Climate, Energy, And Environment Reporter

CLIMATE, ENERGY, AND ENVIRONMENT REPORTER Job Description

KERA and Grist are seeking a Climate, Energy, and Environment Reporter to cover North and West Texas. Their daily and in-depth reporting will appear on both radio and digital platforms and will be regularly featured on NTX Now. They will work with partners across the state and country as part of a partnership between KERA and Grist.

• Write, voice and produce engaging stories for radio, video, social media and digital platforms about complex environmental, energy and climate issues
• Translate important trends and news in climate change so readers can understand the impact on everyday lives
• Balance daily news and in-depth feature reporting with regular appearances on NTX Now
• Work collaboratively with colleagues at KERA, Grist, and partner organizations
• Develop stories with the deep substance, nuance and impact expected of public media and digital nonprofit news
• Work with Grist editor to periodically adapt Texas stories for national audiences on Grist.org and related platforms
• Cover breaking news, sometimes outside the scope and region of the beat and the standard 9-5 business hours as needed
• Participate in KERA and Grist editorial meetings
• Participate in KERA News’ rotating on‑call schedule
• Participate in training opportunities with KERA News, KERA and The Texas Newsroom
• Actively participate in KERA fundraising campaigns

• Work in a manner that is consistent with KERA’s mission, vision and values; and maintain compliance with all company policies and procedures
• Participate in fundraising activities as needed and assigned
• Perform additional duties as assigned that may involve KERA or Grist newsrooms

This list of job duties is not exhaustive and is subject to regular reviews and updates.

• Five or more years of professional journalism experience, preferably focused on climate, energy, and the environment
• Sound news judgment and ability to apply the highest KERA / NPR editorial and ethical standards with dedication to accuracy, fairness and attention to detail
• Passion for journalism, ability to understand complex issues and respond constructively to feedback to meet the mission‑driven values of public broadcasting
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, knowledge of Associated Press style
• Undergraduate degree in journalism or a related field
• Demonstrated ability to tell a deeply reported, well‑written story that includes data and narrative elements
• Track record of collaboration with colleagues from various perspectives and experiences
• Demonstrated sourcing, research, writing, and reporting skills and eagerness to build deep connections to West and North Texas audiences
• Strong organizational skills with agility to shift quickly and nimbly from deadline reporting to developing explainers to deep investigative work
• A solutions lens to report on scalable strategies for environmental challenges
• Demonstrated commitment to community representation in sourcing and reporting
• Reliable transportation required for assignments/activities

• Knowledge of the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) process, computer‑assisted reporting and data‑driven reporting, as well as familiarity with legal issues related to investigative news reporting is a bonus.
• Strong audio reporting and production skills, and comfort behind a microphone
• Prior experience in collaborative journalism
• A passion for helping KERA and Grist reach new audiences with climate news and information
• Deep knowledge of the people, cultures, issues, and geography of West and North Texas
• Multimedia production, particularly photography or video; content management systems; other relevant technical expertise
• Working knowledge of Spanish and/or other languages common in Texas

$70,000 - $78,000 annually, depending on experience

• Generous vacation (3 weeks), sick (8 days), personal time (2 days) and holidays (11)
• KERA‑paid short and long‑term disability, basic life insurance and AD&D insurance
• Flexible scheduling and hybrid work environment
• 401k plan with KERA‑contribution after 6 months
• Robust employee assistance program available to the employee and all members of their household
• Strong company culture focused on connection, belonging and professional growth

We expect that this position will work out of our Dallas office at least 40% of the time. (Equivalent to 16 hours per week)

Time in office requirements are subject to change based on the needs of KERA and/or the position.

KERA is an Equal Opportunity Employer KERA believes that diversity is important to our success. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, religion, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law.