Job Description

Elon Musk Reporter, Austin American-Statesman

The Austin American-Statesman is seeking an experienced business reporter to cover Elon Musk and his companies, their broad impacts in Texas and beyond, and Musk’s activities in Austin and the region. 

What will you do?
This reporter will be responsible for reporting newsworthy statements from Musk and his companies and other breaking news about Musk-led companies based or operating in Central Texas (Tesla Inc., Starlink, The Boring Co., Neuralink and  X). They will also be responsible for producing insightful enterprise and analysis about Musk, his businesses and their broader impacts on business, government, individuals and the environment.

What will it take to be successful?

• Developing a network of sources with knowledge of Musk’s companies including current or former employees, Wall Street analysts, watchdog and environmental groups, government officials, residents and others. 
• In collaboration with a staff reporter responsible for broad coverage of the Austin tech sector and another who covers Musk’s Starbase-based SpaceX and related topics, taking a leading role in producing a regular Musk-focused newsletter.
• A sub-beat covering economic development in Austin, Travis County and Texas.

Other requirements:

• A digital-first focus and relentless drive to be first to market with newsworthy developments regarding Musk, his companies and their impacts.
• A track record of source development in publicly traded, closely held and private companies.
• Experience covering earnings reports and other SEC filings.
• Experience securing other types of public records and a record of building coverage on such documents.
• Experience using social media to track the comments of newsmakers and companies.
• Experience covering governments and public agencies, their budgets and other activities. 
• Embrace of a fast-paced, collaborative environment and ability to work well with colleagues across Hearst Texas newsrooms.
• At least 5 years of experience in daily journalism and at least 3 years in business journalism.

This position reports to the Regional Business Editor as part of a Hearst Texas Business news staff in Austin and San Antonio.

The department also covers energy, utilities, auto manufacturing, labor, trade, aerospace, cybersecurity, real estate, insurance, retail, tourism, economic development and the region’s major companies and industries. Companies of focus include Tesla, Dell, Cisco, Oracle, Valero, USAA, SpaceX, Boeing, Samsung, H-E-B and Whataburger. 

About The Austin American-Statesman:

The Austin American-Statesman has been the leading source of news and information for Central Texas since 1871, serving a dynamic and fast-growing region anchored by the capital city of Texas. Austin is known for its vibrant tech industry, rich cultural heritage, influential government institutions and creative spirit.

The Statesman's award-winning journalists provide in-depth coverage of the issues that matter most to Austinites — from local government and business to education, the environment and Austin’s ever-evolving music and cultural scenes. With a strong focus on accountability journalism and investigative reporting, the Statesman plays a critical role in informing and engaging its community.

About Hearst Newspapers:

With 2,500 employees across the nation, HNP represents a network of 24 daily and 52 weekly publications including the Austin American-Statesman, San Antonio Express-News, Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, Albany Times Union, several top digital-only news and lifestyle sites, marketing services businesses, and entertainment businesses such as King Features Syndicate.

At HNP, we are investing in new and innovative ways to tell stories – growing newsrooms, diversifying tools, evolving platforms – to support the millions of people who trust us each month to help them make decisions, take action and be inspired. 

Be a part of something bigger – Your Headline Awaits.

Recognizing the diverse needs of our candidates, if you are interested in applying for employment and need assistance or an accommodation to use our website or regarding the application process, please contact us by email at [email protected].  Please do not use this email address to inquire about the status of applications. We will only respond to inquiries concerning requests for a reasonable accommodation through this email address.

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