Streetsblog Is Hiring: Cover the Evolution of NYC Streets and Transportation

After three tremendous years covering the Streetsblog NYC beat, Stephen Miller is moving on next month to serve as Council Member Jimmy van Bramer’s legislative and budget director. New York City government is gaining a special talent, and we’re going to miss him.

Among Stephen’s many gifts are his knack for putting sharp questions to public officials, his aptitude for quickly synthesizing even the most arcane policy matters (just look at his body of work on parking minimums!), and his seemingly limitless fount of story ideas. All that, and he has probably shattered the Streetsblog record for community board meetings attended.

To hear my full rhapsody, you’ll have to come to the sendoff we’ll be giving him. Stay tuned for details.

In the meantime, please spread the word that Streetsblog is hiring…

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We’re looking for a talented journalist to help Streetsblog NYC cover the movement for safe streets and effective transit in the five boroughs.

We welcome applications from engaging writers, reporters, and advocates who want to contribute to an influential source of information and commentary on transportation and planning issues. The ideal candidate will have a firm grasp of local politics and a keen sense of how Streetsblog coverage can advance transportation policies that improve conditions for walking, bicycling, and transit.

Responsibilities

We are seeking a reporter to craft original content, interviews, event coverage, and commentary. Applicants should be enthusiastic about the notion that journalism can be conducted with integrity and fidelity to the truth while espousing a clear point of view. Knowing how to effectively impart a message is a critical skill for this position.

A day’s work at Streetsblog NYC can take you from SoHo to the South Bronx, or from a street party in a newly-reclaimed public space to an overheated community board meeting. You’ll cover the city’s progress — or lack thereof — toward reallocating street space from cars to transit, bikes, and people. You’ll write about transit-oriented development, giant parking lots, and the nitty gritty of zoning codes and budget documents. You’ll watchdog the NYPD’s response to traffic crashes and Albany’s (mis)handling of the MTA budget. And you’ll meet the activists who fight to make New York City streets work better for all of us.

The reporter will:

• Create a daily stream of original news and content
• Track ongoing stories, such as pieces of legislation or specific street redesigns
• Research and write larger enterprise pieces about developments in transportation and urban planning policy happening around the city and elsewhere in the tri-state area
• Conduct interviews and cultivate sources among public officials, advocates, policy experts, and engaged citizens
• Produce commentary that holds officials to account for their decisions, and corrects errors and misperceptions that surface in the media
• Pinpoint opportunities for transportation improvements and reforms, and explain what has to change to enact them
• Mix in short posts and photo-based content

Qualifications

• Passion for transforming streets and knowledge of modern street design, transportation, and land use concepts
• Excellent writing and research skills, as evidenced by clips
• Previous reporting experience, ideally covering transportation or planning issues, is preferable
• Experience with WordPress or other blogging/content production platforms a plus

To Apply

Send a resume, cover letter, and relevant clips/links to Ben Fried, Streetsblog Editor-in-Chief: ben@streetsblog.org.

Streetsblog is produced by OpenPlans, a New York City-based non-profit that improves cities using journalism and open-source software. The New York City reporter position is full-time, and will report to the editor-in-chief in New York.