Overview:
Job Title: Senior Multiplatform Journalist
Department: Editorial, Burmese Desk
Reports To: Senior Editor, News
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: Washington, DC
Schedule: Full-Time
Job Band: 5
Who We Are
Radio Free Asia (RFA) is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with editorial and operational bureaus in Taipei, Bangkok, and Seoul. A congressionally funded grantee of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), RFA operates with full editorial independence.
Our mission is to provide accurate, uncensored news and information to people living in countries where a free press does not exist. We broadcast in nine languages and dialects — Mandarin, Cantonese, Tibetan, Uyghur, Burmese, Vietnamese, Lao, Khmer, and Korean — reaching audiences across China, North Korea, Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia, Laos and beyond via shortwave, satellite, and the internet. Our journalists work in some of the world’s most difficult media environments, often at considerable personal risk, filling a critical gap in access to truthful, timely news for millions of people who would otherwise have very little of it. That reality shapes everything about how we work and who we hire to lead this organization.
Job Summary
The Senior Multiplatform Journalist has the ability to report from information-restricted regions and countries, securing major news leads while planning in-depth projects, investigative series, and developing original reporting agendas. The role covers an assigned beat on a daily basis while taking on more complex and in-depth features and investigative reporting. All complex, high-risk, or legally sensitive stories require review and sign-off by the Senior Editor, News before publication.
RFA is a multiplatform news organization. Journalists are expected to be proficient across radio, web news, and social media reporting formats. Journalists are encouraged to progressively build video production skills as part of their professional development; the Senior Multiplatform Journalist is expected to actively contribute to video content strategy within their area of capability.
Responsibilities:
Key Responsibilities
Beat Coverage & In-Depth Reporting
- Cover the assigned beat on a daily basis, ensuring the continuity and depth of beat reporting.
- Report from information-restricted regions and countries, developing and breaking major news leads and exclusive stories.
- Plan and execute in-depth features and investigative series, developing original reporting agendas; major projects must be co-planned with the Senior Editor, News with regular progress updates.
- Collaborate with the Senior Editor, News and management to pitch and develop high-priority features and special reports.
- All complex, high-risk, or legally sensitive stories must be reviewed and signed off by the Senior Editor, News before publication.
- Serve as an internal subject resource for colleagues, helping to elevate the team's overall reporting depth in the area of expertise.
Multiplatform Content Production (Core Responsibility)
- Produce RFA's most impactful web news articles, features, and investigative reports.
- Adapt complex investigative and analytical content into broadcast scripts, podcast scripts, and social media copy; record broadcast-quality audio narration.
- Edit audio to broadcast-ready standard, including multi-element packages with interview recordings, narration, and natural sound.
- Contribute to the content planning and scripting of flagship podcasts or in-depth interview programs; journalists with hosting capability may serve as host.
- Source, curate, and provide editorial direction for news imagery from licensed platforms, maintaining the highest standards of journalistic image integrity; or obtain legally authorized audiovisual material from interview subjects.
Multiplatform Content Production (Extended, assigned based on operational needs)
- Contribute to the planning and guidance of video news content strategy, helping to establish the organization's video journalism standards and direction.
- Produce or guide the production of video versions of investigative reports or features, based on skills and operational needs.
Mentorship & Institutional Representation
- Actively mentor Multiplatform Journalists: provide regular editorial guidance, review drafts, and help develop their editorial judgment, source cultivation skills, and multiplatform production capabilities.
- Represent RFA at major press events, high-level briefings, and long-term source engagements.
- Build and maintain a deep network of institutional source relationships; recognized externally in the relevant subject domain.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Communications, or a related field from an accredited college or university.
- A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional journalism experience, including substantial experience reporting on government, diplomacy, human rights, conflict, or other significant issues. A portfolio demonstrating reporting depth, editorial impact, and multiplatform versatility is required.
- Deep knowledge of Myanmar's political, economic, social, and cultural landscape, including current developments and regional dynamics.
- Excellent command of the Burmese language, both written and spoken, and strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to communicate effectively in an international newsroom environment.
- Proven ability to break major news stories, develop exclusive reports, and produce investigative or long-form journalism projects from conception through publication.
- An established network of institutional sources, subject-matter experts, and professional contacts relevant to Myanmar and its regional coverage.
- Strong reporting, research, analytical, and editorial skills, including the ability to synthesize complex, multi-source information into compelling, accurate, and accessible stories for different audiences and platforms.
- Demonstrated ability to independently develop and pitch compelling, original story ideas relevant to Myanmar and international audiences.
- Proven ability to produce high-quality content across multiple platforms, including web articles, broadcast audio, podcasts, video, and social media.
- Strong understanding of visual journalism, digital publishing, and social media platforms, including their editorial requirements, audience engagement strategies, and content formats.
- Mastery of broadcast scriptwriting and narration, with the ability to independently produce professional multi-element audio packages. Experience planning and developing audio programs and podcasts, including scripting, structure, and editorial direction.
- Strong editorial judgment in sourcing, selecting, and curating licensed news images, ensuring accuracy, authenticity, and compliance with journalistic standards.
- Proven ability to deliver accurate, polished, and error-free written, audio, and video reports while meeting tight deadlines.
- Ability to respond quickly to breaking news, manage competing editorial priorities, and deliver accurate, high-quality content under tight deadlines.
- Ability to adapt complex news stories into engaging multimedia formats tailored to different platforms and audience needs.
- Ability to understand audience analytics and use performance insights to improve content strategy, storytelling, and audience engagement across digital platforms.
- Understanding of journalist safety, digital security, and risk assessment when reporting on sensitive political, security, and human rights issues.
- Experience coordinating with reporters, stringers, and freelancers across locations and time zones; collaborating with editors and cross-functional teams; and providing editorial guidance and mentoring to junior journalists, in a diverse international newsroom.
- Ability to provide editorial guidance, review drafts, and mentor junior journalists and contributors when needed.
- Experience representing a news organization at major press events, government and diplomatic briefings, and through engagement with institutional sources.
- Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required for reporting assignments, press events, and other official duties.
Preferred Qualifications
- A demonstrated commitment to the highest standards of journalism, editorial independence, accuracy, and professional ethics.
- Hands-on experience hosting or presenting audio and video programs or podcasts.
- Experience producing or guiding the production of video adaptations of investigative reports, features, and other in-depth stories.
- Familiarity with video editing workflows, production software, and short-form, broadcast-quality video production.
- Experience in on-camera reporting or hosting video news programs.
- Familiarity with data journalism tools, digital graphics production, and interactive storytelling formats.
- Familiarity with shortwave and digital radio broadcasting standards, production requirements, and workflows.
- Experience working in international, public-service, or diaspora media organizations.
- Familiarity with payment arrangements, compensation structures, and payment systems for reporters, stringers, and freelance contributors.
- Journalism awards, professional recognitions, or notable publications demonstrating editorial excellence and impact.
Physical Requirements / Working Conditions
This is a full-time, exempt position based in Washington, DC. Some flexibility in work hours required to accommodate international time zones. This position is hybrid, with three days in-office and two days remote weekly.
Salary Range: 84,000-100,500/Year. Final salary is commensurate with experiences and skills that are compatible with the requirements of the role.
This position is ineligible for sponsorship by the company for any work authorization, applicant must possess existing work authorization to be considered for the position.
Application Instructions:To be considered for this position, please include a cover letter and work portfolios with your application