Market Editor in North Dakota

Technical.ly, a national news org focused on local innovation economies, is hiring a full-time market editor in North Dakota. This job could be for you if:You’re passionate about using journalism to strengthen local communities, especially underserved ones — including rural, tribal and those growing in the Great Plains, Mountain West and MidwestYou are interested in science, technology, entrepreneurship, invention and the changing future of workYou’d enjoy being part of a fast-moving newsroom that leans into experimentation You want to help guide coverage across existing markets while building a new one from the ground upOur vision: Make innovation accessible to anyone anywhere, to ensure all places thrive. Our beat: Entrepreneurial ecosystems, STEM workforce trends and the local effects of technology, including artificial intelligence and other commercialized science. Full-time reporters and editors produce stories and reporting for and about an informed audience to help them navigate their careers and understand the economic trends shaping their work. The goal is to make communities more dynamic, smarter and more engaged. We encourage innovation, experimentation, partnerships and collaboration. We embrace new forms of storytelling, like social video. We offer training and upskilling for that and AI tools, which we develop to more effectively inform our communities while also covering the emerging technology in a wide range of critical ways. (If you aren’t ready to use AI for research, data analysis and other processes, this role is likely not for you.) As a small org with a startup mentality, we’re probably more fun than a traditional newsroom.Position SummaryThis is a manager-level role that includes editing, story planning and content coordination, plus some writing and reporting. Your primary responsibility is our launch in North Dakota. You will also manage up to two other reporters from other geographies, which will help introduce you to our editorial strategy and approach. In North Dakota, you will be the lead editorial voice. You will direct coverage in consultation with the editorial director, do some reporting yourself and assign stories to a network of contributors to reflect a large state (freelance journalists, content creators and event ambassadors). You’ll write the weekly North Dakota newsletter, with the goal of making it a must-read and giving the state’s innovation community a place to connect.A core part of this job is helping the state’s economic development, entrepreneurship, scientists, technologists and civic leaders  get to know us. You’ll do that by attending events, building relationships and serving as the face of our newsroom in the region. You should expect to travel across the state at least once per quarter. This position is supported by underwriting from the National Science Foundation-backed  AgTech Engine in North Dakota, which has no editorial oversight.Your target audience includes experienced technologists, scientists and entrepreneurs (who rely on Technical.ly to stay connected) and people aspiring to tech careers and entrepreneurship (who rely on Technical.ly to wayfind). We meet our audience where they are, including our email newsletters, our open Slack community, on social media, in search environments and via publishing partnerships. We think carefully about how our reporting informs AI tools, and we experiment with AI tools to expand the depth and breadth of our reporting.The North Dakota-based market editor reports to Technical.ly’s editorial director and works closely with our geographically distributed newsroom. Regular coordination happens daily via Slack, Notion, Google Workspace and other tools, including weekly and monthly virtual team meetings. We also gather in person a couple times each year, often during our annual Builders Conference and prior to our winter break.Above all else, we’re hiring someone who wants to tell great stories and become a trusted voice in the innovation ecosystem.How to applyInterested? Send an email to Technical.ly editorial director Danya Henninger at [email protected] with “North Dakota editor application” in the subject line. Include:A letter explaining why you’re the right person for this role (write directly in the email)Your resume (PDF attachment preferred)Links to or clips attached with examples of relevant workNames and contact info for 2-3 referencesApplications will be considered on a rolling basis, so the sooner you apply, the better.Key ResponsibilitiesNorth Dakota Coverage: Act as the lead editorial presence by writing a must-read weekly newsletter and reporting roughly one article per week.Network Building: Source, recommend, and manage a network of freelance reporters, content creators, and event ambassadors to ensure regular coverage of the North Dakota and tribal community innovation ecosystems.Team Management: Manage a team of full-time reporters across 2 to 3 other Technical.ly markets, overseeing the production of daily and feature articles, including copy, headlines and visuals.Community Engagement: Act as a community ambassador to help the North Dakota ecosystem get to know Technical.ly and our work.Readers Council: Curate a group of ecosystem and community insiders to act as volunteer advisors, and convene them virtually on a monthly basis.Travel: Travel across the state of North Dakota at least once a quarter to connect with sources, partners, and your freelance network.Please note: This job description is intended to convey essential responsibilities and requirements of the position. It is not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive of all duties. If you’re eager to learn and grow, we encourage you to apply.QualificationsAt least 5 years of experience in journalism (reporting, editing, or other newsroom roles) including at least 3 years of experience editing in a newsroom environmentAn instinct for what will resonate with an audience, and strong sourcing, interviewing and writing skills, with the ability to teach those skills to othersFamiliarity with online content management systems and experience with social media strategy, and an eagerness to experiment with and adapt to new tools, formats and platformsA passion for local journalism and desire to help develop sustainable local news business modelsHome location in North Dakota, with the Fargo area preferred, and the ability to reliably attend local happeningsExperience reporting in or with tribal communities is not required, but is a strong plusCompensation & BenefitsBase salary of $70k to $90k, commensurate with experienceHealth insurance, including primary care, vision and dental401k plan, including a company match of 4% of salaryA bring-your-own-device reimbursement15 days of personal time off (PTO) to start, plus 11 paid company holidays and an annual office closure during the final week of the yearWe may be able to offer relocation supportTechnical.ly’s HQ is based in Philadelphia and we have a geographically distributed newsroom with journalists across multiple states. This position is remote/work-from-home in the Fargo area or elsewhere in North Dakota. If you desire, we can place you with a local coworking space.We encourage applications by people from all races, religions, national origins, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and ages, as well as veterans, individuals with disabilities and people who’ve followed nontraditional education paths.