroll in NPR’s benefits options. Benefits include access to health and wellness, paid time off, and financial well-being. Plan options include medical, dental, vision, life/ accidental death and dismemberment, long-term disability, short-term disability, and voluntary retirement savings to all eligible NPR employees.

Does this sound like you? If so, we want to hear from you.
The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum salaries NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.
NPR Pay Range
$36.06—$40.86 USD