KPBS Science & Technology Reporter I or II

Overview

The salary range for this position is depending upon qualifications and is non-negotiable.

Reporter I: $33.02 - $36.31 per hour ($68,681.60 - $75,524.80 per year)
Reporter II: $34.94 - $40.55 per hour ($72,675.20 - $84,344 per year)

This position is scheduled to close on 3/12/26 at 4:00pm (PST)

This position is part of the SAG-AFTRA bargaining unit with KPBS.

Perks you'll enjoy as a member of #teamKPBS

• Working on a college campus & in public media:
  Access to campus facilities and staff perks, weekly farmer's market, tons of eateries, community events, entertainment, etc.
• Hybrid schedule/ remote work flexibility options (varies by position)
• 10 vacation days, 1 personal day & 13 holidays off (4+ days off over winter break)
• Enjoy a 'beautiful day in the neighborhood' with local employee discounts
• Opportunity drawings to attend SDSU basketball games, local concerts and events
• Discounts on local attractions (theme parks, entertainment, restaurants, memberships)
• Free wellness classes & programs
• Staff pop-up events
• Full benefits packages that are unmatched (medical, dental, vision, life)
• Sick leave accruals and paid leave options
• On-site childcare at a discounted rate (based on availability)
• Opportunities for continued learning and professional development
• Flexible spending account(s)
• Employee assistance program
• Matching and voluntary retirement savings plan

KPBS serves the greater San Diego community with informative, cultural, entertaining and educational television, radio, and digital programming. KPBS TV/FM is the public television and radio station for San Diego. Licensed to San Diego State University, KPBS supports and furthers the university’s educational and community service mission by informing, enlightening and empowering its audience. It does so not only by presenting national and locally produced programming of value to its San Diego audience, but also by producing programming about San Diego and its people for distribution nationwide.

San Diego has a rich array of research institutions and biotechnology firms that play an important role in the region’s economy and quality of life, and they often make news of both local and global consequence. Reporting on the science and technology beat will involve taking complex concepts and rendering them into accessible and compelling stories. These stories will be grounded in fact, and carefully vetted, moving beyond press releases to interrogate the ethics, funding, and real-world impacts of local innovation but still be playful or moving as the subject matter requires.

Under the direction of the Managing Editor, supervision of the News Editor, and in coordination with other members of the news division, The Science & Technology Reporter will produce news stories that can be distributed on radio, TV, KPBS.org, social media platforms and KPBS mobile. KPBS news beats include arts & culture, border, immigration, education, environment, investigative, and military.

The news stories will be produced in formats such as, but not limited to, social media videos and posts, digital projects/series, radio newscasts, in-depth radio features, TV packages and features, multimedia projects, community engagement events and special reports as assigned.

The reporter may be assigned to help fill in for other newsroom positions, such as anchoring newscasts or web producing, and appear as a guest or host on KPBS TV and radio programs. Cultivating the beat is important, but all KPBS reporters will work outside their beats, or conversely team up on their beats, as the news merits. The reporter will produce local content and prepare final productions that can be distributed on all KPBS platforms.

The reporter is expected to participate in station on-air fundraising activities, and make appearances for KPBS community building events and other public relations activities.

The following information is intended to be representative of the work performed by incumbents in this position and is not all-inclusive. The omission of a specific duty or responsibility will not preclude it from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical extension of position responsibilities. Job descriptions may be changed at any time based on the needs of the department.

News Reporting and Producing (80%)

• Provide news content: spot news, feature reports, cut and copy, live debrief, tape talk, field packages, photos, video, audio, social media posts, and newscasts. The primary flow of work will be to start a story online, shoot video on the topic and edit it or work in partnership with a videographer for longer pieces as needed, and move the gathered content across all news platforms.
• Follow the KPBS Strategic Plan and Editorial Vision at the direction of the News Editor.
• Research topics, analyze data, develop contacts and interview sources, maintain notes and broadcast recordings, write and edit reports, produce and voice reports for air, and work with a production unit to produce radio, TV and…