Data Editor, China

Middle East Broadcasting Networks; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Middle East Broadcasting Networks is seeking a Data Editor to handle complex datasets related to China's activities in the MENA region. The role involves transforming data into compelling reports and visualizations, requiring strong quantitative skills and near-native Mandarin proficiency.

The ideal candidate will have a background in journalism or social sciences and be proficient in R or Python for data analysis. This position is vital for supporting informed reporting on critical geopolitical issues.

Qualifications

• Near-native Mandarin Chinese is required.
• Experience with large-scale datasets and cross-national analysis.
• Strong writing skills for publication-ready analysis.

Responsibilities

• Identify and manage datasets related to China's activity.
• Design and build quantitative journalism projects.
• Produce clear visualizations and analytical products.

Skills

Quantitative analysis

Data cleaning

Statistical modeling

Visualizations

Mandarin Chinese proficiency

R or Python

Education

Bachelor’s degree or 5+ years of relevant experience

Tools

PostgreSQL

Tableau

Job description

About MBN

Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) is the premier Arabic‑first media organization that connects the Middle East and the United States. The company is in the midst of an exciting digital transformation and is looking for energetic and talented people who care about journalism and the Middle East to join us on this journey.

We provide original and indispensable reporting, perspectives and commentary on the Middle East and how America’s engagement impacts the region. MBN delivers content in both Arabic and English across multiple platforms, in formats including written articles, short‑form video, newsletters, podcasts, data trackers and social media. Our target audience is decision‑makers, influencers, and residents of key capitals across the Middle East, as well as the next generation of globally engaged, digitally connected youth.

Job Announcement – Data Editor, China

China is one of the most consequential stories in the Middle East today, and the numbers behind it — trade flows, port deals, sovereign investment, currency arrangements — are where the real story often hides. We’re looking for a Data Editor to turn that data into reporting that holds up.

In this role, you’ll treat China as a system embedded in global capital, energy, and infrastructure flows, and track where that system meets the Middle East and North Africa. You’ll pair technical fluency with large, messy datasets and the editorial instinct to turn findings into clear, rigorous stories — making sure every major piece is anchored in verifiable data, structured analysis, and transparent methodology.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Identify, acquire, and manage the structured and unstructured datasets behind China’s economic, geopolitical, and MENA‑facing activity.
• Design and build quantitative projects that combine investigative journalism, big‑data analytics, and geopolitical research.
• Run advanced analysis — statistical modeling, regression, network analysis — to produce findings that are methodologically sound and editorially meaningful.
• Clean, transform, and integrate complex, multi‑source data so it’s ready for analysis.
• Produce clear, compelling visualizations, interactive graphics, and analytical products for a news, policy, and multicultural audience.
• Pitch and lead original data‑driven stories, and back up investigations led by others on the desk.
• Work closely with the Senior Editor, the Senior Investigative Correspondent, and the MENA field reporters to embed quantitative findings in the wider geopolitical story.
• Build and maintain reproducible, well‑documented data pipelines that support regular updates and comparison over time.
• Track China–MENA structural indicators — trade flows, shipping and logistics, sovereign investment, corporate ownership — as reusable datasets for the whole newsroom.

Other Duties

Perform additional job‑related duties and take on new responsibilities as needed based on organizational requirements and circumstances.

Qualifications and Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree or 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Near‑native Mandarin Chinese (required).
• A journalism, policy‑research, or social‑science background, with the writing skills to produce clear, publication‑ready analysis.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, with R or Python for data cleaning, statistical analysis, and visualization.
• Experience with panel data or large‑scale datasets, and a solid grasp of the challenges of cross‑national, cross‑temporal analysis.
• Advanced spreadsheet skills (pivot tables, complex formulas) and experience with relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, Airtable, or Microsoft Access).
• The ability to translate complex results into clear graphics and written analysis.
• A track record of working independently, meeting deadlines, and juggling several workstreams in a fast‑moving newsroom.

Skills Considered a Plus to Have

• Arabic proficiency is a strong plus.
• Familiarity with visualization tools such as Tableau, Observable, or D3.
• Experience with investigative techniques — public‑records requests, document analysis, and source cultivation.
• Familiarity with open‑source intelligence (OSINT) methods and tools.
• Knowledge of major international databases such as AidData, CARI, SIPRI, or UN Comtrade.
• Experience building geopolitical or international‑relations indicators, scorecards, or tracking tools.
• Prior experience covering China–MENA, the MENA region, or international relations.

MBN is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity.