Income and Affordability Reporter

The Los Angeles Times is seeking a versatile, high-impact journalist to cover the widening extremes of poverty and wealth in California, with the goal of increasing public understanding of the fundamental forces contributing to these disparities. In this one-year position, you will produce journalism that blends deep research with compelling, real-life storytelling to bring complex subjects into sharp relief, as well as highlight structural fixes and community-led solutions.

This position is funded by the James Irvine Foundation, but under full editorial control of The Times newsroom. Coverage will be free to all readers.

The reporter will be responsible for exploring critical pillars of the economic divide, including:

• Illuminating the day-to-day realities of the affordability gap and the lives of workers who, despite full-time employment, struggle with the costs of housing, childcare and healthcare
• Documenting the ways in which systemic racism, unemployment, underemployment and rollbacks in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs have compounded the jobs crisis for Black Californians, and how best to remove the barriers to stable employment
• Covering how the next era of California leadership might redesign the state's social contract, workforce pipelines and safety nets in an attempt to increase economic mobility
• Investigating how robotics, artificial intelligence, auto-scheduling, productivity scoring and other technologies are transforming the workplace, as well as profiling efforts by workers to help shape the adoption of these innovations
• Exploring the ways in which steady hours, living wages and "holistic support" create pathways to career advancement rather than just means to survival

Responsibilities:

• Identify and execute ambitious stories that explore the challenges facing low-income communities and the efforts being made to bridge the economic divide
• Work with Times journalists in the field to produce a mix of breaking news, profiles and long-form explanatory pieces
• Participate in virtual public events and discussions based on your coverage to engage the community in exploring solutions
• Travel across California to document the diverse experiences of workers and families impacted by systemic poverty
• Uphold the highest standards of fact-based, independent journalism

Qualifications

• A minimum of six years of journalism experience
• Proven track record of reporting on socioeconomic issues, labor, housing or systemic inequity
• A portfolio demonstrating the ability to humanize complex data and policy through powerful narrative storytelling
• Strong research skills and the ability to navigate public records and economic data
• A commitment to community engagement and representing the voices of marginalized populations
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative newsroom team
• Understanding of the importance of accuracy and precision
• An ethical and inclusive approach in the workplace that promotes collaboration
• Comfortable appearing on TV, radio and podcasts on behalf of the L.A. Times
• Multimedia reporting experience is a plus

This role is listed as Reporter in the Los Angeles Times Guild and will be based in El Segundo, Calif. Occasional travel is expected, as is night and weekend work. Bilingual or multilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. Reporters must have a valid driver's license and access to a vehicle in good working condition, with suitable auto insurance coverage.

Qualified candidates should send a resume, cover letter and applicable clips to Deputy Managing Editor Monte Morin.

The L.A. Times is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We actively work to create an inclusive environment where all of our employees can thrive. This Privacy Notice for Los Angeles Times sets forth how we will use the information we obtain when you apply for a position with us. Explore our company history, achievement, values, mission and more on our career site.

The pay scale the Company reasonably expects to pay for this position at the time of the posting is $90,006 to $103,589 and takes into account a wide range of factors including but not limited to skill set, experience, training, licenses, certifications, and other business or organizational needs. Compensation will be determined based on the above factors along with the requirements of the position. At the L.A. Times, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for the role. Please visit our career site to view the benefits available to our employees. We recommend adding our applicant tracking system domain (@dayforce.com) as a safe sender or contact; sometimes these emails get filtered to candidates' spam folders.