Community Engagement Representative​/Reporter – Stockton

About the Position

The Community Engagement Representative / Reporter is a hybrid role that blends journalism, relationship-building, and community activation. This position plays a key role in translating community concerns into reporting, dialogue, and OBSERVER-led events that inform the public and strengthen civic engagement. This role is ideal for someone who is comfortable engaging people in person and on camera, and who understands that community engagement is not promotion — it is accountability.

• Serve as a visible liaison between The OBSERVER and Stockton residents.
• Build and maintain relationships with community organizations, faith institutions, youth groups, and civic leaders.
• Attend community meetings and events to listen, gather insight, and build trust.
• Translate community concerns into forums, listening sessions, panels, and OBSERVER-hosted events.
• Support planning and execution of OBSERVER community events in Stockton.
• Report and write stories that emerge from community conversations and events.
• Appear on camera for interviews, event coverage, and community-centered video storytelling.
• Publish content using the OBSERVER’s CMS and contribute to social and digital platforms.
• Use digital tools, including AI-assisted engagement and workflow tools, responsibly and ethically.

• Must reside in the greater Stockton area.
• Experience in community engagement, journalism, communications, organizing, or a related field.
• Strong relationship-building and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to convene people and translate concerns into public conversations or events.
• Comfort and confidence appearing on camera.
• Photography skills preferred; ability to capture compelling images at community events and in the field.
• Familiarity with social media platforms and digital engagement strategies.
• Experience with or willingness to learn CMS platforms, basic video tools, and AI-assisted workflows.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects.
• Full-time position with competitive salary and benefits.
• Opportunity to help build a community-centered newsroom model in Stockton.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and four to six examples of your work. If submitting a video, please include a link or attach it as an additional document.

The Observer is committed to equal employment opportunities for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at The Observer are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, age, gender, religion or belief, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in California.

The Observer will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.