Education Editing Fellow

USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a sustainable, growth-focused media and digital marketing solutions company.

About the role

The Detroit Free Press seeks a strong editor to lead a team of two education reporters as a one-year grant-funded editing fellow as part of a rapid expansion of education coverage statewide. This editor will work with a statewide education reporting fellow and a regional education reporting fellow, setting priorities for coverage to have the most impact. They’ll be a thought partner, from reporters’ early efforts to build relationships with communities to story development and the editing process, and will help facilitate community engagement. This team will use every medium and platform — video, social, articles, in-person engagements, and visuals — to help parents, lawmakers, and community leaders understand the challenges in need of solutions at a time when Michigan children lag other states in reading, math, attendance, and postsecondary education attainment.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of two education reporters, setting priorities for coverage.
• Collaborate with reporters from early story development through editing.
• Facilitate community engagement and build relationships with stakeholders.
• Utilize multiple platforms (video, social, articles, visuals, in-person engagements) to maximize impact.
• Apply audience analytics, SEO, and engagement strategies to guide coverage.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master’s in communications, journalism, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 1-3 years of editing or related experience.
• Strong line-editing and story planning skills.
• Experience with people management and problem-solving.
• Comfortable on camera and interacting with readers and stakeholders.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and minimum liability insurance required by state law.

Skills

• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Understanding of audience analytics, SEO, and engagement strategies.