Technology, algorithms, social media and platforms play central roles in our lives. The giants of technology have come to help decide the news we see, the connections we keep and the shape of our politics. They possess vast amounts of data about their users but often haven’t been transparent or responsible in their handling of it. We want you to help us hold them accountable.We’re hiring a number of reporters to expand our work into how companies and governments use big data and technology to influence our world. (We’re also hiring reporters to focus on the business world overall.)In our coverage so far, we’ve shown how Facebook has allowed companies to exclude older workers from job ads, allowed advertisers to exclude users by race and enabled advertisers to reach “Jew haters.” And we’ve shown how opaque and unfair algorithms are affecting everything from criminal sentences to car insurance.
It takes specialized skills to explore these areas, and that’s why we’re putting together a multidisciplinary team. Take a look at the bylines in the stories we’ve done: You see straight-up reporters, coders, engagement reporters, researchers, statisticians and more.
We’re open to reporters with any number of backgrounds and specialized skills, whether in data, engagement or something else we haven’t thought of. (Here’s an ad for a quantitative reporter to join the team.)
You should be able to understand complex subjects and explain them clearly and in a compelling way — whether in text or another medium. You don’t need to be a coder, but you should have a deep understanding of how technology works.
We’re also looking for someone who:
- Has a track record of reporting aggressively and landing revelatory stories about abuses of power
- Has strong ideas about what areas and stories we should dig into
- Aches to do stories that are both important and powerfully told
- Is truly excited about all the ways we can do journalism nowadays: from deep data-digging to working with readers to marrying narrative and investigative forms
- Really likes working with others. Everybody at ProPublica has their own superpower. And we do our best work together.
You can be a great candidate even if you don’t fit everything we’ve described above. If that’s you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.
We are dedicated to improving our newsroom, in part by better reflecting the people we cover. (Here is a breakdown of our own staff.) We are committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages. And we are taking steps to meet that commitment. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities.
If all of this sounds exciting to you, apply using this form. The deadline for applications is April 27.
The job is full-time and includes benefits. We are based in New York but are open to remote working if the fit is right.
You can send questions to stephen.engelberg@propublica.org or scott.klein@propublica.org. No phone calls, please.
