Education Lab Reporter

The Post and Courier, winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service and a Pulitzer finalist four times in the last decade, is looking for an enterprising reporter to produce work as part of the organization’s Education Lab in South Carolina. This position in based in Greenville, located in the Upstate region.

We deeply value our relationship with our readers, and we believe in the old-school idea that investing in our journalism will lead to more readers and more revenue. Our community has taken notice. Charitable donations to our nonprofit journalism fund have underwritten the Education Lab.

Our newspaper is one of the few independent, family-owned papers left in the United States. Our local owners have deep roots in the community and care deeply about this newspaper and its reputation.

The Education Lab is a watchdog unit investigating systemic education problems in South Carolina through daily news reporting, in-depth feature articles, short-term enterprise stories, large-scale data projects and investigations. This position requires a reporter to keep tabs on local education issues in the Upstate as well as across the state in order to identify trends, report on issues relevant to readers and provide the necessary scope to frame the issues facing public education.

Below are links to some samples of the work the lab has produced.

https://www.postandcourier.com/education-lab/ccsd-math-coaches-pandemic-learning-loss-charleston-sc/article_8c849b70-94fe-11ee-ba43-8fd8f7416e68.html#newsletter-popup

https://www.postandcourier.com/education-lab/blythewood-high-school-detracked-math-achievement-gaps-columbia-sc/article_c62b896a-69d4-11ee-8655-776aacc9b234.html#newsletter-popup

https://www.postandcourier.com/education-lab/how-the-dream-of-a-free-school-for-lowcountry-dyslexic-children-fell-apart/article_d8fd4c8e-11f2-11ee-b7f3-33cec9865746.html#newsletter-popup

https://www.postandcourier.com/education-lab/5-issues-the-post-and-courier-education-lab-plans-to-cover-in-2023/article_ecbc8452-aedc-11ed-809b-db528b8b0835.html#newsletter-popup

Qualifications

Before you apply, here’s what we will expect from qualified applicants:

Demonstrated ability to produce journalism of the highest caliber.
A commitment to watchdog and enterprise reporting.
A passion for the importance of every student’s access to quality education.
The ability to analyze complex systems and data to inform and drive your reporting.
Along with their resume, applicants should attach a cover letter and 5 clips of their best articles -- which should be examples of clear, direct writing that make difficult topics easy for readers to understand.

We need journalists who are critical thinkers as well as strong writers. Newsletter and/or podcast experience is a plus.

The Post and Courier deeply values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

To apply, complete an online application or send a cover letter, resume and examples of your best work to Managing Editor Jason Cato at jcato@postandcourier.com.