Education Reporter

The Sacramento Bee is seeking an ambitious journalist who can develop exclusive reporting on a vital issue for our region and state’s future: education.

Covering schools and universities is one of our most dynamic assignments, giving reporters opportunities to deeply report on student inequities, culture, labor, health and conflict over what’s taught in classrooms. Our education reporters have broken news on students stranded in Afghanistan after the departure of American troops, a middle school teacher’s regrettable use of a racial slur in a class discussion and the capital city’s second teacher strike in four years. We have much more to do.

We’re looking for an enterprising journalist to build sources across our region’s school districts and university campuses, spot trends, dig deep and clearly report on contentious issues. This journalist will combine the experiences of real people with data-driven reporting and public records, elevating policy discussions about school spending and other priorities. The beat focuses on K-12 education but also includes some coverage of the region’s colleges and universities.

The successful candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to fairness and accuracy, in fact and in tone, and a strong grounding in journalism ethics. Like all McClatchy journalists, the reporter must have demonstrated the desire and skills to build audience loyalty, engagement and growth around compelling public service journalism. Accountability reporting is also a key part of this position.

At The Sacramento Bee, the reader comes first, last and always. Serving readers in a crowded media marketplace means becoming the best and most relevant source of journalism that matters to them — and ensuring that our work reaches them, wherever they are. This will require a keen understanding of what’s important to readers, developed through reporting on the region, extensive use of audience analytics, and a constant awareness of what people are talking about on social media.

It will require not just the ability to build sources and ferret out facts, but also a talent for framing, writing, producing and promoting a story to ensure that it reaches and resonates with our readers. It will require a demonstrated commitment to change — constantly adapting to the ever-evolving ways in which readers seek out and interact with our journalism. And it will require enthusiastic participation in conversations about what’s working and what’s not, and an equally enthusiastic commitment to adapting accordingly.

What you'll bring:

At least one year of reporting experience

Strong writing and reporting skills and excellent news judgment

Unwavering commitment to accurate, ethical journalism

Demonstrated 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, referral sources and social shares to help determine which stories resonate with which audiences

Skill in telling stories using a variety of tools and platforms, including capturing and editing video

A demonstrated ability to learn new skills and technologies, including content management systems; social media platforms; video editing software; and analytics and storytelling tools

Excellent interpersonal skills, including empathy and the ability to take and give constructive criticism

Ability to flourish in a job that will be fast-paced, data-driven, shaped constantly by feedback and experimentation

Willingness to live in the Sacramento region

The anticipated base pay range for this position is between $28.21 and $38.00 per hour, up to 37.5 hours per week. Individual base pay may vary within that range depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and relevant education.