Description
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the national not-for-profit association established in 1863 & representing over 111,000 veterinarians working in private & corporate practice, government, industry, academia & uniformed services, is looking for an enterprising, detail-oriented Veterinary Medical News Reporter to join our Marketing & Communications team located at our Headquarters office in Schaumburg, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago. As a reporter for the premier news source in the veterinary profession, you will cover a dynamic & diverse beat—including animal health & welfare, animal disease concerns, public health, legislative updates, & practice management. This is a hybrid position.
The ideal candidate is a seasoned journalist with experience translating complex scientific research, regulatory policy, & clinical data into compelling, accurate, & highly readable stories for our diverse audience of veterinarians, industry stakeholders, & the public; & highly collaborative & passionate about AVMA’s mission. Responsibilities include:
- Beat Coverage & Reporting: Working with the AVMA News senior editor on story identification & development. Pitching, reporting, & writing high-quality news stories, features, & profiles for our digital publications. Staying ahead of trends, research breakthroughs, & public health issues affecting the veterinary community. Interviewing sources & subject matter experts.
- Source Development: Building & maintaining a strong network of sources, including veterinary medical professionals, scientists, researchers, policymakers, & industry leaders. Generating story ideas through networking & monitoring the news media, online news sources, veterinary publications, medical & scientific journals, & leads from AVMA members & staff.
- Scientific Translation: Reading & synthesizing technical scientific literature, research papers, & legislative documents, translating complex jargon into clear, accessible prose without sacrificing accuracy.
- On-the-Scene Coverage: Attending & reporting on major industry events, scientific symposia, & annual conferences (such as the AVMA Convention) to provide timely, relevant on-site coverage.
- Multimedia Integration: Collaborating with editors, creative services, & digital staff to integrate visual & multimedia elements—such as photos, data charts, infographics, & video snippets—to enhance digital storytelling.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Working with the public relations, marketing, & social media teams to coordinate consistent communications to AVMA members, as well as teams across the AVMA to ensure effective communication of AVMA priorities.
- Editorial Excellence: Fact-checking all copy rigorously, adhering to ethical journalism standards, & consistently meeting fast-paced digital publishing deadlines while maintaining standard house style (e.g., AP style).
Deadline for application is 8/9/26. Submit cover letter, resume, & salary requirements & 2 writing samples including one written about a scientific topic & one example of a press release, news article, or guest editorial you have written about a research project or case study to: [email protected] .
The AVMA offers a supportive & flexible hybrid work environment & excellent benefits including heath, dental, vision, life, AD&D, short-term disability, & long-term disability insurance; FSA & HSA plans; 401(k) Plan; generous vacation & sick time; 11 Paid Holidays; Floating Holiday, Paid Parental Leave, an Employee Assistance Program, tuition & professional certification reimbursement, Compensatory Time Off, casual dress, 37.5 hour workweek, Association Forum/ASAE membership, & veterinary pet insurance.
A reasonable estimate of the current base pay range for this position is $78,000 - $82,000. Compensation decisions take into account a wide range of factors, including but not limited to relevant experience, skills, certifications, geographic location, business needs, & organizational policies. In addition to those factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity & consider internal equity of our current team members as a part of any final offer.
About the AVMA:
Located in Schaumburg, Illinois, with an office in Washington, D.C., the AVMA is structured to work for its members, & acts as a collective voice for its membership & for the profession. The AVMA provides many benefits to its members, including information resources, state & federal advocacy, opportunities to address issues affecting policies that govern the profession & practice of veterinary medicine, continuing education opportunities, quality publications, & discounts on personal & professional products, programs & services. The work of the AVMA is carried out by a dedicated staff of over 170. The organization is governed by an 18-member Board of Directors & has a $50M+ annual operating budget. Visit www.avma.org/AVMAcareers!
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Requirements
Qualifications:
- BS/BA degree in Journalism, Communications, English, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
- At least three to five years of professional reporting & writing experience, preferably in daily news, trade journalism, B2B publishing, or digital newsrooms.
- Proven track record of covering science, medicine, healthcare, public health, or agriculture.
- Must have exceptional interviewing skills, strong analytical ability to parse dense data & research, & proficiency with digital content management systems.
- Direct experience reporting on veterinary medicine, animal welfare, or animal health industries preferred.
- Skills in digital photography, basic audio/video editing, or data journalism a plus.
