The Center for Public Integrity is looking to hire a whip-smart data reporter who will work primarily on its award-winning state politics team to help uncover special-interest influence around the nation.

This person will oversee data collection and analysis while also developing and writing data-driven investigations with Center reporters. The job requires persistence and skilled understanding of how to harness data and use it fairly to elevate our work.

Over and above the state politics work, this reporter will also collaborate across the newsroom on other subjects — and potentially with journalists at partner outlets. The job will be based in Washington, D.C., and require some off-hours work. The salary is competitive.

The Center for Public Integrity has for years been known as a leader in data-based journalism. We won the Meyer Award from IRE in both 2012 and 2014, and more recent data-centric projects like “Politics of Pain” and “America’s Super Polluters” have also been cited in prestigious award competitions. The Center regularly partners with a variety of outlets, including The Washington Post, USA TODAY, The Associated Press, The Atlantic, Slate, Salon, The Daily Beast, Business Insider, NBC News and Huffington Post.

The Center for Public Integrity is committed to hiring employees from diverse backgrounds with excellent investigative journalism skills. People of color, women, LGBTQ and differently abled people are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities and expectations

• Collect and analyze data
• Research and write investigative stories
• Collaborate with other reporters at the Center and in partnerships to develop strong investigative reporting girded with data
• Coordinate with multimedia team to develop and implement new approaches to create excellent, audience-directed data graphics and other data for the web and social media
• Stay current with developments and trends in data journalism
• Ensure compliance with the Center’s editorial standards and ethics

Qualifications

• Education: College degree or equivalent experience
• At least three (3) years of computer-assisted reporting and data-driven investigative journalism experience with demonstrated results
• Excellent spreadsheet and database manager skills, including familiarity with SQL
• Familiarity with math and statistics needed for sophisticated analysis
• Familiarity with at least one programming language, such as Python, JavaScript, Ruby or R, for scrapers, data analysis, interactive web projects, etc.
• Basic data visualization skills, such as statistical mapping
• Familiarity with version control systems, such as Git, to manage and publish data or code
• Fluid written and verbal communication skills
• Willingness to learn — and teach — new technologies and equipment
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the capacity to work well with a diverse range of individuals
• Proven track record to manage multiple tasks and ongoing projects in a fast-paced environment
• Exceptional organization skills
• Strong analytical, research, investigative and storytelling skills
• Team player and commitment to the values and mission of the Center for Public Integrity

Conditions

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, juggling multiple projects and deadlines
• Ability and willingness to collaborate with other reporters, editors and media partners
• Some travel

TO APPLY: All applications should include a cover letter, resume, and no more than five (5) news clips, sent to states@publicintegrity.org.

DEADLINE TO APPLY IS JUNE 5.

The Center for Public Integrity was founded in 1989 by investigative journalist Charles Lewis. We are one of the country’s oldest and largest nonpartisan, nonprofit investigative news organizations. We are also the winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting and the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting.

Our mission: To serve democracy by revealing abuses of power, corruption and betrayal of public trust by powerful public and private institutions, using the tools of investigative journalism.