Philadelphia Gun Violence Reporter, Chalkbeat

Job Description

Civic News Company, parent company of the nonprofit newsrooms Chalkbeat, focused on telling the story of education in America; Votebeat, dedicated to in-depth reporting on elections and voting; and Healthbeat, covering public health and health policy both nationally and locally, is seeking a reporter to cover the impact of gun violence on Philadelphia’s students and efforts to find solutions to the public health crisis. This is a yearlong project  developed with The New York Times’s Headway initiative, which focuses on telling stories of progress. 

Gun violence has plagued the city of Philadelphia for years, with 125 victims dying in fatal shootings and nearly 500 others injured in 2025. A third of all shooting victims in Philly are school-aged, most active or former students of the Philadelphia School District. And a growing number of young people are being charged in shootings. 

We are looking to approach gun violence coverage through the prism of schools. How do schools manage students who are the victims or perpetrators of gun violence? How should schools address the risk of suicide? How do they educate students trying to live amid the threat of shootings? How does this environment impact attendance, teaching, and learning? What is working to prevent violence or support young people? What could schools and officials be doing better?

The right candidate will be a self-starter who can generate ideas and approach this sensitive topic with care, empathy and journalistic independence. We are looking for a mix of stories: narrative pieces explaining the toll of gun deaths and injuries, solutions-oriented pieces exploring how to foster safety and healing, as well as quicker turn pieces when there is news around this topic. The candidate should be eager to understand and inform vital public policy debates around violence and young people, and they should be a beat reporter with strong interviewing skills who can develop reliable sources in education as well as in the criminal justice sphere, advocacy space, and the broader community. 

In your application, please include a cover letter describing how you would approach this beat: what kind of stories you would pursue, how you would build sources and trust in the community, and any examples of similar work you have done.

This position will report to the Philadelphia Bureau Chief, Chalkbeat with touchpoints with an editor at the New York Times Headway initiative. All articles will appear on Chalkbeat, with opportunities for stories to be published in The Times. 

The key responsibilities for this role include:

• Conceiving and executing stories that help people understand how gun violence and schools intersect in Philadelphia. 

• Building relationships with readers and key players in the local community through our regular morning newsletters, social media posts, and the reporting process.

• Covering news events for a local audience and identifying stories, perspectives, and insights that are nationally relevant.

• Collaborating with our data/visuals team as Chalkbeat comes up with innovative ways to present news and distribute stories.

Job Requirements

What background and skills do you have? (We know not all strong candidates will have all the skills we list. That’s OK. What else do you bring to the table? Please tell us!):

• At least 3 years of experience covering education, government, or public policy.

• A passion for education, understanding how schools work, and spotting inequities.

• The ability to explain complex issues clearly and fairly in a way that builds trust.

• A track record of building sources and navigating access challenges.

• The desire to figure out how to reach prospective readers with your work.

• A belief in the power of local journalism.

Bonus points if you have:

• Specific expertise in education, local or state-level reporting in Philadelphia.

• Data analysis skills.

• Fluency in Spanish.

This one-year full-time position will be located in Philadelphia, where we have a coworking space.

The salary is $70,000 with a generous benefits package, including:

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance

• 20 days of PTO and a paid one-week recess

• 401(k) matching program

• Paid parental leave

Civic News Company recognizes a staff bargaining unit, Civic News Company, affiliated with the Writers Guild of America, East, a labor union representing thousands of members who write content for news and online media, motion pictures, and television. This position is included in the Civic News Company bargaining unit.

About Civic News Company

At Civic News Company, our mission is helping people understand how America works so they can make it work better. Committed to equal employment opportunities, Civic News Company welcomes applicants and employees from diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to all races, colors, national origins, ancestries, creeds, religions, genders, ages, disabilities, veteran status, sexual orientations, and marital statuses. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply and contribute to our shared vision.

Civic News Company participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, Civic News Company is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before Civic News Company can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Civic News Company can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.

Powered by Journalismnext