Education Lab Editor

Date Posted	March 25, 2024
Industry	Newspapers
Specialty	Education
Job Status	Full-time

Description:

The Seattle Times, a family-owned news organization and one of the nation’s premier regional news sources, is hiring an editor to lead Education Lab, the team that covers education in our region with a focus on equity. Education Lab is a solutions-journalism project supported by local foundations and other groups that combines in-depth reporting with an ambitious community-engagement effort that has impact in the region.

As a member of our Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom, you will guide a team of reporters who illuminate problems, find promising solutions and bring new voices to our coverage of the education system.

Successful candidates will have experience with education systems from preschool to college, and a strong understanding of education trends, policies and challenges. We want someone who can steer the team to break news, provide authoritative analysis, investigate, and produce vivid profiles.

The Education Lab editor will:

• Lead, coach and inspire a team of ambitious reporters with strong knowledge of education issues in the region and the nation.
• Have a proven ability to generate and edit enterprise and breaking news stories that drive change. 
• Demonstrate a strong understanding and background in community engagement.
• Produce and present periodic reports to community funders about the team’s work.
• Be a leader in the Education Reporting Collaborative – a group of media outlets from across the country covering education issues -- by developing story ideas and coverage themes in meetings with the group's other editors.
• Work closely with fellow metro editors and reporters and other departments including photo, graphics and the digital audience team.
• Be inclusive in coverage, making sure stories include a range of sources and that they fairly represent the rich cultural diversity of our region.  
• Be a good team member. We pride ourselves on trusting and supporting each other and being flexible during unexpected moments of need.
• Use digital tools to monitor audience interest in stories and regularly offer headline tests to boost readership.  

Qualifications

We are committed to diversity and creating an inclusive newsroom, and we encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply. If your profile doesn’t 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: At least five years’ experience at a metro daily or other news organization, including supervisory experience.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in watchdog and accountability journalism. Be able to file public-record requests and search databases.
• Must have the ability to find holes in a story, ask the right questions under deadline pressure, and understand story organization and how to achieve it.
• Collaborative spirit; diplomacy when communicating up, down and across teams.
• Must understand and uphold the standards, ethics and mission of journalism at The Seattle Times.
• Knowledge of local news and local newsmakers is a plus.   

Compensation: The full salary range for this position is $77,700 to $106,800. 

Benefits:

• Medical, dental insurance 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
• Subsidized transit cards
• Complimentary Seattle Times subscription
• Wellness program
• Parental leave options

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.