Metro East Reporter

KWMU FM Radio

St. Louis Public Radio (STLPR), a multimedia nonprofit journalism organization and NPR member station, seeks a general assignment reporter to cover the Metro East region of St. Louis. We're looking for someone who knows the Metro East...or is eager to become deeply rooted in it. This is a job for a reporter who appreciates the region's history, understands its communities and wants to tell stories that reflect the people who live there.

The Metro East reporter will cover a large geographic area that includes several Illinois counties, including St. Clair, Madison, Monroe and others, as well as surrounding communities throughout southwestern Illinois. The beat includes fast-growing suburbs, historic river towns, local governments, schools and businesses and the political topics and figures who help shape policy in the region.

Strong candidates are skilled at developing sources and building relationships across the communities they cover. They are just as comfortable covering a city council meeting as they are pursuing an enterprise story or explaining a complex issue through the experiences of the people most affected. They have sharp news judgment, work independently and are always looking beyond the day's headlines for stories that matter to Metro East residents.

You'll join an award-winning newsroom that covers communities across the bistate St. Louis region, in Rolla, Missouri and in Quincy, Illinois. The STLPR newsroom champions reporting that provides context and understanding and reflects the diverse voices and perspectives in our community. STLPR has a reputation as one of the most ambitious and innovative stations in the public radio system. Our reporters regularly have stories featured by NPR, Marketplace and other nationally syndicated programs.

The position is based in Illinois, with the reporter splitting time between an office in the Metro East and our main newsroom in St. Louis, so the ability to work independently while collaborating closely with editors and colleagues is essential. Radio experience is a plus, but not necessary. We're primarily looking for a strong journalist with excellent reporting and writing skills and a passion for local journalism.

Key Responsibilities

• Research, report and produce stories and interviews for radio, digital and other platforms that serve audiences across the St. Louis region.
• Write, voice, produce and edit audio features for broadcast, digital and on-demand listening.
• Build and maintain a robust network of sources throughout the Metro East to break news, identify enterprise stories and deepen community connections.
• Cover local governments, public meetings and other institutions while holding decision-makers accountable.
• Balance daily news coverage with ambitious enterprise reporting, all while meeting deadlines across multiple platforms.

40, M-F with occasional on-call scheduling

A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 3 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary

• Experience thinking creatively about how to effectively tell stories on audio and digital platforms.
• Solid writing skills and familiarity with AP style.
• Experience reporting in the Metro East, preferred.
• Audio reporting experience, preferred.

$55,000 - $68,000

Grade: GGS-010
University Title: MEDIA PRODUCTION DIRECTOR II
Internal applicants can determine their University title by accessing the Talent Profile tile in myHR.

• Application materials include a cover letter and resume. Finalists will be asked to provide references at a later date.
• Applicants must combine all application materials into one PDF or Microsoft Word document and upload as a resume attachment to the UMSL Careers: https://www.umsl.edu/services/hrs/careers/index.html
• Limit document name to 50 characters. Maximum size limit is 11MB. Do not include special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.). For questions about the application process, please email employment@umsl.edu. If you are experiencing technical problems, please email umpshrsupport@umsystem.edu.
  

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. The University will not sponsor applicants for this position for employment visas.

Please include with your application a cover letter that describes why you are a good fit for this position. If you have questions about the job, email Rob Edwards, Managing Editor of News: redwards@stlpr.org.

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/departments-staff/human-resources/benefits-retirement

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To request ADA accommodations, please email the Office of Human Resources at umslhr@umsl.edu.