KPBS News Editor in San Diego, California at San Diego State University Research Foundation

The salary range for this position is $7,500 - $8,750 per month ($90,000 - $105,000 per year) depending upon qualifications and is non-negotiable.

Cover letter is required.

The job posting for this position is scheduled to close on 7/23/26 at 4:00pm (PST).

KPBS serves the greater San Diego community with informative, cultural, entertaining and educational television, radio, and digital programming. KPBS TV/FM is the public television and radio station for San Diego. Licensed to San Diego State University, KPBS supports and furthers the university’s educational and community service mission by informing, enlightening and empowering its audience. It does so not only by presenting national and locally produced programming of value to its San Diego audience, but also by producing programming about San Diego and its people for distribution nationwide.

Perks you'll enjoy as a member of #teamKPBS

• Working on a college campus & in public media: Access to campus facilities and staff perks, weekly farmer's market, tons of eateries, community events, entertainment, etc.
• Hybrid schedule/ remote work flexibility options (varies by position)
• 24 vacation days, 1 personal day & 13 holidays off (4+ days off over winter break)
• Enjoy a 'beautiful day in the neighborhood' with local employee discounts
• Opportunity drawings to attend SDSU basketball games, local concerts and events
• Discounts on local attractions (theme parks, entertainment, restaurants, memberships)
• Free wellness classes & programs
• Staff pop-up events
• Full benefits packages that are unmatched (medical, dental, vision, life)
• Sick leave accruals and paid leave options
• On-site childcare at a discounted rate (based on availability)
• Opportunities for continued learning and professional development
• Flexible spending account(s)
• Employee assistance program
• Matching and voluntary retirement savings plan

Under the supervision of the Managing Editor, the News Editor coaches, guides and directs a team of reporters on both daily and long-term assignments. This role manages, edits, assigns and reviews day-to-day news coverage across radio, TV and digital platforms, and coordinates coverage needs with other editors and producers. With support and oversight from the Managing Editor and News Director, the News Editor also provides input and assistance on projects under their purview.

The News Editor is responsible for ensuring that coverage prioritizes accountability reporting, people-centered storytelling, and a mix of thought-provoking stories and fresh explainers that broaden audience understanding. KPBS is committed to delivering high-quality, in-depth local news and analysis across all platforms. The mission of the news division is to provide fair accurate reporting on the people and issues that matter to San Diego and Imperial County communities. The News Editor plays a critical role in advancing this mission by supervising reporters and elevating the quality of their stories.

Leadership & Supervision (50%)

• Works with reporters to develop story ideas that cover issues of importance in the lives of audience members, including people-centered stories, lively explainers that dissect the why or how behind the news or a trend, and breaking news.
• Provide effective leadership in alignment with KPBS expectations and practices as well as SDSURF and SDSU policies.
• Coaches, guides and directs reporters and engages in regular air checks and feedback sessions.
• Ensures writing is focused, conversational, and accurate.
• Ensures that reporter beat memos are updated at least weekly.
• Ensures that coverage plans are reviewed at least twice per year.
• Encourages pitches, provides guidance to refine them, and carefully decides to move forward on the ones that best align with the KPBS news mission.
• Maintains ongoing and collaborative relationships with various KPBS department leaders and the local community.
• Contributes to daily news meetings and ensures KPBS is covering the top stories daily. In the absence of the News Director and/or Managing Editor, may lead meetings as assigned.

• Coaches reporters to write using a conversational style in their own voices for broadcast stories and appropriate techniques for web audiences.
• In collaboration with News management, ensures on-air and web news is timely, fair and accurate, and strives for excellence on all platforms.
• Plans appropriate workflow and distribution of duties to meet or exceed set goals determined by the Managing Editor.
• Ensures adequate and appropriate coverage of supervised beats and issues during breaking news periods, as well as during reporter absences.
• Reinforces that mission statements clearly explain the what and why behind each reporter’s beat in order to inspire a transparent relationship with KPBS’s audiences.
• Attends regularly scheduled newsroom and KPBS meetings, and represents the station at various events, as required.
  
  

Editing (30%)

• Ensures that reporters deliver stories before multiple deadlines each day and communicates to Senior Producers when those deadlines are at risk of being missed, enabling timely support, adjustments, or reassignment as needed.
• Plays a crucial role in quality control by reviewing, coaching, script improvements such as ensuring appropriate context, using the most accurate language, clearly explaining what’s at stake and checking audio and videos for accuracy and comprehension.
• Ensures scripts appropriately complement video and audio
• Create sound-rich stories with high standards for audio fidelity and being adept at audio editing
• In partnership with the Senior News Producers and the Digital Editor, the News Editor prioritizes a multimedia approach to all stories for all local content.
• Assigns and edits work that periodically fall on weekends and evenings, and as news coverage requires.
• Prepares and provides written direction when out of office, including reporter assignments and news updates with applicable links to digital information.
• Serves as a back-up for other Editors.

Administration (15%):

• Makes recommendations to the Managing Editor and/or News Director on staffing and equipment.
• Maintains news planning documents, upcoming news pegs, and air/release dates of station news stories.
• Update key internal planning documents and rundowns with plans and timing for reporter stories.
• Keep the Managing Editor and/or News Director informed of errors, required story corrections, and important audience feedback. Executed corrections or clarifications across platforms as needed
• May pitch stories to partners such as NPR, the PBS NewsHour and California Hub of stations.
  
  

Other Duties and Responsibilities as Assigned (5%)

• Participate in on-air fundraising, as needed.

• Perform other tasks as assigned.

Knowledge and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience in editing or reporting stories with impact.
• Demonstrated knowledge of current events and issues.
• Knowledge and understanding of journalistic standards and practices and the editorial/technical/logistical processes required to create multimedia content.
• Ability to be highly organized and handle competing priorities within tight deadlines
• Demonstrated record of successfully leading, motivating and assigning a team of reporters that uphold the organization’s mission and values in driving multi-platform stories.
• Demonstrated skills of people management and mentoring.
• Demonstrated ability to work in an often fast-paced newsroom environment with dynamic deadlines and priorities.
• Ability to effectively assign and implement news agenda while ensuring KPBS’ focus remains on the most important topics of the day.
• Ability to work independently and make good decisions under deadline.
• Ability to effectively prioritize projects and coordinate a variety of tasks and deadlines on a daily basis.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively plan and delegate workflow according to current and changing needs.
• Ability to utilize and be guided by the KPBS mission statement and strategic plan.
  
  

Minimum Experience

• Four-years of related experience; two of which in a progressively responsible supervisory or management role
  
  

Minimum Education

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, or additional experience in a newsroom may be substituted for the required education on a year for year basis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in journalism in a comparable position as an assignment editor, producer or line editor
• Demonstrated experience in broadcast and digital writing and editing.
• Experience as a manager in a unionized environment.
• Experience in a progressively responsible leadership role, including supervision of teams of two or more.
• Broad knowledge of San Diego, regional, state, national, and international news to provide context and depth to local reporting.
• Prior experience in public media.
• Proven ability in both short-term and long-term editorial planning.
• Spanish-language fluency
• Experience with digital audio and video editing, as well as social media production.
• Multimedia skills, including writing for the web and producing audio and video storytelling.
• Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional growth and development.

Additional Applicant Information

• Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).
• San Diego State University Research Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU Research Foundation provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law.
• Employment decisions are based on an individual’s qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has equal access to resources and support.
• SDSU Research Foundation complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), and other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws including grant or contract terms and conditions related to funded program activities. Further the SDSU Research Foundation maintains a Nondiscrimination Policy that prohibits discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all programs, policies, and practices.
• SDSU Research Foundation makes all employment decisions including, but not limited to, applicant screening, hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, and terminations on the basis of merit.