Environment reporter

Summary: Spotlight PA and Grist are seeking an environment reporter to cover the impacts of climate change in Pennsylvania. The ideal candidate will be interested in exploring the intersectionality of a warming planet with, well, everything — from land use, business, energy, water, and policy decisions to environmental justice and health — as well as solutions to the climate crisis. 

The reporter will be based at Spotlight PA, a statewide nonprofit newsroom headquartered in Harrisburg that has won national awards for its investigative and in-depth journalism, and work remotely. This Guild position can be located anywhere in Pennsylvania. The reporter’s stories will also be periodically adapted for a national audience and republished on Grist.org.

Pennsylvania sits squarely in the center of some of the largest debates around climate change. Despite years of pledges to address climate change and expand renewable energy, the state remains one of the largest producers of fossil fuels, ranking second in natural gas production and high in coal. Last year, Gov. Josh Shapiro pulled out of a multi-state carbon cap-and-trade system as part of a budget deal. And data centers are increasingly impacting energy needs and utility prices.

Climate change is already having a real impact on the lives of Pennsylvanians. This position offers an opportunity to tell the untold stories of how climate is impacting the Keystone State.

The right person for this job will be interested in also approaching this beat from a solutions lens: How are people working to address the problems caused by climate change? Can those solutions be scaled up to statewide or national levels? What are the drawbacks? We're also looking for someone who is always mindful of the equity issues that are often at the root of human-based climate stories. 

The salary range for this position is $65,000 to $75,000. This role is a co-funded partnership between Spotlight PA and Grist. Please apply with a resume and cover letter. 

What you’ll do: This job will require the reporter to balance iterative and feature reporting — typically at least two to four stories per month. We expect this person to identify areas with the potential for regular coverage (for example, the actions of a state climate committee, the latest on legislation that affects climate change, or the regulations coming from the Department of Environmental Protection). 

At the same time, this reporter will propose, conceive, and execute enterprise stories that go beneath the surface. We expect this person to write with depth and nuance about complex environmental and climate issues that have a real impact in Pennsylvania.

Like every reporter at Spotlight PA, this person will have the opportunity to execute an investigation if they identify the right topic. Other duties as assigned.

Preferred qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree in journalism or a related field 
• Three (3) or more years of reporting experience
• Demonstrated news judgment, ethics, and creative approaches to storytelling.
• Demonstrated ability to be able to tell a deeply reported, well-written story that includes data and narrative elements.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to juggle multiple tasks and deadlines
• Enthusiasm about using journalism engagement practices to serve audiences. 
• Demonstrated record of collaboration with colleagues from various perspectives and experiences on team projects, and a desire to be part of a team that values hard work and humor
• Strong verbal and written communication skills. 
• An ability to thrive in a deadline-driven environment where attention to detail and accuracy are key. 
• Comfort using a variety of technologies, including content management systems, social media, and project management platforms.
• Ability to respond constructively to feedback and positively engage with collaborative and team-based projects.
• Digital reporting/writing experience preferred; portfolio submission and/or writing assignment is highly likely as part of the interview process

We know not everyone reading this will fit exactly what we’ve described. We encourage everyone to apply who shares our passion for indispensable journalism and our drive to create a sustainable business model to support it. We’re committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture, and we especially encourage members of underrepresented communities to submit an application, including women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ people, and individuals with disabilities.