General Assignment Reporter, Surge Team

We are seeking an aggressive, striving journalist who can help our news organization be first on big breaking news stories, while also having the ability to handle a variety of stories that develop off breaking and trending news. This reporter will be part of the Chronicle’s Surge Team, which is elevating our coverage of Greater Houston not only by getting breaking news to our readers and subscribers wherever and whenever they need it.

What will you do?

Be a leader in covering the “news of the day,” as well as trending topics and, in some cases, government meetings and court hearings. On a given day, this reporter will pitch in on any number of topics, from education to politics to major crime.
This reporter might produce three to four stories a day, juggling a mix of breaking news, trending and utility stories.
Write not only conventional news stories, but also produce journalism in alternative story formats, such as “What to know about . . .” or “key takeaways.”
Monitor search trends; local, state and national news; and social media for trending stories.
Take part in live coverage of big, breaking news, either as a reporter dispatched to the scene or the journalist taking feeds from other reporters for a live story.
Work alongside editors to determine what stories are worth pursuing beyond the day turn -- and formulate plans for pushing them forward.
Be a face of our organization by representing the Chronicle on television, radio and podcasts when requests for experts on breaking stories arise.
Incorporate all digital tools and platforms at your disposal to experiment with your storytelling approaches -- embedding visual or multimedia elements, building interactives from templates, crafting a TikTok series, or employing alternative story formats.

What will it take to be successful?

This is a “go anywhere, do anything” Super GA reporting job. The position requires someone who isn’t afraid to step into a topic and do the rapid reporting and writing necessary to bring it to life. To be successful, this reporter must:

Work collaboratively with editors, other reporters, photographers, the audience team and the data visualization team to tell impactful stories across platforms that attract and retain subscribers.
Write with clarity and authority, avoiding government and law-enforcement jargon.
Have expertise with social media, both in terms of creating content and engaging audience. This includes posting short “starter versions” of stories on HoustonChronicle.com before tweeting them or promoting them on other social platforms.
Have at least five years’ experience as a reporter and/or editor, preferably at another major news organization.
Be detail-oriented, with a proven ability to effectively juggle multiple tasks in a deadline-driven environment.
Understanding of Texas and federal open-records laws preferred, as filing public records requests related to breaking news is part of the Surge Team’s mission.