Data Journalist

Daily Mail; Greater London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Daily Mail in London is seeking a Data Journalist to join the Deep Dive team, a data-led, visual storytelling unit that blends AI-assisted research with human verification. You will work on data-heavy stories across health, finance, weather, crime and major events, producing must-read interactive tools for millions of readers.

You will collaborate with a data editor, designers and developers, ensuring accuracy, transparency and engaging visuals, while maintaining fast-paced newsroom standards

Qualifications

• Practical experience in data journalism or a related field, including quantitative academic research, data communications or data analytics
• Strong data wrangling skills in Excel and ideally Python (or similar if open to learning Python). Clear evidence you learn quickly and independently
• Care with numbers: comfortable with percentages, rates and averages, and instinctively suspicious of a result that looks too good
• Understanding of data visualisation and UX principles, and familiarity with modern data visualisation tools
• A portfolio of trusted data sources are a bonus
• Cartography, spatial analysis and demonstrable QGIS or equivalent are a bonus
• Desirable but not essential: confidence on camera and an interest in presenting short-form video
• An obvious passion for news, organised and reliable, ability to operate under pressure, curious, adaptable and full of ideas

Responsibilities

• Data hunting: research datasets, file FOIs and dig out the numbers behind topics; AI-assisted research allowed
• Data verification: ensure every stat is bulletproof per standards
• Supporting projects: take a defined part of a bigger project and deliver finished, documented work
• Visual storytelling: prototype interactive tools and graphics with design and development teams
• Collaboration: work with data journalists, designers and developers across the newsroom

Skills

Data journalism

Data wrangling

Data visualization

Attention to detail

Ability to work under pressure

Tools

Excel

Python

QGIS

Data visualization tools

Job description

Position: Full Time / Permanent

About the role

The Daily Mail is looking for an enthusiastic Data Journalist to join our award-winning Deep Dive team in London. Deep Dive is a global digital-first department that covers data, graphics, interactive development and visual storytelling. Our team is fun, independent and collaborative, with a startup spirit and a go-getter attitude. We strive to make data journalism understood and seriously popular.

In this role, you will help produce "must-read" data-led stories and interactive tools for our millions of readers. We are looking for someone who learns fast, checks the numbers diligently, documents their workings and flags problems early. You will work closely with the Data Editor and your Deep Dive colleagues on projects ranging from everyday topics such as health, personal finance, weather and crime, to news-led data coverage such as the World Cup and election results.

We are looking for someone comfortable working in an AI-assisted yet human-led environment where AI is used to speed up processes and ideation but the final product is created, verified and approved by our team members.

Main Responsibilities

• Data hunting: You will research and chase down sources for datasets, file FOIs and dig out the numbers behind the topics that resonate with wide audiences. While AI-assisted research is allowed, you should be able to plan, perform and debug your own analysis, and document it clearly for re-use.
• Data verification: You will ensure every stat we publish on Deep Dive is bulletproof, adhering strictly to the Daily Mail’s editorial standards and stylebook.
• Supporting projects: You will take a clearly defined part of a bigger project (e.g. cleaning and structuring data, exploring the best analysis options, building a chart, etc.) and deliver it finished, documented and checked.
• Visual storytelling: In collaboration with our unrivalled design and development team, you will help prototype compelling interactive tools and graphics.
• Collaboration: You will rarely work alone. Every project will consist of at least a data journalist, a designer and a developer. You will also occasionally partner with the wider newsroom, liaising with specialists to dive deeper and champion our work across the newsroom.

Person Specification

• Practical experience in data journalism or a related field, including quantitative academic research, data communications or data analytics
• Strong data wrangling skills in Excel and ideally Python (or similar if open to learning Python). Clear evidence you learn quickly and independently
• Care with numbers: comfortable with percentages, rates and averages, and instinctively suspicious of a result that looks too good
• Understanding of data visualisation and UX principles, and familiarity with modern data visualisation tools
• A portfolio of trusted data sources are a bonus
• Cartography, spatial analysis and demonstrable QGIS or equivalent are a bonus
• Desirable but not essential: confidence on camera and an interest in presenting short-form video
• An obvious passion for news, organised and reliable, ability to operate under pressure, curious, adaptable and full of ideas

Our Commitment

We are committed to increasing diversity and maintaining an inclusive workplace culture. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability.

We are Disability Confident Committed. Please let us know if you require any recruitment documentation in other formats or if you require reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process. Please be assured that any such information will be held separately to your recruitment application and will not be considered as part of the selection process.