Contaminated groundwater. Lazy policing. Elected officials mired in conflicts of interest. A state Senate race with all the earmarks of a tough contest. A pilot program to transition people out of homelessness.

Eastern Oregon might seem remote, but it has some of the biggest news in the state, and if covering those topics are of interest, the Hermiston Herald might be the place for you.

The Herald is seeking an energetic, creative and outgoing leader ready to be editor/senior reporter of a family-owned weekly newspaper and to help tackle some of these topics. We are looking for a journalist passionate about local news, excited about the opportunity to publish in print, online and with social media.

You'll manage and mentor two newsroom employees and several freelance writers to produce daily news content and work with a professional page design team to produce the weekly print product. You are also part of the East Oregonian newsroom and will work with its leadership team to produce regional thought pieces and enterprise projects.

The candidate we're looking for will be experienced in community journalism and editing, passionate about innovative storytelling and confident in their ability to communicate to a diverse, multicultural community with a growing Hispanic population. You will coordinate with the staff photographer to ensure engaging art accompanies the Herald's stories, in addition to shooting your own when necessary.

The Herald is a web first news organization so the right candidate will post daily to our website and use social media to engage readers. This position offers the right person a chance to explore ideas for multimedia outreach and work with the advertising and audience development team to create surveys, newsletters and products to better serve the distribution of Hermiston news.

The Herald is part of EO Media Group, an award-winning and innovative news organization with an active family of owners. This position offers excellent advancement opportunities in a company that prefers to hire from within. EO Media Group owns 13 newspapers and journals that provide accurate, fair and timely reporting about the people and issues impacting the communities we serve in the Pacific Northwest, reflecting the responsibility and spirit of a free press. EO Media Group was selected as one of the top 10 news publishers in the United States who "do it right," in 2023 by Editor & Publisher magazine.

Located near the Columbia River, Hermiston is a vibrant and growing community, with agricultural roots and a technology-focused future. The community is increasingly multicultural, with a strong school district and youth sports programs. The excellent Parks & Recreation department maintains an aquatic center, numerous parks and trails and puts on events throughout the year. A spirit of volunteerism permeates throughout town, with ample opportunities for newcomers to get connected and involved.

Candidates should have an education in journalism or a related field, plus at least five years of progressive newspaper leadership experience. When applying, upload your resume, cover letter and three to five clips.