What are the responsibilities and job description for the Data Reporter (Politics) position at Houston Chronicle?
Job Description
Data Reporter
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
The Houston Chronicle, recognized for its Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism, serves its 2.3 million residents with content and marketing solutions across two of Houston’s largest websites — HoustonChronicle.com and Chron.com , along with our magazine, television and newspaper brands. Our mission is to spark conversations that inspire action to create a better Houston. All our content and the innovative business solutions we provide invite Houstonians to join conversations about a community we’ve been committed to covering and helping prosper for more than 120 years. The community we all call home.
About Hearst Newspapers:
With 2,500 employees across the nation, HNP encompasses a network of 24 daily and 52 weekly publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union, several top digital-only news and lifestyle sites, marketing services businesses, and entertainment businesses such as King Features Syndicate.
At HNP, we are investing in new and innovative ways to tell stories – growing newsrooms, diversifying tools, evolving platforms – to support the millions of people who trust us each month to help them make decisions, take action and be inspired.
Be a part of something bigger – your headline awaits.
Recognizing the diverse needs of our candidates, if you are interested in applying for employment and need assistance or an accommodation to use our website or regarding the application process, please contact us by email at hnpemployment@hearst.com. Please do not use this email address to inquire about the status of applications. We will only respond to inquiries concerning requests for a reasonable accommodation through this email address.
Data Reporter
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
The Houston Chronicle, recognized for its Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism, serves its 2.3 million residents with content and marketing solutions across two of Houston’s largest websites — HoustonChronicle.com and Chron.com , along with our magazine, television and newspaper brands. Our mission is to spark conversations that inspire action to create a better Houston. All our content and the innovative business solutions we provide invite Houstonians to join conversations about a community we’ve been committed to covering and helping prosper for more than 120 years. The community we all call home.
About Hearst Newspapers:
With 2,500 employees across the nation, HNP encompasses a network of 24 daily and 52 weekly publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union, several top digital-only news and lifestyle sites, marketing services businesses, and entertainment businesses such as King Features Syndicate.
At HNP, we are investing in new and innovative ways to tell stories – growing newsrooms, diversifying tools, evolving platforms – to support the millions of people who trust us each month to help them make decisions, take action and be inspired.
Be a part of something bigger – your headline awaits.
Recognizing the diverse needs of our candidates, if you are interested in applying for employment and need assistance or an accommodation to use our website or regarding the application process, please contact us by email at hnpemployment@hearst.com. Please do not use this email address to inquire about the status of applications. We will only respond to inquiries concerning requests for a reasonable accommodation through this email address.