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Data Journalist

Here are sample job advertisements for data journalists…

The New Yorker is seeking an experienced data journalist to join our small but highly motivated Multimedia and Interactive Features team. You will pitch, report, and build data-driven stories for newyorker.com while collaborating with editors, producers, designers, and developers. This is a journalistic position as much as a technical one. In addition to your programming skills, we are looking for interest in key news areas, including politics, immigration, criminal justice, health care, economics, and the environment. While your main responsibility is to take stories from pitch to publication, you will also create supporting data graphics for articles. For example, you might be asked to use data to illustrate extreme-weather events; or the popularity of a song over time, based on Spotify data; or gun purchases, using the state-level data from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. As part of The New Yorker’s multimedia team, you will create work that pushes the boundaries of visual journalism and supports world-class reporting.

This position will work closely with our Design Lead for Editorial Interactives, alongside another dedicated developer and researcher, and reports to the Multimedia Editor.

Please send a résumé with a link to your portfolio, as well as a memo about why your experience makes you a good fit for this team.

Note: If you do not check all of the following boxes, but are enthusiastic about the position please still apply; we are interested in candidates with any combination of skills in these areas.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Pitch data-driven stories or graphics.
  • Create data visualizations based on your reporting and research.
  • Assist other team members with data research for graphics, which includes generating maps.
  • Develop data interactives to work across newyorker.com and associated app platforms and our browser-support list.
  • Take initial concept to publication, while incorporating editorial changes.
  • Adhere to the visual-style guide of The New Yorker.
  • Adhere to standards of engineering best practices.
  • Research and learn new languages or technologies as needed.

Requirements:

  • At least two years of experience reporting and building data visualizations.
  • Experience collecting and cleaning data, with regards to best journalistic practices.
  • Experience using large amounts of quantitative information in your features.
  • Capable in front-end Web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
  • Capable in a programming language for data analysis, such as R or Python.
  • Familiarity with a data-visualization library, such as Chart.js or dimple.
  • Familiarity with standard design software, such as Adobe Illustrator.
  • Foundational understanding of layout, typography, and UX, particularly with regard to mobile-Web development.
  • Willingness to work occasional nights or weekends, based on story deadlines.
  • Fastidious attention to detail and exceptional organizational skills.
  • Ability to visualize complex ideas in a clear, accurate, and intelligent manner.
  • Proficiency at writing detailed and accessible methodology notes.
  • Good engineering habits, including commenting code and using version control (Git).
  • Strong editorial values and appreciation for the history, style, and standards of The New Yorker.

Nice to have:

(Do not let this list limit you from applying. If you happen to have experience in these areas, we’d love to hear about it.)

  • Experience with data mining.
  • Interest in innovative storytelling formats, A.R., V.R., or 3-D.

Experience with any of the following:

  • D3, Raphaël, Canvas, WebGL, or other rendering or animation libraries
  • A.P.I.s
  • Tableau Public
  • mapping tools, such as QGIS
  • relational and document-based data stores, such as MySQL or Postgres

The ACLU is seeking a full-time Data Journalist to use innovative data-driven methods, analytics, and advanced visualization techniques to transform the way the nationwide organization achieves its mission. This includes innovative ways of communicating stories and analyses on key issues (e.g., criminal justice, immigration) and supporting advocacy, constituent engagement, affiliate support, and fundraising goals. The Data Journalist will play a leading role in designing and building data visualizations and information graphics both to support the ACLU’s legal work on issues, and for web, mobile, and social distribution. The Data Journalist will also collaborate with the rest of the data and analytics team to build models and deploy solutions (e.g., dashboards) to help the ACLU identify meaningful insights, inform strategic decisions, and enhance modes of constituent engagement. The right candidate will have an entrepreneurial mindset and bring creativity and a design esthetic to the team. The person in the role will join the Data & Analytics team in New York, reporting to the Chief Analytics Officer.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Designing and producing data-driven charts, visualizations, information graphics, and dashboards from beginning to end
  • Partnering with ACLU analysts in Communications, Political Advocacy, Legal, Affiliates, Fundraising, and Business Support to identify and shape business and programmatic uses for data, analytics, and data visualization
  • Building complex data sets from multiple data sources, both internally and externally
  • Working with ACLU product and engineering, editorial and legal teams, as well as relevant vendors, to drive the collection of new data, evaluate existing data sources, and verify data integrity
  • Participating in the evaluation, selection, and development of data analysis products, dashboard and reporting tools, and other data visualization solutions used by staff at both the national office and at the ACLU’s 53 state affiliate offices
  • Developing and maintaining custom data models and tools to drive innovative business solutions
  • Maintaining current knowledge of the data journalism landscape, including toolsets, public data sets, and high-impact examples of data-journalism
  • Advising the Data & Analytics team on design and visualization choices
  • Demonstrating a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, socio-economic circumstance, and record of arrest or conviction.
  • Commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

  • 3-5+ years of experience applying data visualization and advanced analytics tools in a business, journalism, or media setting
  • Advanced degree (Masters or Ph.D.) in a quantitative field (e.g., Statistics, Econometrics, Economics, Data Science, Mathematics, Computer Science) or equivalent experience
  • Experience with data parsing, wrangling, management; familiarity with SQL or similar query language
  • Fluency with modeling in Python or R, or similar analytics and programming languages
  • Design proficiency in R Shiny and modern web technologies preferred (e.g., HTML, Javascript, JQuery, node.js, D3 and additional visualization libraries)
  • Familiarity with Linux/Unix/BSD command-line tools and shell scripting
  • Experience and community involvement with open-source applications preferred
  • Excellent programming and problem solving skills
  • Excellent organizational and communication skills
  • Ability to balance multiple priorities, communicate goals and build consensus to work effectively within and across departments
  • Passion for civil liberties and civil rights, especially regarding privacy and the fight against discrimination.
Redfin is redefining real estate in the consumer’s favor by combining our own technology and agents to create a service that’s better, faster and costs less. As a Redfinnian, you’ll make a difference in one of life’s most important events—buying or selling a home. Our hiring standards are high, yet our culture is humble. No matter what role you have, you’ll be both challenged and inspired every day. We’ve got all the perks, but if what you value most is doing great work in a creative, collaborative, and disciplined environment, join us.
As a Data Journalist and Housing Analyst, you’ll use your storytelling and analytical skills to drive awareness of the Redfin mission, our unique technology, and everything else that sets Redfin apart. This position reports to Redfin’s chief economist and serves as a resource for our team of analysts and public relations professionals.
The Role
  • Have a distinctive point-of-view about current issues and events and how they affect the housing market and consumers at large.
  • Write compelling, newsworthy data-driven articles about housing affordability and how people are living now that are interesting to national media, real estate industry and consumers.
  • Simplify and effectively communicate complex ideas in writing and through data visualization techniques.
  • Be able to produce consistently high-quality content on a schedule, react quickly to breaking news events, and manage time and workload independently.
  • Serve as a spokesperson to national media on consumer and housing affordability trends.
The Requirements
  • Advanced degree preferred. Bachelor’s degree required, with experiences in journalism, real estate, economics, urban studies, or other data-driven experience a plus.
  • Minimum of 3 to 4 years of experience writing data-driven articles and reports
  • Strong data analysis skills and the ability to dig out big-picture stories in empirical research. Experience with Google Analytics, WordPress, SQL and Tableau a plus.
  • A proven ability to see how socio-economic trends affect consumers in their daily lives.
  • Comfortable with a fast paced, quick turnaround work environment.
What We Offer
  • Competitive compensation packages
  • Generous benefits, including three weeks of paid vacation, medical, dental, and vision insurance, fully paid family leave, and more
  • Strong startup culture with casual dress code, game nights, happy hours, and more