Education Lab Editor

Job Description

The Dallas Morning News is looking for an experienced editor to lead our award-winning Education Lab, a community-funded team of reporters delivering in-depth reporting on important education-related issues in Dallas, North Texas and throughout the state.

The editor will direct our dedicated reporters and engage the community on important educational issues with a goal of sparking civic discourse that effects change. The Education Lab is supported by more than a dozen foundations, philanthropists and community organizations.

Our team is four reporters. One is focused on K-12 education, one on higher education and a fellow serves as a GA reporter with an emphasis on breaking news. A fourth reporter covers workforce and economic mobility for our Future of North Texas initiative.

The Ed Lab editor handles fast-paced breaking news and deep enterprise work, and helps veteran and early-career journalists produce in-depth stories that focus on accountability and solutions. Our primary audience includes parents and students trying to navigate the education landscape, but our work should prompt education leaders to take action. The editor and the team will need deep relationships with education sources.

Strong news judgment is essential for this editor, and previous experience covering and editing education news is a plus. This editor will need to quickly and confidently decide which stories the team should pursue and what resources to deploy. Texas has significant education issues to solve, and the state’s efforts to do that often are at the leading edge of the national debate over education editor also works with the Lab’s reporters to produce quarterly reports that measure the impact and reach of the Ed Lab. Building a strong digital audience is key to this team’s success, so this editor needs to be fluent in metrics and work closely with a liaison from our audience team to maximize reach and growth in our digital audience.

This position requires a bachelor’s degree in journalism or related field or equivalent

combination of education and experience. This editor needs to be committed to the growth and development of our team, and to cultivating diversity in our staff and content.

This position reports to our assistant managing editor for news.

Job Requirements

At least five years of reporting and editing experience

A bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field

Strong writing and reporting skills

Experience managing a team of reporters

A solid understanding of digital journalism and analytics

Ability to identify and produce revealing, smart stories

Preferred Qualifications :

Prior experience covering or editing education news

Familiarity with Texas public and private schools

The Dallas Morning News is committed to fostering a collaborative and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued and supported. We believe a diverse newsroom helps us better serve and reflect the communities of North Texas. As part of our mission to expand our reach to underserved populations, including Spanish-speaking households, we value bilingual candidates.

We work in our offices three days a week, which we believe is key to supporting each other and producing revelatory work with our community in mind every day.