Data Reporter

Data Reporter

USA TODAY/usatoday.com, is looking for a Data Reporter with a track record of using data in innovative ways to drive investigative enterprise, tell stories in non-traditional forms and deliver quick-turn enterprise off the news.

We are looking for a data expert who is a reporter at heart, who relishes discovering new and creative approaches to obtain, create, edit, analyze and otherwise use data to tell stories, right wrongs and provide insights that surprise and empower readers. After examining a new dataset, you should be able to quickly articulate what you find amazing in it and what you would need to develop your initial findings into a publishable story.

We want a creative thinker who sees data analysis not as an end in itself, but as a tool to answer interesting and important questions. You would be working on USA TODAY Network’s most ambitious investigative work as well as with reporters from across the USA TODAY newsroom – and across Gannett newspapers nationwide – to partner on a variety of short and long-term enterprise.

You will need to execute the technical work of harnessing the power of data. But just as importantly, you will need to be able to “interview” the data, draw conclusions, and help test those conclusions through traditional reporting methods. We want data reporters who are as comfortable talking to people as they are with cleaning a messy CSV file.

A collaborative mindset is fundamental to the success of USA TODAY’s Data Team. You will be called on to support your data, investigations and enterprise teammates and reporters around the newsroom as an active contributor to group discussions and paired problem-solving. We want people who are good at devising strategies that bring their own great ideas to fruition, but also relish brainstorming new approaches to ideas others bring.

You will work with the largest team of journalists in the U.S., a powerful network of more than 200 local affiliates, with the nation as your subject. Our team is based across the country.

This position can be remote or based at our headquarters in McLean, VA. If you live near one of our local newsrooms, you may have the option to use that as a base of operations.

This position is remote and can be based anywhere in the US, except for Alaska and Hawaii or based at our headquarters in McLean, VA. If you live near one of our local newsrooms, you may have the option to use that as a base of operations.

Job Level: National News Reporter III

Minimum salary for this position: $72,000

Responsibilities:

• Obtain and analyze government and commercially available data to break revelatory enterprise and investigative stories for use nationally and locally, across the USA TODAY NETWORK. Collaborate with, lead and inspire journalists nationwide to build exclusive, custom data sets.
• Collaborate with data visualization and digital storytelling experts to turn data into the best storytelling formats – whether graphics, data stories, interactives or some medium we’ve never seen before or even dreamed up.
• Help generate ideas for data-driven stories, visualizations and quicker-turn pieces. Work with other journalists and developers to drive innovation and capitalize on alternative story forms.

• Report and write original enterprise, investigative and quick-turn data stories in various formats, on your own and as part of a team of journalists.
• Use your keen sense of where to find existing data and relentlessly negotiate for data that’s not easy to get. You should be able to think creatively, and fast, about building data sets from inconsistent records across many jurisdictions and help others do so.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's or master’s degree in journalism or any other subject or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Newsroom data analysis experience that has resulted in repeated, high-quality investigative stories that stand out is a plus.

• At least five years of experience as a reporter for a daily news media organization, including a proven track record of collaboration on major enterprise or data projects.
• Proven ability and willingness to juggle long- and short-term projects.
• Demonstrable experience obtaining and analyzing data to drive content creation.
• Mastery of a leading analytical toolset such as Pandas or R and sharing your work in notebook form.
• Comfort with statistics, a variety of data cleaning tools and at least some aspects of GIS.
• Scraping, advanced PDF parsing, web development and other coding skills for data manipulation and rendering are strongly preferred.
• Experience coaching other reporters in data skills is desirable.
• Employment is contingent on passing a post-offer pre-employment background check.     

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

1. Your resume – one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how why you are interested in the role and how you would approach this role at USA TODAY.
3. Links to 3-6 online samples of your work.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

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The annualized base salary for this role will range between $72,000.00 and $161,000.00.  Variable compensation is not reflected in these figures and based on the role, may be applicable. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, location, and union representation, if applicable.