Job Description

The Seattle Times, a family-owned news organization and one of the nation’s premier regional news sources, is seeking an experienced Reporter to join Project Homeless , a grant-funded team aimed at finding solutions and empowering citizens and decision makers alike to address homelessness. The successful candidate will produce hard-hitting watchdog, solutions, explanatory and breaking news pieces about an issue that regularly ranks among the issues most important to people in our community. 

Project Homeless’ coverage goes beyond the visible symptoms of homelessness and encompasses poverty and affordability issues. 

This reporter will cover the local, state and federal institutions whose stated missions are to alleviate poverty and homelessness. A top priority is the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, as well as Seattle, King County, suburban cities and the state. This reporter will also help cover the Trump administration’s impacts on homelessness, Medicaid, food benefits, encampment removals and criminalization of homelessness. 

This person will also write easily digestible explainers on readers’ biggest questions on homelessness and poverty, as well as seek out solutions-style stories on youth and student homelessness. 

Responsibilities   

• Comfort interviewing vulnerable people, as well as business owners, housed residents and elected officials. Experience in trauma-informed reporting a plus. 
• Desire to do a significant amount of reporting in-person and outdoors, as well as through phone and email. 
• Embrace an inclusive approach to story generation, framing, reporting and sourcing. 
• Develop diverse and knowledgeable sources who will help break news, track emerging research and add perspective to our coverage.  
• Frame and report stories through the lens of what voters need to know about one of the top issues in the region. 
• Write about complex systems and issues in a clear and understandable way. 
• Balance writing breaking news while reporting on enterprise stories. 
• Use public records requests and data analysis to create or enhance stories. 
• Represent Project Homeless and The Seattle Times in public settings such as interviews, panel discussions or other presentations. 
• Contribute to the broader newsroom on group projects, occasional news shifts, and stories that transcend the beat system. 

Qualifications  

We are committed to diversity and creating an inclusive newsroom and encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply . If your profile does not match this job description exactly, you may still be a candidate for this position. Please let us know how your skills and experience relate to the role and its objectives in your Cover Letter. 

• Experience : A minimum of three years’ reporting experience, preferably at a daily news organization.
• Education : College graduate or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrate cultural competence, familiarity with inclusive journalism practices, and a commitment to cultivate a diversity of sources.  
• Have the confidence to pursue stories that hold officials to account. 
• Ability to write clearly, accurately and creatively on multiple platforms and social networks. 
• Ability to write quickly when news breaks and then follow an initial post with updates that add detail and context.  
• Understand the value of audience engagement, such as reader call outs and virtual and in-person events.  
• Familiarity with best practices of digital journalism, including the use of analytics to drive readership. 
• Collaborative spirit; diplomacy when communicating up, down and across teams, including Photo and Graphics. 
• Strong command of standards, ethics and the mission of journalism at The Seattle Times.  

Compensation: The full salary range for this position is $62,425 to $104,700. We typically pay between $72,000 to $90,000, depending on experience and qualifications.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental, vision, and long-term disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Optional life and AD&D insurance and long-term care insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• 10 days of annual vacation accrual, increasing with tenure up to 20 days
• 10 days of annual sick accrual; unused sick pay accrues to an extended illness bank
• 9 paid holidays
• Monthly internet stipend for predominately remote employees
• Subsidized transit cards and parking costs
• Complimentary Seattle Times subscription
• Wellness program
• Fertility coverage (with lifetime limits) for eligible employees
• Parental leave options

Please note: This position requires the successful completion of pre-employment assessments including a criminal background check, a drug screen (excluding cannabis), and a motor vehicle report once an offer has been made. This position requires that you have access to reliable transportation to respond to work assignments. If you opt to use a personal vehicle for transportation, you must be able to provide proof of a valid driver’s license and auto insurance meeting the company's liability limits prior to hire. Finally, please note that this is a union-represented position.

Founded in 1896, The Seattle Times continues its tradition as a family-owned, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper that cuts through the clutter and provides readers with timely, relevant news. We serve the Pacific Northwest with thoughtful, independent journalism that makes a real difference in our community. And as a media solutions company, we combine cutting-edge digital capabilities and service with the values and integrity of respected traditional media… with an established audience of 1.9 million. At The Seattle Times, you'll find work that matters.

If you need assistance to accommodate a disability, please contact Human Resources at careers@seattletimes.com and provide a description of the reasonable accommodation(s) needed.

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