State Government & Politics Reporter

The Oregonian/OregonLive in Portland, Oregon, is hiring a State Government & Politics Reporter to join our nationally award-winning newsroom. We seek a journalist who thrives on holding powerful public officials to account, has a track record of using public records to heighten government transparency and accountability and has a nose for high-impact political stories and quick talkers.

This Reporter will break daily news on a competitive statewide beat while also preparing frequent weekend takeouts from breaking political news, personalities, failings and successes. Working collaboratively with a second state politics reporter, you will help drive the direction of our state politics coverage. Using a variety of storytelling techniques and platforms, you’ll help cover elections, the Legislature, state agencies and other powerbrokers, keeping an eye on the real-world implications of policy and spending choices on Oregonians.

You will work with a politics editor who not only is deeply invested in the reporter’s success but also has a proven track record of helping reporters enhance their stories and shine.  

The reporter will be expected to consistently elevate the voices of people of color, those navigating poverty or disability or others who are too rarely heard by those in power or reflected in news coverage.

We are looking for a deeply curious person with experience and skills to develop deep and diverse sourcing while remaining nimble in the face of breaking news.  The ideal candidate will bring an enterprise-driven approach to the beat, with the skill and energy to deliver hard-hitting agenda-setting coverage on a regular basis. The reporter should have a track record of, or demonstrated interest in, shining a light on the influence of powerful interests in shaping politics and government and the opportunities for government to do better by those with the least political power.   

The salary range for this position is $60,000 - $85,000 annually.

This is a hybrid position based in the Portland metro area. This position requires reliable transportation to meet with sources and cover events at the Oregon Capitol in Salem.

Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume and 3-5 stories showcasing their reporting and writing skills. 

What you’ll be doing: 

• Become an authority on state government including deep expertise on state budgets, legislative processes and readily available state politics and government data sources (such as campaign finance and lobbying databases) 
• Work collaboratively with other reporters, including another state government reporter and others (in beats ranging from education, homelessness and business) to uncover news and report on ongoing issues 
• Publicly represent The Oregonian/OregonLive in limited situations, including political debates and possibly on national news programs as an expert on Oregon politics and government
• Regularly file public records requests and generally seek the transparency necessary to hold powerful leaders accountable
• Show curiosity, collegiality and flexibility when, on occasion, news demands that the organization pivots to high-priority events

Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum of 5 years of journalism experience with a track record of clear, engaging writing, fresh story framing and diverse sourcing.
• Excellent time management skills with ability to work under tight deadlines when needed
• Ability to analyze data sets to find the smart stories, including the effectiveness of state programs and policies, state hiring and spending and other government accountability metrics
• Inclination and ability to insist on compliance with public records and public meeting laws to give readers maximum transparency about elected officials’ performance
• Skill at using social media and digital platforms to drive traffic and engage readers 
• Experience with or willingness to learn about audience best practices
• Comfort with taking photos, video and audio on assignment as needed
• Advanced data analysis skills are a plus
• Fluency in another language spoken widely in Oregon is an asset, but not required