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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. Through our trusted brands, including the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations, including our network of local properties, in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom, we provide essential journalism, local content, and digital experiences to audiences and businesses. We deliver high-quality, trusted content with a commitment to balanced, unbiased journalism, where and when consumers want to engage. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, supports small and medium-sized businesses with innovative digital marketing products and solutions. USA TODAY Co. open roles are featured on various external job boards. When applying to a position at USA TODAY Co., you should be completing an application on USA TODAY Co. Careers via Dayforce. Job postings directing you to complete an application on other external sites may not be valid.     To connect with us, visit www.usatodayco.com

Team: Content AI

Location: Remote-friendly (U.S.); preference for candidates in Western Pennsylvania

Schedule: Full-time; flexible hours aligned to news demands

The role

USA TODAY Network is seeking a senior, self-directed reporter to support the launch and scaling of AI-assisted local journalism in a major U.S. metro.

This is not a traditional beat role. You will be responsible for utilizing approved AI tools and workflows to drive local coverage and audience growth. You’ll work with minimal day-to-day supervision and will be expected to identify opportunities, develop them into solutions, and document what works so it can be reused across markets.

Your north star: high-quality local journalism at scale, without sacrificing accuracy, transparency, or trust. At USA TODAY Co., AI always serves journalism – never the other way around.

What you’ll do

Own AI-assisted local production

• Produce and publish fast, accurate local coverage using AI-assisted workflows, including service journalism, events, transportation, weather, public meetings, and structured civic data.
• Independently convert structured inputs (agendas, advisories, datasets, calendars, alerts) into publishable stories and explainers at volume.
• Verify facts, names, locations, and claims; conduct interviews as needed to add context and authority.

Tool and platforms you’ll use

• Newsroom-approved LLMs (CoPilot, Perplexity, etc.)
• Reverse-image search tools such as Google Images and TinEye.
• Mapping/geolocation tools.
• Public-records platforms (state court portals, FOIA systems).
• Data and document tools like Excel/Sheets, Airtable, and PDF extraction tools.
• Verification tools (CrowdTangle, social search).

Deploy and refine AI workflows

• Implement approved AI tools and templates in live newsroom production.
• Customize prompts, inputs, and checks to meet local needs while maintaining editorial standards.
• Identify failure modes, quality gaps, and efficiency bottlenecks; propose and implement improvements.

Operate as a market-level problem solver

• Approach the assignment with a spirit of experimentation and innovation: Identify repeatable coverage gaps that AI-assisted workflows can fill.
• Balance speed and judgment in a competitive, high-demand news environment.
• Escalate editorial, legal, or ethical risks early and clearly.

Document and scale what works

• Create lightweight playbooks, checklists, and examples that allow successful workflows to be reused by other reporters and markets.
• Share lessons learned with editors, Product, and Content AI partners.
• Prioritize reader trust and contribute to the evolution of AI standards, guardrails, and disclosure practices.

What makes you a strong fit

Required

• Demonstrated newsroom experience producing accurate local journalism under deadline pressure.
• Proven ability to work independently, prioritize work, and deploy without close supervision.
• Hands-on experience using AI tools (LLMs or automation) in editorial workflows.
• Strong verification instincts and comfort taking responsibility for published work.
• Comfort working across systems: CMSs, spreadsheets, feeds, and multiple tools at once.
• Clear written and verbal communication with editors and cross-functional partners.
• Familiarity with AI tools and experience with platforms, prompts and workflows.

Preferred

• Experience launching or scaling coverage in a new or under-resourced market.
• Experience designing or maintaining repeatable newsroom workflows.
• Familiarity with service journalism, civic data, or structured local content.
• Comfort documenting processes for others to follow.
• Experience using verification and research tools like reverse-image search, map tools, and public-records databases.

Why this role matters

You will play a central role in proving that AI-assisted local journalism can deliver meaningful audience scale and business impact in a live market. What you build and refine here will inform how the network approaches future expansions and AI-enabled newsroom operations that support and augment human-led journalism.

How To Apply: 

 

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

 

1. Your resume – one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
3. Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

 

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

 

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The annualized base salary for this role will range between $65,000 and $70,000.  Base compensation is reflective of many factors, including, but not limited to, the market in which one lives/works, individual education level, skills, certifications and experience. Note: variable compensation is not reflected in these figures and based on the role, may be applicable