Date Posted	April 05, 2024
Industry	Newspapers, Nonprofit
Specialty	Special Projects
Job Status	Full-time

Description:

Data Product Developer/Reporter 

Location: Helena, MT preferred. Firm requirement for Montana residency.  

Compensation: $53-$58k Depending on Experience

Basic description:

MTFP is looking for a code-proficient journalist to join our newsroom and help maintain and expand our award-winning suite of news application products. The successful candidate will augment our existing newsroom’s data expertise as we work to hold power to account and explain the workings of public policy across our dynamic, politically diverse and rural state.

Our team primarily uses JavaScript, D3, and Observable, occasionally leveraging Python for data pipeline work and React/Gatsby. We also use Github actions and Amazon Web Services to produce data-driven web applications. Our technology stack is continually evolving as we strive to advance our digital initiatives, and we are open to candidates with diverse skill sets and backgrounds.

You might be a technologist who’s interested in joining a fast-growing nonprofit newsroom where talented colleagues dig into everything from election administration to health care systems and property taxes. Alternatively, you could be a journalist with a demonstrated aptitude for web development. Or perhaps you’re someone with experience we haven’t thought of who’s excited about work that lets you apply the possibilities of modern web technology to the public service mission of nonprofit journalism.

We currently produce two flagship news applications, in addition to an evolving array of editorial data products. Our Capitol Tracker presents detailed information on bill movement and lawmaker voting records to help Montanans follow the public business conducted during the state’s biennial legislative sessions. Additionally, our election guides bundle structured information on candidates up and down the ballot to help voters make informed decisions during even-year primary and general elections. Other newsroom data projects produced in recent years have covered court cases, campaign finance, the state budget and wildfires.

This newsroom position will be responsible for design, development and product management duties for various data-forward editorial products in collaboration with MTFP’s existing reporter-developer. Depending on the successful candidate’s skills and interests, job duties may also include reporting news stories, general-purpose graphic design work and producing data visualizations for email newsletters and web stories.

Essential qualifications:

• Demonstrated proficiency with JavaScript, CSS and HTML in a web development or data visualization context, including experience with React or another JavaScript framework
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively on code-based projects, including experience with Git and GitHub
• An understanding of and curiosity about the news needs of diverse audiences, cultures, communities, and identities
• Familiarity with basic digital design principles.

Desired qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience working with real-world (i.e., messy) data sets, including experience working with human record keepers to assess the strengths and weaknesses of specific data 
• Demonstrated writing proficiency
• Ability to work on editorial products involving highly charged political issues with a nonpartisan bearing
• Ability to manage multiple projects with varying timelines in an occasionally fast-paced environment

Nice-to-have skills:

• Experience working in a newsroom setting
• Familiarity with writing and editing in AP style
• Experience with Amazon Web Services as a web hosting platform
• Experience working in Observable notebooks
• Experience with D3, Observable Plot and/or other JavaScript-based visualization tools
• Experience designing, troubleshooting and maintaining data pipelines in Python or another scripting language
• Experience automating data pipelines with GitHub Actions or similar tools
• Experience with graphic design tools such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop

MTFP is committed to newsroom equity and to providing market-competitive salaries and benefits. MTFP is a safe and inclusive workplace for people of all backgrounds and walks of life. We strongly encourage you to apply if you are from an underrepresented group. Some candidates may see a long list of job requirements and feel discouraged because they don’t match every single bullet point — we ask you to please consider applying anyway. We don’t believe in a “perfect” candidate. If this is a role you’ll be excited to work in every day, you want to be a part of our mission, and you will be relentless about pushing boundaries to succeed, we want to talk to you. 

Applicants should submit a résumé with two professional references, three examples of previous work, and a cover letter to jobs@montanafreepress.org. The position is open until filled. 

MTFP is a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News, Local Independent Online Publishers, Online News Association, Montana Newspaper Association, and the Montana Nonprofit Association. Our work is supported by donations from individual members and organizations and institutions that value high-quality, in-depth journalism.