The Trace is hiring a news developer to be a core member of The Gun Violence Data Hub, a new initiative that aims to increase the accessibility and use of data in journalism about gun violence. We need your help to reinvent how gun violence is covered and visualized.
As the Data Hub’s news developer, you’ll be responsible for researching, reporting, designing, and developing interactive visualizations, data projects, and data collection efforts, such as The Trace’s map of more than 10 years of gun violence, our gun sales tracker, or our database of gun dealer inspection reports. You’ll also be one of the first points of contact for the Data Hub’s resource desk, assisting journalists from around the country in their pursuit of data-informed reporting and creating tools that reporters and editors from other newsrooms can use for their work.
More information — including the link to apply — in the full job description.
Core responsibilities
- Build, design, and research data visualizations for the Gun Violence Data Hub
- Analyze, polish, and clean data on gun violence, making it accessible to other collaborators
- FOIA data and clean results, preparing datasets for analysis
- Collaborate with the Data Hub staff, The Trace’s reporters and editors, and outside news outlets to obtain, use, and visualize data.
- Maintain the Gun Violence Data Hub’s growing data library
- Field inquiries to the Gun Violence Data Hub’s resource desk, and regularly work with members of the journalism community
- Help write reporter tip sheets and best practices
- Research and seek out data sets and possible collaborators to find new trends and new audiences
- Pinch hit as a web developer for the data hub, and on a limited, as needed basis, provide similar assistance for thetrace.org.
The ideal candidate is someone with:
- At least five to seven years experience developing polished interactive graphics and maps, as well as an eye for good design and making data easy to digest for the average reader
- The ability to work independently on complex datasets, as well as a love of collaborating with colleagues at the Trace and outside the organization.
- The ability to work on several projects at the same time and stay organized, meet deadlines, and communicate succinctly about progress.
- Bold and creative ideas about how to visualize a complex and sensitive topic; someone who thinks deeply about how numbers can be humanized in visual storytelling
- Fluency in web development including HTML/CSS and Javascript
- Experience with data, whether it’s collecting elusive data off the Internet or cleaning and analyzing large datasets, using R or Python, or your language of choice
More about the Data Hub:
The Gun Violence Data Hub is a new initiative by The Trace that aims to increase the accessibility and use of accurate data on gun violence. Its team of reporters, editors, and researchers will collect, clean, and publish datasets, and proactively work with other newsrooms, assisting journalists in their pursuit of data-informed reporting on one of America’s most urgent public health crises.
Visit this link to learn more.
Compensation and benefits
Salary will vary depending on the candidate, but the general range is approximately $90,000–$125,000. 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; several holidays; and professional development resources such as funding to attend conferences.
This job can be done remotely on Eastern or Central time. We have an office in Brooklyn, NY, but we also have team members in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Philadelphia, and elsewhere.
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 this role.
To apply
Fill out the application form here. In lieu of a cover letter, we ask that you answer a few questions about your experience and goals as well as submit your resume.
DEADLINE: We will accept applications through Monday, June 3rd. 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. 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.
