Data-Driven Reporter: Stories, Maps & Reader Tools

Advance Local; Woodbridge Township, Northern (NJ, KY); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare plans

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

Advance Local’s NJ Advance Media is seeking a data-focused Reporter who blends data analysis with traditional reporting to tell stories that readers can act on. You’ll produce data-driven pieces, build interactive tools, and publish visualizations embedded in articles.

You’ll use AI workflows to speed up data work while maintaining rigorous fact-checking and disclosures, collaborating with editors across desks to reach New Jersey readers efficiently.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications or related field, or equivalent education and work experience.
• Minimum of 2 years of professional journalism experience with data reporting.
• Clear and engaging writing style that makes numbers human.
• Experience using AI tools in professional workflow and understanding their limits.
• Familiarity with public data sources such as Census data and municipal records.
• Ability to work independently under deadline pressure and accept feedback.

Responsibilities

• Produce multiple data stories weekly, including quick-turn pieces on breaking news.
• Scrape, clean, join and structure public records and datasets with AI-assisted workflows.
• Create visualizations and interactive pages: tables, maps, lookup tools, dashboards.
• Move from idea to working prototype quickly using AI coding tools.
• Extend your work to newsletters, alerts, social video and subscriber tools.
• Interview experts and everyday people to add data context and sources.
• Maintain accuracy with human review and disclosures.
• Collaborate with reporters, multimedia journalists and editors.

Skills

Data storytelling

Data analysis

AI tool experience

Interviewing

Writing

Deadline-driven

Collaborations

Education

Bachelor's degree in journalism

Journalism degree or equivalent

Tools

Python

SQL

AI coding tools

Job description

Advance Local’s NJ Advance Media is seeking a data-focused Reporter who blends data analysis with traditional reporting to tell stories that readers can act on. You’ll produce data-driven pieces, build interactive tools, and publish visualizations embedded in articles.

You’ll use AI workflows to speed up data work while maintaining rigorous fact-checking and disclosures, collaborating with editors across desks to reach New Jersey readers efficiently.