The Houston Chronicle is hiring a Data Reporter who thrives on finding and telling stories with data in a fast-paced, audience-centered newsroom. In this role, you will be joining the Hearst Texas Data Team, a collaborative group of journalist-programmers who partner with peers at the Austin American-Statesman, San Antonio Express-News, Houston Chronicle and Hearst DevHub to produce impactful data-focused reporting.
Key responsibilities
- Produce data- and graphics-focused journalism that’s centered on statewide politics, campaign finance, voter registration and other topics in collaboration with other members of the Texas Hearst Data Team and the Houston Chronicle.
- Approach datasets with a healthy dose of skepticism and find trends and stories in the numbers.
- Write and document reproducible, bulletproof code for data analysis.
- Write audience-focused stories and build data visualizations.
- Support and further data literacy in the newsroom by leading data trainings
We’re looking for someone who
- Has at least 5 years of experience working with large, complex datasets in a newsroom setting.
- Understands how to interrogate political and government data, such as campaign finance, lobbying, and election records.
- Has strong news judgment and can move quickly without sacrificing accuracy.
- Is comfortable using Python, R or similar tools to clean, analyze and present data.
- Brings creativity and curiosity to finding stories hidden in spreadsheets and databases.
- Works well with colleagues across teams and thrives in a collaborative environment.
- Is eager to experiment with new storytelling forms and ways of engaging readers.
- (Bonus) Has skills in web development, data visualization or mapping/GIS.
Success is measured by
- Producing exclusive, data-driven journalism that distinguishes the Chronicle’s coverage.
- Elevating statewide political and accountability coverage by surfacing original data storylines.
- Delivering clean, accurate and well-documented analysis that builds trust with readers.
- Collaborating effectively across teams to ensure the Chronicle makes the most of public data.
- Contributing to a culture of innovation, experimentation and data literacy in the newsroom.
Requirements
- This position is full-time.
- It will likely include some weekend and holiday work.
- The successful candidate must be based in Houston or willing to move to the area.
