The Puget Sound Business Journalis seeking a data reporter to develop engaging stories and manage the List, one of the publication’s most-read sections.
The position requires a three-pronged approach.
- Collect and compile the weekly lists using public records, company surveys and by mining PSBJ reporting. There is a data entry component to this. The best person for this job will enjoy spending time gathering and organizing data, and have a zeal for accuracy.
- Analyze the data that’s been gathered and work with editors to identify story ideas and potential news items. For instance, a story idea could be that a company moved up 10 spots on the list.
- Seek to explain “why.” If a company moved up on the list, was it because of an acquisition? A big, new customer? Finding the answer will require in-depth reporting and interviews with sources. Data journalists also frequently work with our beat reporters to report out breaking news from the lists and pull together trend stories.
The data reporter is expected to write and report regular cover stories and work closely with beat reporters to provide data for stories. The job also includes a weekly “Researcher’s Notebook” column with analysis of that week’s list.
But most of all, the data reporter needs to be curious and flexible. Some days, this will be a data entry-heavy job. Other days, this person will be out meeting with sources and writing stories. Every day, this person should be seeking to answer “why” — Why companies grow, why they don’t, who is behind the deals and what our data says about the economy here in the Seattle area.
We see data as one of the most exciting parts of what we do — and have identified the List as an area of potential growth for the company. The data reporter will have the opportunity to work with the Editor and Publisher to find creative ways to grow this part of the business in the near future, which could present advancement opportunities further down the line.
The PSBJ is one of the largest out of the more than 40 publications in the American City Business Journals chain.
We do great journalism here. Just this year, the PSBJ won SPJ’s Sigma Delta Chi Award for Public Service Journalism for an in-depth report called “The Price of Homelessness” and a SABEW Award for Real Estate reporting.
Culture is very important at the PSBJ. This is a team that gets together outside of work, celebrates our wins and supports each other through difficult times. We encourage reporters to take advantage of professional development opportunities and training sessions, and there are opportunities to travel to other markets for site visits.
To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to Editor in Chief Emily Parkhurst at eparkhurst@bizjournals.com.
