Investigative Reporter
The Kansas City Star is expanding its award-winning investigative team and is looking for reporters with a passion for uncovering the truth and making a difference in readers’ lives. We need journalists with a knack for finding stories that deserve a deeper look and the ability to tell them in a way that compels readers to dive in and stay until the end.
You should know how to use public records laws to obtain and analyze data and documents, but should also understand that’s only the start. The best stories are told through real people, and we want to report and write stories that will change people’s lives.
In recent years, we’ve shown how government secrecy harmed Kansans, gotten to the bottom of tragedies that killed a 10-year-old boy on the world’s tallest water slide and took the lives of 17 people when a duck boat sank in a lake, and investigated abuse in Missouri boarding schools, which led to the passage of a state law to protect children.
Our investigations range from a quick-turn search for answers and accountability during and after breaking news events to deep and dogged enterprise that might take months to complete. The mission is always to break news that holds leaders, governments and institutions accountable and that makes a concrete difference in the lives of an ever-growing and increasingly diverse audience of readers, viewers and listeners in the Midwest and beyond.
We can’t have impact without reaching readers. Success will be measured by the distinctive journalism you produce as well as the audience and subscriber growth for that differentiated content. That requires a command of audience analytics and knowledge of the tactics that deliver results, as well as a desire to experiment, iterate and adjust as the news environment dictates.
We are looking for candidates with strong interpersonal skills who can collaborate with editors, reporters and other staff members. We delight in journalists who want to report about wrongdoing, injustice and abuses of power and who have experience doing so. You should be truly excited about all the possible tools we can use to tell stories and reach audiences.
If you have a track record of top-level investigative journalism, we’d love to talk to you. Please include a cover letter, resume and samples of your work.
QUALIFICATIONS:
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Strong writing skills and excellent news judgment.
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An unwavering commitment to accurate, ethical journalism.
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Expert-level understanding of public records laws and how to use them.
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Ability to acquire and analyze data.
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A collaborator who works well as part of a team. In many cases, our investigative efforts involve two or three or more journalists working together to bring a story home.
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A self-starter who will develop a strong network of sources to find and pursue stories that will reach a broad audience.
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An interest in telling stories using a variety of media, and an enthusiasm for learning new skills and technologies.
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Fluency in the science of readership and engagement, including an understanding of metrics/analytics and an understanding of SEO and other audience optimization tactics.
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Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy and the ability to take and give constructive criticism.
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Ability to work comfortably in a job that will be fast-paced, data-driven, shaped constantly by feedback and experimentation and always evolving.