Data Visualization Journalist

The Seattle Times, a Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom, is seeking a creative and versatile Data Visualization Journalist to join our visual team. This role blends data analysis, visualization, and interactive storytelling to help readers make sense of the news through compelling charts, maps, and digital graphics.

The Seattle Times is looking for someone who can examine and analyze data sets and design engaging, informative visuals. This journalist will think creatively about how to tell stories across platforms. They will collaborate with reporters, editors, designers, and developers to create high-impact work that serves the people who live and care about Seattle and the region.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working quickly under deadline but can also produce sophisticated visuals and interactives for enterprise and investigative projects. They should be a self-starter who can bring visual ideas to the newsroom and help expand our storytelling through data and design.

What you’ll do

• Acquire, analyze, and visualize data for breaking news, daily reporting, investigations, and enterprise projects. 
• Create clear, accurate, and engaging data-driven charts, maps and interactive graphics.
• Collaborate across disciplines — working with reporters, editors, photographers, and developers — to integrate visuals into storytelling.
• Prototype and storyboard interactive and visual projects, ensuring a multiplatform approach (print and digital).
• Teach and mentor colleagues in data visualization and promote visual/data literacy in the newsroom.
• Request, organize and maintain datasets.
• Balance multiple projects and deadlines, working both independently and as part of a team.

What it takes to be successful

• Strong attention to detail, design, and accuracy.
• Ability to work quickly and decisively under deadline, while also executing longer-term projects.
• Ability to find the compelling story in the data.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate across diverse teams.
• Experience advancing standards of equity, inclusion, fairness and ethics in journalism through visual choices and coverage.
• A demonstrated ability to take abstract concepts or data and translate them into visuals that enlighten and engage audiences.

Qualifications

We are committed to diversity and creating an inclusive newsroom and encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply. If your profile does not match this job description exactly, you may still be a candidate for this position. Please let us know how your skills and experience relate to the role and its objectives in your Cover Letter. 

• Proficiency with spreadsheet analysis; SQL databases; and at least one programming language (Python or R preferred).
• Experience producing data visualizations, graphics, and/or interactive projects in a newsroom or equivalent environment (transferable skills considered).
• Knowledge of visualization tools such as Datawrapper, Flourish, Adobe Creative Suite or equivalent.
• Familiarity with responsive web design, HTML, CSS, JavaScript and visualization libraries (such as D3.js, MapLibre or Leaflet).
•  Experience with GIS and spatial analysis (QGIS, ArcGIS or equivalent).
• Strong portfolio demonstrating a mix of data visualization, information graphics, and interactive storytelling.
• Familiarity with WordPress is a plus.

Compensation: The full salary range for this position is $64,000 to $110,000. For this role, we typically pay between $90,000 to $110,000, depending on experience and qualifications.     

Benefits: 

• Medical, dental, vision, and long-term disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Optional life and AD&D insurance and long-term care insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• 10 days of annual vacation accrual, increasing with tenure up to 20 days
• 10 days of annual sick accrual; unused sick pay accrues to an extended illness bank
• 9 paid holidays
• Monthly internet stipend for predominately remote employees
• Subsidized transit cards and parking costs
• Complimentary Seattle Times subscription
• Wellness program
• Fertility coverage (with lifetime limits) for eligible employees
• Parental leave options

Founded in 1896, The Seattle Times continues its tradition as a family-owned, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper that cuts through the clutter and provides readers with timely, relevant news. We serve the Pacific Northwest with thoughtful, independent journalism that makes a real difference in our community. And as a media solutions company, we combine cutting-edge digital capabilities and service with the values and integrity of respected traditional media… with an established audience of 1.9 million. At The Seattle Times, you'll find work that matters.

If you need assistance to accommodate a disability, please contact Human Resources at [email protected] and provide a description of the reasonable accommodation(s) needed.