Job Details

Salt Lake Area and State Government Reporter

Position Number: 9942082
Location: Salt Lake City, United States
Position Type: Communications - Broadcast Journalism

Salt Lake Area and State Government Reporter

Job Summary

KUER, NPR Utah is looking for an ambitious and enterprising journalist ready to bring a fresh spin to Salt Lake area and state government reporting. This savvy newshound has a robust understanding of the inner workings of state policy and government, and is able to translate that into deeply human, engaging stories. They will seek stories off the beaten path and center the audience to answer questions, fact-check assertions and delight our community across digital and broadcast platforms. The reporter will write frequently, producing short-form, long-form, social media and audio work.

About us:
KUER serves Utahns with trustworthy news and information, expertly crafted stories, plus conversations and voices from around our state. To provide this essential public service, we're dedicated to building an organizational culture that prioritizes collaboration. We seek a team that reflects our entire community, and we encourage contributions from people of varied experiences. We are committed to attracting and retaining a staff whose perspectives are heard and valued. This is essential to our success.

Benefits
Health, dental, and wellness coverage
Employer contribution to personal retirement
Free public transportation pass (Utah Transit Authority)
Paid leave time
Tuition reduction for employee and family members

Learn more about the great benefits of working for University of Utah: benefits.utah.edu

Responsibilities

Prioritizes understanding what's important to Utahns; proactively participates in the creative cycle of story origination with reporters, producers and the editorial leadership team
Closely follows state and municipal politics to enterprise stories that help Utahns understand the systems that shape our lives
Identifies and builds trust with sources to deliver unique and thoughtful journalism to KUER's audiences
Writes, edits and records stories for broadcast and digital platforms, including video, audio and social content while adhering to strict deadlines
In concert with editorial leadership, makes timely and effective decisions for breaking news, reporting as necessary outside of regular business hours
Contributes to the creation of KUER's award-winning politics brand, State Street, by developing themes, identifying topics, reporting and hosting on various digital platforms and for community engagement events
Actively participates in KUER fund drives and represents KUER at community and station events

Minimum Qualifications
EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).

Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 4 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.

Department Specific Qualifications:

Three to five years of previous professional journalism experience with a commitment to growth and innovation
Demonstrated understanding of U.S. and state-level government processes (in legislatures, courts and city halls) as well as politics
Sound news judgment and knowledge of journalistic best practices, including experience with public media and AP style
Ability to identify stories and produce rigorous journalism from audience questions and conversations trending in the community or online
A portfolio showing strong interviewing, writing, fact-checking and multi-platform production skills
Ability to explain complex ideas and processes in a conversational, accessible and engaging way
Enthusiasm for creative storytelling that centers the audience, serves their needs and includes perspectives from across Utah
Commitment to writing for and appearing on multiple platforms such as video, social media, radio and occasionally TV broadcast
Strong organizational skills to manage simultaneous reporting projects and deadlines while regularly delivering high-quality journalism
Contributes to the newsroom's team culture by working collaboratively with editors and colleagues; approaches challenges with creativity, flexibility and a solutions-oriented mindset

Preferences

Familiarity with Utah culture and politics
Previous professional multimedia journalism experience, including photography, video and audio
The ability to write and speak fluently in a second language

Special Instructions

Requisition Number: PRN46670B
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Work Schedule Summary: Monday thru Friday. Occasional weekend and evening work will be required for scheduled and breaking news events. The reporter should expect to work and be available during Utah's legislative session and elections.Due to the nature of this position, the reporter will be required to live in the Salt Lake metro area. Remote candidates cannot be considered. Some travel throughout the region will be required.
Department: 00335 - KUER
Location: Campus
Pay Rate Range: $53,000 - $58,000
Close Date: 02/03/2027
Open Until Filled:

To apply, visit https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/211705