The Wall Street Journal is seeking an experienced and driven researcher with expertise in open-source investigations to join our award-winning Investigations team, focusing on contributing high impact, revelatory stories that our readers can’t find anywhere else.
Investigations are at the core of our mission to deliver distinctive, in-depth journalism. As a member of our investigations team, you will collaborate closely with editors, reporters and visual teams across our global newsroom to uncover hidden truths and bring to light stories of significant impact.
You will work alongside the Investigations editors and others to develop and execute some of the Journal’s most ambitious journalism. Your role will involve diving into complex topics and using your mastery of various public (records) databases and visual and digital reporting techniques to reveal critical information, sometimes off of fast-moving events, that serves the public interest. You also will work across breaking news situations alongside the wider newsroom, supporting reporters and editors.
To succeed in this role, you must have a proven track record in using sophisticated online information-gathering and reporting skills to jump on news, tackle major projects and break high-impact stories.
Key Responsibilities
- Use open-source reporting techniques including geolocation and chronolocation, visual analysis, satellite imagery interpretation, social media tracking, database reporting and other tools to produce revelatory investigations into the worlds of business, finance, politics and other areas of power that bring about change.
- Identify and pitch the most urgent investigative targets, with the discipline to juggle quicker hit stories off the news and longer term reporting targets.
- Collaborate with reporters across the newsroom to tell the most important stories that connect with readers.
- Jump on breaking news to find people, identify relationships and dig up legal and financial histories.
- Maintain the highest standards in reporting, ensuring accuracy and fairness.
You Have
- At least five years of experience in open source reporting and database research at a major news outlet.
- A portfolio of high profile stories that showcase the use of advanced digital and data analysis skills.
- Experience with collecting and analyzing satellite imagery and ship and flight tracking.
- Experience using databases such as Nexis, Factiva, public records (TLO, Accurint), legal (Courtlink, PACER), and business (CapitalIQ, FactSet)
- Deep understanding of business and finance topics and the ability to explain complicated issues clearly.
- Extensive knowledge of publicly available databases, particularly financial and legal data sources.
- A commitment to journalistic excellence and integrity, with a willingness to experiment and push the boundaries of investigative journalism.
- Ability to leverage GIS software, visualize data, perform network analysis and monitor social media.
- Extensive experience with digital verification, forensic analysis and metadata extraction.
This position reports to the Investigations Editor in New York.
To apply, go here.
