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Eryn Brown will be the paper's general assignment science reporter, though she won't be one of those newsroom specialists who brings expertise to a beat. Brown has been, most recently, the paper's letters editor, but was a writer before that. From the job announcement:
She’ll be reporting both on large scientific discoveries and on the practical science behind current events. As The Times’ Letters editor, a position she’s held since 2008, Eryn has been distilling the often passionate and personal views of L.A. Times readers. In her new job, she’ll be distilling the often passionate but scientific work of researchers and scientists. Her beat will be a broad one, covering science as it touches an array of disciplines and departments. Eryn previously worked at Fortune magazine in New York, writing features about technology, dot-com culture and heavy industry. She moved to Los Angeles in 2002, where she freelanced for The Times (including the Los Angeles Times Magazine), the New York Times, Wired and other publications. She joined The Times’ editorial board in January 2006, where she wrote about the economy, water policy and healthcare.
Something also to watch for at the Times: clocking in and out for "non-exempt" employees, including copy editors and including when you eat lunch. The time clock concept has not been in the Times newsroom in decades, if ever.
* I stand corrected: Karen Kaplan, a former business section writer, has been working as a general assignment science writer since 2005.
Previously on LA Observed:
LAT books, science (and sports?) take hits