DC Tech Reporter

Technically Media, a digital media company best known for its local tech economy news site Technical.ly, is hiring a beat reporter for its DC market coverage.

If you’re eager to work a beat, file interesting stories daily, connect with your readers via a daily newsletter, and build a network of sources in DC’s emerging business community, this job could be for you.

The ideal candidate will excel in cultivating source relationships to consistently deliver valuable local business news, quickly and accurately. Mustering your exceptional news and relationship-building instincts, you’ll work with Technical.ly’s DC market editor to effectively and comprehensively report on the region’s tech and innovation economy, which includes the companies, the workforce, and the support system that underpins it all.

What does that look like? In one day, you might cover the news of a promising healthtech startup’s Series A and write a roundup of local accelerators with open applications. The next, you might profile a software engineer working remotely for an internationally ubiquitous Big Tech company, speak to grassroots activists pioneering digital equity solutions or attend a summit for social enterprises.

You’ll be successful if you’re trusted on your beat and deliver a must-read daily email packed with news, information and perspective.

You should have experience in and a willingness to experiment with new media, as well as an interest in supporting and learning from an experienced journalistic enterprise.

At Technical.ly, we aim to write both for and about an informed technical audience to help them navigate their careers and understand the economic trends shaping their work. Our mission is to make a community better, smarter and more engaged. Plus, as a small news org with a startup mentality, we’re probably more fun than your traditional editorial employer.

The DC reporter will report directly to the DC market editor and work closely with our geographically distributed newsroom, which is active daily via Slack. We additionally find regular opportunities to work together in person across our markets. There will be regular collaboration and daily coordination with editors and fellow reporters.

This role will operate remotely from the DC metro region, but if you’d like, we can try to place you in a local coworking space. We come together as an entire team a few times per year and do so largely in Philadelphia, where much of the company’s leadership is based.

Interested individuals should contact Technical.ly Editor Sameer Rao at sameer@technical.ly. Please submit a resume and a short letter in the body of an email explaining your interest in the role, plus contact info for two to three references and links to examples of your work. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so the sooner you apply, the better.
Responsibilities

Lead the production of a high-quality, must-read newsletter for DC-based and DC-curious technologists and entrepreneurs, maintaining enough ownership of it that you feel pride and excitement around growing its list of subscribers
Develop ideas for and report a set number of stories each week about topics that affect or are about the DC tech community, and file by the assigned deadlines.
Take photos to accompany stories, collect images from sources or public databases or use AI to create images to accompany stories, as needed
Create and regularly update a record of the best DC tech community sources
Test and apply emerging technologies (including AI) to journalistic practice
Contribute to a culture of ongoing newsroom learning
Help promote and execute our in-person and online events, including NET/WORK, Developers Conference, Builders Conference and Signature Event
Lead a recurring engaged reader panel for the DC tech community
Attend several tech community events per month, whether for reporting or networking.

Note: This job description is intended to convey essential responsibilities and requirements of the position. It is not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive of all duties.
Qualifications

The position is ideal for someone passionate about beat reporting and source development. Bonus points for being inspired by technology and our efforts to build a sustainable model for impactful local journalism. Because we consider ourselves a community company, you must have a drive to be the most connected person in your local tech and entrepreneurship community.

Candidates should possess the following qualifications:

A few years of reporting experience
Exceptional collaboration and communication skills
A hunger to be the best-sourced reporter on the beat, leading the region's must-read tech newsletter
Empathy to ask the “why” of our coverage, supporting our mission to make a community better, smarter and more engaged
Interest in local and niche communities and serving them with journalism
Interest in sustainable news by balancing journalism ethics and business model
An understanding of online content management systems and social media applications is required; experience with WordPress is desirable
Knowledge of and interest in local and national tech, entrepreneurship and innovation communities
To best report on the local market, this person should be based in the DC metro area, with access to a car or public transportation

Other information

Position includes base salary of $50,000 to $60,000, depending on experience
Position includes health insurance, including primary care, vision and dental
Position includes a 401k plan, including a company match of 4% of salary
Our company hosts an annual team retreat every June and a vision-building annual All-Team Day every December. We also host signature events in our original market, Philadelphia, for which attendance and assistance may be required.
Position includes Bring-Your-Own-Device reimbursement
Position is remote/work from home, with the option of a coworking space

Interested individuals should contact Technical.ly Editor Sameer Rao at sameer@technical.ly. Please submit a resume and a short letter in the body of an email explaining your interest in the role, plus contact info for two to three references and links to examples of your work. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so the sooner you apply, the better.