The Sheaf hires new staff in March every year and all editorial positions are up for grabs. If you are interested in covering student issues at the U of S, or thinking of a career in journalism (radio, print, television, or online), photography or graphic design, journalism schools look more favourably upon those who have dedicated time working on a student newspaper. You can apply for any number of the 11 paid staff positions. A description of each position can be found below.
Submit your résumé, cover letter and relevant samples of your work together in a sealed envelope to:
Hiring Committee
The Sheaf Publishing Society
Room 108 Memorial Union Building 93 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, SK S7N5B2
- Editor-in-Chief applications must be received by Tuesday, March 1st @ 3:00 pm
- Applications for all other positions must be received by Thursday, March 15th @ 3:00 pm
Editor-in-Chief
The editor is responsible for all of the Sheaf’s content, both in print and online. Although individual editors are tasked with assigning stories to contributors, getting photos and graphics, and ensuring the quality of the work, the editor oversees how all those elements come together. He or she must be knowledgeable about all the articles each week and acts as a resource for other staff members. Often, the editor will be called upon to produce content quickly or unexpectedly to help out individual section editors. Strong editing and writing skills are must. The editor should also be knowledgeable about the University of Saskatchewan and defamation laws.
Senior News Editor
This position requires someone with strong news instincts, who is knowledgeable about campus and knows where to find stories. Strong interviewing and writing skills are a must. In addition to writing and editing news stories from a number of contributors, the Senior News Editor also mentors emerging writers eager to hone their journalistic talents. Although the Senior News Editor has substantial help from the Associate news editor, he or she is ultimately responsible for what goes in the section.
Associate News Editor
This position is very similar to the senior news position, but also acts as a training opportunity and is an excellent place for people new to the Sheaf to get started. Finding stories, collaborating with the Senior News Editor and helping contributors are all part of the job.
Arts Editor
The Arts section needs someone interested in all aspects of the arts world: film, music, television, visual arts, video games and whatever else you can think of. Even more lifestyle-related content, like food and fashion, could fit comfortably in this section. It is very open-ended, but a focus on local arts and culture is preferred. The Arts Editor should feel comfortable interviewing, editing and keeping in close contact with contributors to help them with their own articles.
Sports Editor
Huskies Athletics includes eight varsity sports that all require some level of coverage. While most of the editor’s attention will likely focus on these teams, all manner of university sports stories are included in the sports section of the Sheaf. The editor must be adept at conducting interviews, keeping up-to-date on campus sports and willing to attend one or two weekend games. The sports editor also acts as a resource for contributors who need help finding and writing stories.
Opinions Editor
A dynamic opinions section is the hallmark of a great newspaper. The Opinions Editor must be a news junkie familiar with local, national and international events and be able to craft thoughtful, insightful and original arguments about the world around us. This position also requires good editing and fact-checking skills, as well as good communication with contributors about how best to write opinions articles and where to find good story ideas.
Copy Editor
Newspaper style is distinct from academic writing. It has to be succinct, informative and engaging. The Copy Editor reads all the articles going into each issue of the paper to ensure proper spelling and grammar, but also gives advice on how best to structure and articulate a piece according to the Canadian Press Stylebook.
Photo Editor
Images are an essential part of print and online media. Sporting events, art shows, and university announcements all require photographic documentation. The Photo Editor’s job combines the act of going out into the world to shoot photos with the technical editing and touch-up skills required to prepare an image for publication. Practical photography skills and experience with editing software is essential for this position. If you’ve got a penchant for Photoshop and a passion for still photography, think about becoming our Photo Editor.
Graphics Editor
The Graphics Editor is an artist at heart. Illustrations, portraits, infographics, charts, and graphs are all the official domain of the resident Sheaf artist. The editor must have strong sense for visual art, as well as the imagination and artistic drive to produce a number of unique graphic ideas for every issue. It is also the Graphic Editor’s sacred duty to choose the comics for the back page each week.
Graphic Designer (Layout Manager)
The Graphic Designer is an artist at heart, too, but prefers to design instead of draw, laying out the paper each week. A strong background and keen interest in typography, design, layout, and graphics all play a key role in the Graphic Editor’s job. Experience with Adobe Creative Suite is an asset.
Web Editor
It’s the Web Editor’s job to manage the Sheaf’s online presence. This includes maintaining and curating thesheaf.com and keeping in touch with readers via social media. A thorough knowledge of content management systems (particularly WordPress), along with web design, and the workings of the Internetz in general are critical aspects of the Web Editor’s job. A working knowledge of computer science and programming for the web is recommended.
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* Some may be asked to volunteer time from May 1, 2011 until August 31, 2011
** Determined by the Board of Directors
