Deputy News Applications Editor

We’re looking for a deputy news applications editor to guide our most ambitious pieces of interactive data journalism and to help grow our public service databases like Nonprofit Explorer. The deputy editor will do this by managing members of the news apps team, developing their ideas and editing their projects; identifying opportunities for the team in existing lines of reporting; and showing both editorial and technical leadership. 

The news applications team is a group of journalists and developers who imagine, report out, design and develop interactive stories and databases, like our database of private school demographics, our formaldehyde cancer risk database or our timeline of videos from the attack on the Capitol.

You’ll report to the senior editor for data and news applications and, along with the two deputy data editors, will help set the course for ProPublica’s data journalism.

Interested in the deputy data editor role? We’re hiring for that as well.

As deputy news applications editor you will:

• Manage news apps developers working across the newsroom on high-impact pieces of interactive data journalism.
• Improve, maintain and grow our public service databases like Nonprofit Explorer and Nursing Home Inspect.
• Help prioritize, assign and edit interactive stories and databases.  
• Work with news apps developers to bring project ideas and pitches to fruition. 
• Help prioritize projects and stories so the team can be deployed strategically across the organization.
• Implement effective workflows that ensure that projects are completed on schedule.
• Execute a vision to keep pushing ProPublica’s data journalism and news apps forward and help us set the standard for the industry.

Our ideal candidate will have:

• At least five years of experience leading or producing data-driven investigations and interactive journalism. Though experience editing and supervising staff are not required, they are a plus.
• An understanding of software development and data analysis practices.
• A mindset that enables them to identify which datasets are relevant and what questions to ask of them.
• An understanding of design principals and how to apply them — or at least the ability to know when you need a designer’s help. 
• Experience deploying software and databases for public use. 
• Experience building an esprit de corps in a team, one that is grounded in motivating staff, helping them reach career goals and working together.
• Ability to travel occasionally for staff retreats and other required events.

We also know there are great candidates who can bring skills to ProPublica that we haven’t thought of, and who won’t fit everything we’ve described above. If this is you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us what unique contributions you can offer.

This job is full time and includes benefits. ProPublica is based in New York, but the data team is distributed and we’re open to remote candidates for this role. Applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S.

The expected salary range for this position is $140,000 to $150,000

This is a good-faith estimate of what we expect to pay for this position. The final salary figure will take into account a person’s experience, accomplishment and location. ProPublica is committed to paying its staff equitably, and these ranges should not be considered career salary limits or caps.

We will begin reviewing applications as we receive them, but we will continue to consider candidates as long as the posting remains live on our site.

Questions? Send an email to talent@propublica.org. 

No phone calls, please.