Data Journalism Editor, IRW

Location: Main Campus (Washington, DC)
Employment: Full time
Department: School of Communication
Job Type: Regular
Work Modality: Full On Campus Presence

Job Description

Summary

The Investigative Reporting Workshop seeks an outstanding data journalist to lead our data and artificial intelligence journalism efforts, mentor others, and translate complex data into impactful investigative stories, while contributing creatively and strategically to the newsroom.

The Data Journalism Editor handles daily and long-term data assignments for various journalism projects within IRW, a nonprofit newsroom based at the School of Communication. The Data Editor works with other editors, interns, and graduate fellows on data collection, data cleaning, data management, data analysis, and data visualizations.

The Data Journalism Editor reports to the Executive Editor. This position works under general supervision and will interact with other staff, students, faculty, and consultants at IRW. The Data Journalism Editor ensures that our data-driven investigations are based on sound data management and analysis principles, and that data findings are accurate and based on accepted best practices in journalism.

Our ideal applicants have at least three to five years of experience in data journalism, including statistical analysis and reporting stories from data, and some experience in programming. Familiarity with Artificial Intelligence, Large Language Models and their applications is preferred. We want a journalist who cares about finding stories among those communities that are often underrepresented in the media, and one who is passionate about accurate storytelling across platforms.

Exceptional candidates with important skills that do not precisely match the above description are welcome to apply and tell us about themselves.

Essential Functions

1. Data Analysis and Reporting

• Develop and execute plans for acquiring, analyzing, cleaning, and presenting data used by the Investigative Reporting Workshop for potential stories.
• Pitch and develop story ideas for future projects.

2. Editing

• Check and re-check thousands of documents, reviewing the work of student journalists and graduate fellows who obtain data and documents through public-records requests, court records, and online sources.
• Draft or assign drafts of all methodology used in stories and projects for potential publication.

3. Training and Presentations

• Develop ideas for on-site workshops and events, and participate in panels at national conferences, including, but not limited to, IRE and NICAR, the Investigative Reporters and Editors and its spinoff, the National Institute for Computer Assisted Reporting, respectively.
• This position also frequently speaks to American University’s graduate boot-camp students and to the Dow Jones training workshops for business reporters held at American University.

4. Other Duties as Assigned

• Maintain frequent contact with smaller nonprofit newsrooms working with IRW on data-heavy projects.
• Other assignments as needed.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position supervises one to three part-time student reporters and graduate fellows.

Competencies

• Acquiring and Analyzing Information
• Prioritizing and Organizing
• Collaborative Leadership
• Supporting Coworkers

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

Full-time. 35 hours per week. In-person position and eligible for Hybrid 1 schedule.

Position is located at the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University School of Communication (SOC) in Washington, D.C. Continuation of the program/position is contingent upon external funding.

Salary Range

$70,000.00 - $80,000.00 annually.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
• 3 - 5 years of relevant experience.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Master's degree or equivalent.

Travel Required

Occasional travel may be required.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

Candidates are encouraged to submit a cover letter and resume with their application.

Employees in the School of Communication are required to work on campus in a full presence modality for the first month of their employment.

Proficiency in the following are preferred and would be an asset to this work: statistics and statistical analysis tools, including RESTful Service Query Language (RSQL), Excel, Python; expertise in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER), and other public-records resources; server management; database management, especially Postgres; web development, especially news applications and data visualization tools.

Other Duties

Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Benefits

AU offers a competitive benefits package. Click here to learn about American University's unique benefit options.

Other Details

Hiring offers for this position are contingent on successful completion of a background check.

Employees in staff positions at American University must deliver their services to the university from either the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, or perform work on-site at the university.

American University is an E-Verify employer.

For more information or assistance with the American University careers site, email recruiter contact.