David Burnham-TRAC Data Reporting Fellowship - Remote

Overview

ProPublica is looking for a motivated early-career investigative data journalist to join our editorial team as the David Burnham-TRAC Data Reporting Fellow, specifically focused on investigating the federal bureaucracy. This is a new fellowship, meant to provide up-and-coming data journalists the opportunity to learn from some of the best data and investigative reporters in the business and to give them the space to shed light on both the inner workings of the government and impacts of federal policy.

In Short

• Wrangle data, including requesting it, collecting it, analyzing it and preparing it for publication.
• Interrogate databases to find trends, patterns and outliers — the stories hidden in the noise.
• Develop accountability stories by combining data analysis, interviews and on-the-ground reporting with excellent storytelling.
• Collaborate with journalists across the newsroom to produce at least two major investigative projects focused on the federal government during the course of the fellowship.
• Bulletproof and spot-check data work done by other journalists in the newsroom.
• Work with some of the best reporters on the planet on some of the biggest and most innovative projects in investigative and data journalism.

Requirements

• No more than seven years of professional journalism experience, who is eager to develop their investigative reporting skills.
• Experience with using or investigating government data. (This is a plus.)
• A proven track record of insightful, skeptical data querying.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, solid editorial judgment and the ability to write quickly, cleanly and accurately on deadline.
• Experience with scraping, cleaning and analyzing data in your favorite tool of choice, such as Python, SQL or R.
• Experience with best practices in data analysis or data journalism.
• Perspectives and life experiences that point to unique stories and untapped potential for holding the powerful accountable.
• A desire to work collaboratively with colleagues across the newsroom.
• The ability to travel, as needed, for stories, team meetings and trainings.

Benefits

• Salary for this full-time position is $85,000 per year.
• Includes benefits.