Under the direction of SFGATE’s National Parks Bureau Chief, the contributing editor (20 hours a week) will be a versatile journalist with a deep understanding of the Southwest’s most loved national parks (Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, etc.) and enough intellectual curiosity to want to tell stories that matter to both the people who live there and the people who visit.
The contributing editor will be able to toggle between fast-paced daily stories during big news events (natural disasters, missing persons, etc.) and well-sourced, deep-dive features that eschew the rote travel roundups the region’s national parks are normally relegated to.
Consistently have ideas — you’ll be given a blank canvas to tell stories that matter across a broad range of categories for a pocket of national parks that many people care deeply about.
Be autonomous — this is a remote position that comes with a lot of trust, to both keep an editorial calendar, meet deadlines, understand analytics and communicate with the copy and photo desks in SF.
Have a fantastic network — a big part of this role is being someone who already has the network to be able to tell these stories.
Be consistent — you’ll be writing two features a week on average. We want someone who can move the audience with every single piece, and have the planning foresight to make sure they have something really great lined up for weeks to come.

You have 3 to 4 years of relevant experience writing and/or editing at a publication or in a digital media environment.
You’re based in the Southwest, ideally near one of the core National Parks in Arizona we’ll be covering (Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands).
You have a deep knowledge of the area that spans beyond a single discipline.
You have a passion for journalism and telling stories.
You’ve read SFGATE and have an understanding of the brand and voice.

SFGATE Contributing Parks Editor, Southwest Freelance

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