In collaboration with editors, producers, and reporters, the data journalist will report and build data-based stories, visuals, and other products to create high-impact digital-first reporting inside the Vermont Public newsroom. The data journalist will pitch ideas for original stories and contribute data reporting and analysis for stories conceived by others. Through their work, the data journalist will bring to light previously inaccessible facts and stories in the public interest. The data journalist is part of a digital team and works collaboratively to create, adapt and enhance all of our stories for digital spaces.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Find, collect, and analyze data for storytelling, presentation, and investigative reporting
Conduct interviews and do on-the-ground reporting
Contribute to our radio coverage, including talking about data reporting and recording interviews for broadcast stories
Be the point person for all things data. That includes filing records requests, scraping, cleaning, analyzing datasets, and preparing them for publication. Help reporters to do the same
Provide support for data work done by other journalists in the newsroom and create graphics and other visuals to support their stories.
Demonstrated ability to tell complex stories that are focused and engaging
Develop best practices and newsroom data policies
Work collaboratively with the digital team to enhance all of our stories for digital spaces and build a new audience
Fill in as a digital producer, as needed
Other duties, as assigned
EXCELLENCE IN THIS ORGANIZATION
A high level of commitment and dedication to the mission of the organization and public media.
Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with co-workers and audience, supporting and enhancing a culture of belonging.
Preserving confidentiality appropriately.
Serving as an excellent ambassador for the organization, both formally and informally. Helping audience and potential audience members, donors, and potential donors connect with the organization.
Facilitating excellent communications across departments, among employees, and with the public. Fostering open and candid relationships with Vermont Public audiences and donors. Managing conflict constructively.
Demonstrating a commitment to the continuous improvement of the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission and vision.
Demonstrating and encouraging creativity and enthusiasm for this work.
Expressing consistent, high-performance expectations for themselves, their department, the leadership, and the organization itself.
Developing a broad understanding of the organization’s departments, programs, and services to assist donors, collaborate effectively with peers, and ensure respectful communication and teamwork among departments.
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Position Requirements
Education and Experience
Experience working on data projects in a newsroom or experience doing statistical or data-scientific analysis, either in academia or in another research setting
Excellent interpersonal skills, solid editorial judgment, and the ability to write quickly and cleanly
A solid understanding of the tools of data analysis, such as SQL, R, D3, Javascript, Python, and Microsoft Excel
A degree in journalism or a quantitative field desired
Familiarity with Vermont desired
Working Conditions
Work is normally performed in a climate-controlled office environment with moderate noise levels (computers, telephones, etc.). No known environmental hazards are encountered in the normal performance of job duties.
Physical Demands
Work involves standing and walking for brief periods, bending, and filing, but most duties are from a seated position. There is potential for eyestrain from reading detailed materials on a computer screen. Deadlines, workloads during peak periods, and changing priorities may cause increased stress levels. Work requires finger dexterity and eye-hand coordination to operate computer keyboards at a moderate skill level.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Please note: This is not an all-encompassing statement of this position’s responsibilities. While it attempts to be comprehensive, new responsibilities may be assigned to this position at any time.
Vermont Public is a proud equal opportunity employer. We work diligently to recruit a broad pool of candidates and to hire and promote qualified individuals whose personal experiences, characteristics, and talents reasonably reflect the diversity of the communities served by Vermont Public. Our equal employment opportunities apply to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. We encourage applications from women, minority groups, veterans, and people with disabilities.
