Climate change/environment reporter

USA TODAY Co.•Savannah, GA

About The Position

USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a sustainable, growth focused media and digital marketing solutions company. Through our trusted brands, including the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations, including our network of local properties, in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom, we provide essential journalism, local content, and digital experiences to audiences and businesses. We deliver high-quality, trusted content with a commitment to balanced, unbiased journalism, where and when consumers want to engage. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, supports small and medium-sized businesses with innovative digital marketing products and solutions. USA TODAY Co. open roles are featured on various external job boards. When applying to a position at USA TODAY Co., you should be completing an application on USA TODAY Co. Careers via Dayforce. Job postings directing you to complete an application on other external sites may not be valid. If you are a California resident, you acknowledge that by applying for a job with us, this California Job Applicant Privacy Notice will apply to our collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information. To connect with us, visit www.usatodayco.com The Savannah Morning News/savannahnow.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is looking for an experienced climate change/environment reporter to cover environmental and climate issues that have local, regional and statewide significance. This reporter will cover issues including sea-level rise and its impacts on beaches, barrier islands, and protected marshlands; the loss of freshwater wetlands to industrial and residential development. The correlation and causal relationships between climate and severe weather has grown in urgency as Savannah and Coastal Georgia face increasing hurricane threats, fewer cooler days in winter, and more high heat days throughout the year One of the key areas of concern is how unchecked growth and development, regional pressure from the Port Authority of Georgia, the Hyundai Metaplant, and economic development policies exacerbate environmental issues, including the loss of valuable tree canopy and the quality and supply of drinking water. Other areas to explore: the impact of growth on the locally grown food supply, the loss of agricultural lands, and signature crops such as peanuts, cotton, and soybeans. This reporter will need to build relationships not only with the usual suspects, such as environmental watchdog groups, but also with hunters, fishers, shrimpers, farmers, and ranchers, as well as builders, designers, industries such as paper mills, and engineers The climate change reporter will cover and write about all aspects of climate change and its effects on the environment, economy, quality of life, and trends. This beat calls for a storyteller who writes about how the lives of Georgia residents and communities are affected by climate change. Our goal is to foster an understanding of the complexities of climate change in order to empower readers. We value solutions-oriented journalism and accountability and infuse our reporting with those elements to provide our readers with the critical information they can use when making decisions about their lives. Our need to cover climate and environment has statewide interest. Content that has an even broader interest will be shared with the USA TODAY Network. This position is funded through a partnership with Journalism Funding Partners.

Requirements

Bachelor's or master’s in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Minimum of two or more years environmental reporting/newsroom experience.
Strong command of AP grammar and style.
Strong copy-editing skills and the ability to produce content that is clean, accurate and "publication ready."
Is comfortable using social media such as X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to enhance reporting and promote stories.
Understands reporting ethics and sourcing.
Excels in a fast-paced news environment and understands the digital-first mission.
Collaborates well with others and can work with a team on the biggest stories.
Must be willing to travel on short notice, to cover breaking news events.
Work weekends and nights when there is major breaking news.
This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
Employment is contingent on passing a post-offer pre-employment background check and a motor vehicle record check & drug screen (for driving roles only).

Responsibilities

Creates storytelling that accurately informs, entertains and engages specific audiences and platforms through the use of metrics.
Works toward becoming the community’s leading voice in the area of expertise.
Connects with the community through storytelling and outreach (social media, on camera, forums, community leadership, etc.)
Provides thoughtful analysis of complex issues.
Collaborates with the content team to provide all appropriate elements for stories (i.e. photos, videos and graphics).
Captures basic photos and video as needed.
Promotes personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
Explores and reports on the widest range of news and trends, connecting with our audience’s passion.
Content strategies include print, branded digital platforms, traditional and emerging social media, events, apps and curation of contributed and expert content.
Places a high priority on data analysis to identify trends that would otherwise go unreported.
Demonstrates clear concise writing skills with strong nut graphs and “why this is important to me” content.
Requires outstanding research skills and extensive contacts that can break news.
Requires the ability to create trust within their niche community.
The primary channel will be our digital products first, but the content will also appear in our printed publications.
Identifies, cultivates and curates contributed, authoritative content and reporting that expands the footprint of the beat.