Data Editor, IRW

Job Details

American University is a student-centered research institution located in Washington, DC, with highly-ranked schools and colleges, internationally-renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world. Learn more about American University.

Department: School of Communication

Time Type: Full time

Job Type: Regular

FLSA Status: Exempt

Work Modality: Hybrid 01 (On Campus 3-4 Days/Week)

Union: Excluded

Job Description:

Summary:

The Investigative Reporting Workshop (IRW) is an editorially independent newsroom based at AU’s School of Communication (AU SOC). The Data Editor at IRW is responsible for managing and editing data interns and fellows’ work, and working with reporting and data partners in other organizations. They will review data and analyses for weaknesses that could undermine the stories. The Data Editor trains other journalists to advance their skills in data journalism and programming, through special events, workshops, and panel discussions. The position supports organizational ambitions to grow data-driven projects. They represent IRW to external and internal audiences through conference attendance and presentations. A successful Data Editor prioritizes projects but also work across several ongoing efforts to help reporters translate numbers-heavy investigations into powerful and accurate stories. They should be able to document and write a complete, publishable methodology for stories that is easily understandable to a general audience.

Essential Functions:

1. Data Analysis and Reporting
   Develops and executes plans for acquiring, analyzing, cleaning and presenting data used by the Investigative Reporting Workshop, and helps pitch and to develop story ideas for future projects. Basic reporting skills, including interviewing, are required.
2. Editing
   Checking and re-checking thousands of documents, reviewing the work of student journalists and graduate fellows.
3. Training and Presentations
   Develops ideas for on-site workshops and events and participates in panels at national conferences, including, but not limited to, IRE and NICAR, the international 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.
4. Other Duties as Assigned
   Other duties as assigned to support the strategic priorities of the Investigative Reporting Workshop.

Supervisory Responsibility: Supervises one to three part-time student interns and fellows.

Competencies: Acquiring and Analyzing Information. Prioritizing and Organizing. Evaluating and Implementing Ideas. Developing Plans. Making Accurate Judgments and Decisions. Driving Continuous Improvement.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: Full-time. 35 hours per week. In person and eligible for Hybrid 1 work modality/schedule (on campus 3 - 4 days per week). Location based at the Investigative Reporting Workshop at the School of Communication (SOC) in Washington, D.C. Continuation of the program/position is 100% contingent upon availability of external grant and gift funding.

Salary Range: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 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. Our ideal applicants have three to five years of experience in data journalism, including statistical analysis and reporting stories from data, and some experience in programming. We want a journalist who cares about finding stories among those communities that are often underrepresented in the media. And we want a journalist who is passionate about accurate storytelling across platforms. We seek candidates who want to invest in the demands of work that may take months or more than a year, and who understand that data collection, analysis, and editing may be only the beginning of the reporting process. We want a journalist who will share their deep understanding of public records and open-source tools. The data editor also should take initiative, suggesting their own stories and supporting the work of other journalists — those on contract with IRW and among our interns and fellows — in our newsroom and with our publishing partners.

Travel Required: Occasional travel may be required.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications: Please submit a cover letter and CV to support your application submission. Statistics and statistical analysis tools, including RSQL, Excel, Python. Expertise in FOIA, PACER, and other public-records resources. Server management, especially AWS. Database management, especially Postgres. Web development, especially news applications and data visualization tools.

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