The Gazette is seeking a Health Care Reporter.

The health care reporter is focused on covering the healthcare beat in Iowa: the industry, access and delivery of care to patients, medical research, insurance and uninsured, public and environmental health and medical workforce related issues. This reporter is focused on health data and long-term trends and methods of care as well as research happening within Iowa. This position handles topics on both short-term and longer-term deadlines and should be adept at both daily and enterprise reporting. This position is also focused on diseases like cancer, understanding the human body and genetics.

Responsibilities: 

• Strong understanding of putting complicated topics into context and writing clearly and concisely and making information accessible to audiences. Tracks topics and trends and develops and cultivates sources (i.e. people, records, databases, etc.) across the health care, public health and medical research spectrums.
• Uses public records, open records requests and data to supplement reporting; understands basic spreadsheet and data analysis.
• Monitors public agendas of government bodies and writes about the events, explaining the impacts through eyes of those impacted.
• Maintains a list of story ideas relevant to readers with emphasis on original enterprise stories are focused on health care topics. Takes ownership of topical area(s). Is recognized as the in-house expert in topical area of expertise.
• Understands digital mindset and uses analytics and metrics to extend reach of work.
• Uses solid news judgement, strong writing skills to frame stories to regional audiences.
• Can shoot basic video and still pictures as necessary while gathering proper facts and details. Candidate is responsible for performing basic video editing and web publishing. Effectively communicates with visual team when added level of photos/videos is required.
• Passionate about explainer style reporting and uses alternative story forms to effectively tell stories.
• Identifies opportunities for using a variety of ways of storytelling (video, audio, pictures, text, etc.) and regularly finds opportunities to put the ideas into practice.
• Comfortable hosting/moderating in-person and online panel discussions as required
• Uses social media and newsletters to help build audience.
• Demonstrates proficiency in using existing and new tools to gather, display and report content and also present news in context. Attends training to learn and apply these tools.
• Adheres to all professional and company policies and ethical standards.

Job skills & attributes:  Ideal candidate will be a flexible, self-motivated, creative go-getter and problem solver who works well on a team with varying abilities. Candidate must display technical aptitude and have strong ability to write and report well and distill complex subjects into understandable, accessible elements. Must have empathy and toughness and be a good listener.  Must work well with others and be attentive to follow-up with sources and customers.  Candidate possesses basic video and photography skills, but always has desire to learn new skills.

Minimum Requirements: Undergraduate degree in journalism, English, communications or related course of study. For this role, ideal candidate could also have health sciences or public health areas of medical degrees. Must have valid driver's license and history of safe driving habits. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to work quickly and accurately and must have ideas on how to present news in an ever-changing media landscape. Some video, photography skills are a must.  Approximately 2 to 5 years of experience in a multimedia newsroom is required.

Salary: Regular/Hourly 40 hours.