Equity Reporter

The Modesto Bee seeks an ambitious, enterprising reporter with a passion for equity and inclusion to reach an ever-growing and increasingly diverse audience in Modesto, Calif.

There are two sides of Modesto, largely determined by whether you live on the east side of Highway 99 or the west. Most residents living to the east of Highway 99 enjoy sidewalks, street lights, and easy access to food, education, health care and transportation. They are likely to feel engaged by city and county leaders.

But it is quite different for those living in county pockets to the west. They live largely in a desert of food and services, with fewer amenities and less attention from decision-makers.

The gap in equity is widening in both Modesto and Stanislaus County. Hit especially hard are people of color, who make up about 60% of Stanislaus County’s population, the vast majority of them Latino. How do we change this trajectory and quicken the pace of equity among all residents? Answering these and related questions are at the center of The Modesto Bee’s Economic Mobility Lab Project, and we’re hiring an equity reporter to cover underserved neighborhoods.

We’re looking for an ambitious journalist with a passion for uncovering how residents can overcome systemic roadblocks — like neighborhood infrastructure, food insecurity, restrictive housing policies and political strength — to help improve their lives. We want to uncover stories and highlight solutions about barriers to economic stability, access to mental health programs and impediments to holding office and other seats of power.

Our newsroom is nimble and collaborative, and the successful candidate will have the opportunity to learn from seasoned journalists as well as hone their skills on video and audio.

Having the skills to build audience loyalty, engagement and growth — by understanding the metrics that drive them — is a must.

And if you have a passion for this topic but don’t meet 100 percent of the requirements, please apply. Don’t be afraid to highlight other skills you bring to the table in a cover letter.

The anticipated base pay range for this position is between $23.08 and $30.08 per hour. Individual base pay may vary within that range depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, relevant education, department equity, training, geography and local wage and hours laws.

What you'll bring:

Understand issues at the local, state and national level surrounding race, equity and their effects on communities
Cultivate diverse sources who will help you break news and add perspective to coverage
Post breaking news stories on our website and social platforms, quickly followed by updates that add more detail and context
Manage your time to make room for urgent dailies, revelatory enterprise, watchdog journalism and narrative storytelling
Demonstrate speed, competitiveness and SEO savvy
Illustrate why issues of equity matter, what’s at stake and why readers should care
Identify topics that will engage readers, using social media, reader input and audience analytics
Embrace opportunities to collaborate with other reporters and pitch in when needed

The successful candidate should meet many, though not necessarily all, of the following requirements:

At least 1 year of full-time reporting experience
Fluency in Spanish, both spoken and written
Strong writing and reporting skills
Unwavering commitment to accurate, ethical journalism
Ability to use social media platforms to reach and engage with audiences
Fluency in the science of readership and engagement, including an understanding of how to use analytics such as page views, time on site and referral sources to help determine which stories resonate with which audiences
Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy and the ability to take and give constructive criticism
Demonstrated comfort in a job that will be fast-paced, data-driven, shaped constantly by feedback and experimentation

What we'll bring:

As a journalist at McClatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on health, well-being, wealth and daily life, our package options include healthcare coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no-cost wellness resources and even coverage for four-legged friends.

Our overall benefit package also includes a 401(k) with employer match, competitive paid time off and corporate holidays, and a variety of mental health benefits. With an excellent support team and with focus on your well-being as a top corporate strategy, McClatchy provides benefits to support you and your family in achieving your health and wellness goals. For more information on McClatchy's benefit plan, please visit McClatchyLivewell.com.

To apply:

Include a persuasive cover letter, your resume and four to six examples of your best work.