The Trace is hiring an associate data editor to work full-time starting in fall 2021. Much of The Trace team is based in New York, but this position can be performed remotely from anywhere within the United States.
As the only media organization dedicated to reporting on gun violence, The Trace uses the power of nonprofit journalism to improve public understanding, increase accountability, and identify solutions that can lead to safer homes and communities for all. Many of our stories are co-published with partner organizations, ranging from national magazines to local and neighborhood outlets. For more on our mission, see our About page.
The associate data editor will oversee the use of data in our reporting. They will conceptualize opportunities to use data for reporting projects and be responsible for acquiring data via public records requests, scraping, and other sources. They will be a resource for other team members using data in their reporting, reviewing both the data and the analyses to ensure factual accuracy if requested. The associate data editor will pitch and report their own data-driven stories as well as assist and coach reporters on data acquisition, cleaning, and analysis. The Trace publishes about three stories per week; the associate data editor will often be working on multiple projects at once and juggling multiple deadlines.
Below are some data-centered stories that The Trace has published recently. While we’re proud of these pieces and think they represent some of our best work, we’re also open to trying types of data reporting we haven’t done before.
- The ATF Catches Thousands of Lawbreaking Gun Dealers Every Year. It Shuts Down Very Few
- Illinois Has a Program to Compensate Victims of Violent Crimes. Few Applicants Receive Funds
- Gun Shops Flouted State Closure Orders in April as Industry Notched Another Big Month
The ideal candidate will have:
- Experience obtaining, cleaning, and analyzing data
- Some familiarity with reporting using statistics
- Comfort analyzing data, ideally in R, but it’s fine if you prefer to work in Python, Javascript, or another language of your choosing
- Ability to produce publication-ready charts and other visuals
- Interest in reporting on the gun violence crisis in the United States
- Knowledge of reporting best practices and how to work with reporters and editors
- Experience working with a remote team and ability to collaborate effectively using digital tools such as Slack and email
- An understanding of why it’s important to diversify our newsrooms as well as our storytelling, and comfort going beyond traditional sources to ensure their journalism reflects the diversity of those affected by gun violence
Additionally, experience with the following is not required, but would be helpful in the role:
- Mapbox, QGIS, or other mapping tools
- Creating interactive data visualizations in D3 or other libraries
- Advanced statistics
- Newsroom and/or reporting experience
- Some experience teaching data and analysis skills to others
Salary will vary depending on the candidate, but the general range is approximately $70,000 to $90,000. This full-time position includes no-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance; 12 weeks of fully paid family leave; a 401(k) with employer matching; four weeks of vacation time, plus 10 sick days and a holiday week in December; professional development resources such as funding to attend conferences; and wellness initiatives such as early release summer Fridays.
As noted, the majority of our staffers are based in New York, but we also have team members in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Seattle, and elsewhere. Employees who work remotely are eligible for a stipend to set up their workspace, or to find a shared workspace with other local Trace employees, if applicable.
At The Trace, we are committed to producing journalism that is equitable and inclusive. We welcome applications from journalists of all experience levels and strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people.
We know that all of the attributes and interests listed here won’t apply to all candidates. If you think you’d be a great fit and have skills and qualifications not mentioned in this listing, we encourage you to submit an application and tell us why you’d thrive in the role.
TO APPLY: Fill out the application form here. Please include a resume in PDF format; in lieu of a cover letter, we ask that you answer a few questions about your experience and goals. We’ll also ask you for a couple of clips.
DEADLINE: We will accept applications until Friday, August 13. We may begin reviewing applications sooner, however, and will reach out to you directly if we like your application.
QUESTIONS? Email us at [email protected] with questions about the role or how to apply. Please do not reach out to check on the status of your application before we have contacted you; we will do our best to respond to candidates in a timely manner.