Reporter

MediaNews Group • Walnut Creek, CA

7d • Remote

About The Position

The East Bay Times is hiring a Contra Costa County reporter to cover county government and issues affecting communities across the county, including housing and development, public health, safety-net services, and taxpayer spending. The reporter will cover the Board of Supervisors, county departments, and elected offices, uncovering stories important to residents and relevant across the Bay Area. The role calls for building strong sources, examining records, reporting in communities, explaining the effects of government decisions, and pursuing accountability. The reporter will balance daily coverage with enterprise reporting, work independently and with newsroom colleagues, and publish across digital platforms in real time. This is a remote position, but candidates must live in the Contra Costa County coverage area or near the closest Bay Area News Group office. The position requires occasional work-related driving, reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license, and availability for shift work and hours outside normal business hours as needed.

Requirements

• At least five years of professional journalism experience.
• Strong news judgment, curiosity, and a competitive drive.
• A proven track record of original reporting that goes beyond surface-level coverage.
• Experience developing sources and using public records and data to uncover stories.
• Ability to explain complex government decisions through their effects on people.
• High standards for accuracy, fairness, and verification.
• Ability to manage multiple stories under deadline pressure.
• Comfort reporting and publishing across digital platforms and social media.
• Must reside in the Contra Costa County coverage area or near the closest Bay Area News Group office.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Must be willing to submit to and pass required pre-employment background and MVR checks.
• Must be available for shift work and potentially varied hours outside normal business hours.

Nice To Haves

• Experience covering government, public policy, or accountability reporting.
• Additional language skills.

Responsibilities

• Break news about county government, public spending, and major developments affecting Contra Costa residents.
• Explain what is changing, who is affected, and what is at stake beyond meetings and announcements.
• Build sources across county agencies, local government, neighborhoods, businesses, and community organizations.
• Use public records, documents, and data to uncover original stories and hold institutions accountable.
• Report on public services, tracing decisions from policy and funding through their effects on residents.
• Develop enterprise stories about emerging problems, potential solutions, and changes in county communities.
• Collaborate with newsroom colleagues on stories spanning geographic areas and beats.
• Report and publish across platforms in real time, updating stories as news develops.
• Write clear, engaging stories with authority.
• Drive occasionally for work assignments, in-person training, or meetings, transporting themselves between sites as needed.

Benefits

• Cell phone stipend.
• Medical insurance, subject to eligibility.
• Dental insurance, subject to eligibility.
• Life insurance, subject to eligibility.
• Disability insurance, subject to eligibility.
• 401(k).
• Paid time off, subject to eligibility.
• Select paid holidays, subject to eligibility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed