Careers

The editorial team at Miami New Times is looking for freelance writers to contribute to our legacy of no-holds-barred journalism. Applicants should be based in or near the Miami metro area and have impeccable integrity and a working knowledge of online journalism.

Specifically, we’re on the hunt for freelance writers to cover the following:

The Miami Hip-Hop

New Times is looking for music contributors interested in hip-hop, rap, and R&B who have an innate curiosity to dig into the scene and tell the stories of many acts that call South Florida home.

Ideal candidates will be interested in covering Miami and South Florida’s hip-hop scene and have connections to musicians, producers, and publicists. Candidates should be organized self-starters with an eagerness to seek out the stories where they are — as opposed to mulling them over from the shelter of their keyboard — and a hunger to grow as writers.

If you think you’ve got what it takes to tell New Times music stories, send your résumé, a handful of fleshed-out story ideas, and two or three writing samples (if you have them) to our senior music editor at florencia.franceschetti@miaminewtimes.com. Please type FREELANCE PITCH in the subject line.

The Miami Music and Nightlife  

For decades, the New Times music and nightlife section has tapped into what makes the city a special place to create music — and a fascinating scene to explore after dark. Our coverage has been the go-to for locals and visitors alike who are looking to learn what’s happening.

New Times is looking for contributors who have an innate curiosity to dig into the scene and tell the stories of the many musicians, DJs, producers, bands, and night owls who call South Florida home. Among the myriad coverage areas, we’re particularly interested in writers familiar with local hip-hop, hardcore/post-hardcore, jazz, and LGBTQ+ artists and nightlife scenes.

Ideal candidates are organized self-starters with connections in the scene, an eagerness to seek out the stories where they are — as opposed to mulling them over from the shelter of their keyboard — and a hunger to grow as writers.

If you think you’ve got what it takes, send your résumé, a handful of fleshed-out story ideas, and two or three writing samples (if you have them) to our senior music editor at florencia.franceschetti@miaminewtimes.com. Please type FREELANCE PITCH in the subject line.

Local Arts and Culture

The New Times arts and culture section goes far, far beyond local visual arts, theater, dance, film, and comedy. We’re also a destination for readers who are eager to explore topics like travel and wellness, sports, entertainment, sex and dating, and this town’s special brand of “only-in-Miami” madness. Writers with an interest in contributing to this vertical should be prepared to take readers out and about town, offering insight into the unique South Florida secrets that those in the know might take for granted. Which is to say: familiarity with the region and a willingness to go one-on-one with its movers and shakers and cultural riches is essential.

If you think you’ve got what it takes to tell New Times arts and culture stories, send your résumé, a handful of fleshed-out story ideas, and two or three writing samples (if you have them) to our culture editor at celia.almeida@miaminewtimes.com. Be sure to type FREELANCE PITCH in the subject line.

And please, no phone calls!

Miami New Times has become a cultural touchstone in South Florida. We’ve got a hard-earned reputation for publishing compelling stories, whether they’re insightful looks at local arts and entertainment, food scene happenings, or unflinching exposés. Now we’re looking for an Editor-in-Chief to lead our talented staff, continue New Times’ proud tradition of hard-hitting local reporting, and take the newsroom to the next level of digital-first journalism.

Successful candidates will possess a well-honed storytelling sense and experience in editing; significant experience in hard news and investigative reporting; experience managing a newsroom with the ability to support, manage, and motivate creative personnel; and an appreciation for the adrenaline rush of daily digital journalism. 

The Editor-in-Chief is based in our Miami newsroom. Remote candidates will not be considered. The salary range is $90,000-$100,000 and includes a comprehensive benefits package with medical, dental, retirement, paid time off (sick, personal, and vacation), and more.

This position reports to the Editorial Director and works closely with both the Editorial Director and the Editorial Operations Director on budgets, newsroom performance, and management.

Miami New Times is weekly in print and daily online. Always free.  

Who You Are

• Significant experience in editing and personnel management is a prerequisite for this position. Ideal candidates will have at least eight years of newsroom experience with at least four years of full-time experience managing journalists and editing breaking, daily, and enterprise stories.
• A working knowledge of — or eagerness to immerse yourself in — the character, people, politics, and culture of Miami and South Florida.
• A curious journalist interested in learning about our coverage areas and who stays current on Miami and topics, including politics, public health, criminal justice, food and drink, cannabis, government, environment, music, arts and culture, and more.
• A journalist with a track record of crafting breaking stories on deadline with crisp writing and the ability to tell stories about people impacted by what you’re covering.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a diverse newsroom — editors, writers, and freelancers. Our stories range from quick-hit breaking news and trending stories to enterprise, investigative, or feature stories that can take a week or more to report. 
• Manage the newsroom’s budget, productivity, and performance.
• Ability to strategize on content, reading data analytics to understand what our readers want to read about, and inspire an editor to make content changes as needed if readership is dropping.
• Collaborate with the Audience team to ensure that SEO best practices are consistently implemented across the newsroom in each story, and that trending news is covered in a timely manner. You’ll also work closely with the Audience team to promote the newsroom’s membership program, which is made up of readers who give to support our newsroom (and get cool perks).
• Oversee the weekly print product, special issues, and online visuals.
• Efficiently edit stories for structure, line editing, and copy editing so they read clearly and concisely and are free of factual and grammatical errors and typos. Ensure the optimal use of headlines, photography, and art to capture readers’ attention and keep them engaged.
• Meet with editors and reporters on a weekly basis to discuss story ideas, cover story selections, and any other items that should be discussed with staff, such as performance toward goals. 
• Coach editors and reporters through any part of the pitching, reporting, writing, editing, or production process. Deliver feedback to them on their work.
• Build broad and diverse relationships so that sources, story ideas, research, and reporting reflect diverse communities.
• Be active in the community and represent Miami New Times at networking events or by appearing on news segments, podcasts, etc., to talk about our journalism.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Miami New Times believes our journalism will best serve our communities with a culturally diverse staff and freelancers who offer a range of voices. We are committed to creating and sustaining an environment of inclusion, diversity, empowerment, and equality. We are at our best when all our team members are respected and included, regardless of race, age, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, and national origin. Women, veterans, people with disabilities, people of color, and gender-nonconforming candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Think you’ve got what it takes? Email a cover letter explaining why you’re the strongest candidate, a resume, and links to three stories you reported and three stories you edited (along with a few sentences explaining the backstory of each piece and your role with it) to MIA-editor-in-chief@voicemediagroup.com.