Veterinary Medical News Reporter

Veterinary Medical News Reporter

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the national not-for-profit association established in 1863 and representing over 111,000 veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia and uniformed services, is looking for an enterprising, detail-oriented Veterinary Medical News Reporter to join our Marketing and 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 and diverse beat—including animal health and welfare, animal disease concerns, public health, legislative updates, and practice management. This is a hybrid position. The ideal candidate is a seasoned journalist with experience translating complex scientific research, regulatory policy, and clinical data into compelling, accurate, and highly readable stories for our diverse audience of veterinarians, industry stakeholders, and the public; and highly collaborative and passionate about AVMA's mission. Responsibilities include:

• Beat Coverage & Reporting: Working with the AVMA News senior editor on story identification and development. Pitching, reporting, and writing high-quality news stories, features, and profiles for our digital publications. Staying ahead of trends, research breakthroughs, and public health issues affecting the veterinary community. Interviewing sources and subject matter experts.
• Source Development: Building and maintaining a strong network of sources, including veterinary medical professionals, scientists, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders. Generating story ideas through networking and monitoring the news media, online news sources, veterinary publications, medical and scientific journals, and leads from AVMA members and staff.
• Scientific Translation: Reading and synthesizing technical scientific literature, research papers, and legislative documents, translating complex jargon into clear, accessible prose without sacrificing accuracy.
• On-the-Scene Coverage: Attending and reporting on major industry events, scientific symposia, and annual conferences (such as the AVMA Convention) to provide timely, relevant on-site coverage.
• Multimedia Integration: Collaborating with editors, creative services, and digital staff to integrate visual and multimedia elements—such as photos, data charts, infographics, and video snippets—to enhance digital storytelling.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Working with the public relations, marketing, and 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, and consistently meeting fast-paced digital publishing deadlines while maintaining standard house style (e.g., AP style).

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 and 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 and research, and 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.

Deadline for application is 8/9/26. Submit cover letter, resume, and salary requirements and 2 writing samples including one written about a scientific topic and one example of a press release, news article, or guest editorial you have written about a research project or case study to: View email address on click.appcast.io. The AVMA offers a supportive and flexible hybrid work environment and excellent benefits including health, dental, vision, life, AD&D, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance; FSA and HSA plans; 401(k) Plan; generous vacation and sick time; 11 Paid Holidays; Floating Holiday, Paid Parental Leave, an Employee Assistance Program, tuition and professional certification reimbursement, Compensatory Time Off, casual dress, 37.5 hour workweek, Association Forum/ASAE membership, and 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, and organizational policies. In addition to those factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as a part of any final offer.