Environmental Reporter

The Texas Tribune, the state’s go-to source for Texas politics and public policy news, is seeking a full-time reporter to cover environmental issues across the state.

Whether it’s covering hurricane preparedness or watchdogging regulatory agencies, this reporter needs to aggressively tackle complex stories in a vast state where environmental issues can vary greatly from one region to the next.

In a state with a long history of pollution problems, this reporter’s coverage should help expose major polluters and the systems that allow for such pollution, put a spotlight on the communities that are most harmed by pollution and show how their health and quality of life is affected. This reporter must also explain the politics around pollution and environmental regulation in Texas.

We’re looking for a beat reporter who can tackle both breaking news and take big swings at some of these overarching environmental issues. The ideal candidate must be a quick study with an ability to learn complex environmental laws and regulations and explain them in layman’s terms to our audience.

This reporter will work closely with our climate change reporter and with our energy and economy reporter as well as other journalists at the Tribune.

The environment reporter — who will juggle quick-turn news stories and enterprise pieces — will need to occasionally travel throughout Texas. The job requires a keen eye on environment-related issues during the biennial sessions of the Texas Legislature, in races for state and federal elected offices, and in major court cases in Texas and before the U.S. Supreme Court. This reporter will also be pulled into other assignments as news dictates. Another responsibility for this position will be moderating panel discussions and representing the Tribune at events, including our Festival.

This position will report to the Investigative Editor.

The salary for this position will vary depending on qualifications; the minimum is $65,000.

Responsibilities:

• Provide aggressive, frequent coverage of environmental issues, including air and water pollution; coastal erosion; storm surge control; drought; extreme weather; hurricanes.
• Partner closely with our climate change reporter.
• Collaborate with our Audience, Multimedia, Data Visuals and Photo teams to ensure we have rich storytelling that addresses what Texans want and need.
• Occasionally do radio or TV interviews on behalf of the Tribune, taking clear to present analysis, not opinion.
• Occasionally interview speakers on panel discussions, for example at the Texas Tribune Festival.
• All reporters and editors at The Texas Tribune are responsible for occasional evening, weekend and holiday work, as well as general assignment shifts as news demands.

Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree and 5+ years of relevant experience OR equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Experience and a deep knowledge of Texas geography, politics and government is preferred, but not mandatory.
• A clear ability to work quickly, and under tight deadlines.
• A deep commitment to and enthusiasm for enterprise reporting.
• Evidence of strong reporting, fact-checking and writing skills and a firm grasp of AP style.
• Strong familiarity with journalistic ethics and libel law.
• A clear desire and proven ability to collaborate with other colleagues across the organization.

We know there are great candidates who won’t check all of these boxes, and we also know you might bring important skills that we haven’t considered. If that’s you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

About The Texas Tribune

Here’s what you should know about the Tribune. From day one we’ve had disruption, innovation and risk-taking in our DNA. We’re ambitious as all get out but still have the punch-above-your-weight mentality of a scrappy start-up. We believe we can meet the demands of our audience and our own expectations for excellence without breaking the bank — or our staff. We understand not everything is a story for us — we have to make choices — but we’re always looking to expand our boundaries. We’re nonprofit because the challenging economic reality for media these days obligates us to find a different way, reliable and sustainable, to fund serious journalism. We’re nonpartisan because we live in the United States of Confirmation Bias — and we don’t need to be part of the problem. We don’t need to be yet another source of information affirming the voices and perspectives that are already in people’s heads. At the same time, nonpartisan is not non-thinking. We call B.S. when B.S. needs to be called.

All of us at the Trib believe the best way to achieve that mission is to resemble the state we cover. We’re committed to building an inclusive newsroom for people of all backgrounds and ages, and we’re taking steps to meet that commitment. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply for this role, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities.

Location

The Texas Tribune office is located in downtown Austin, steps away from the Texas Capitol building. This position is based in Austin, but we will consider candidates who are based elsewhere in Texas and can travel occasionally to our Austin office. We have colleagues in the organization that come into the office on a regular basis and colleagues that are based in various cities throughout the United States.

Benefits

This job is full time and has the following benefits:

• Medical, vision and dental insurance
• A $50-a-month cellphone stipend
• 20 days of paid time off each year
• 12 paid holidays
• Up to 16 weeks of paid family leave plus four weeks of additional job protection
• Annual 401(k) match of $2,000
• Support for professional training and career development
• Remote working flexibility

How to Apply

Submit your application here by August 14, with a resume and examples of your work, please submit a cover letter detailing your vision for this position and how you would approach the work. We can't wait to hear from you.

The Texas Tribune is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for all, and we encourage applicants of all identities, backgrounds, ages, and abilities to apply. Learn more about The Texas Tribune here.