We’re Looking For Someone To Lead FiveThirtyEight’s Data Visualization Team

FiveThirtyEight’s hallmark is that we use data to inform our journalism. There are other things that define us — empiricism, transparency, an outsider’s perspective and a little bit of irreverence. But when it comes down to it, data is at the core of our mission.

And often the best way to communicate that data is visually — with tables, line charts, histograms, scatter plots, interactive dashboards, combinations of all that, whatever this is and more. Data visualization is central to FiveThirtyEight, and we’re looking for someone to lead our graphics and interactives team, oversee data visualization for the site and contribute to our overall editorial direction. This is a big, important role — held by one of the most senior editors in our newsroom, someone who reports directly to the managing editor and works across departments.

More specifically, the Deputy Editor, Graphics and Interactives, (that’s what we’re calling this position) will:

• Oversee a team of journalists — visual, computational and database — charged with creating data-driven interactive features and charts. This includes “big swing” interactive features and dashboards, as well as smaller-scale graphics, both interactive and static, on a daily and weekly basis.
• Help to plan and execute FiveThirtyEight’s long-term journalistic priorities.
• Supervise members of the interactives team to ensure career development and performance in line with team and organizational goals and priorities.
• Refine FiveThirtyEight’s style for data visualizations, graphics and long-term projects.

Should you apply? Definitely … IF you …

• Have at least seven years of experience working on a wide variety of high-quality, intuitive interactive features that present a lot of data in a manner that is easy to use and understand, or have at least two years of experience as a manager — either of a team of visual and interactive journalists or of a team with similar skill sets in a related field.
• Are proficient in many of the following: dynamic programing languages (such as Python and Ruby), web development technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript), web frameworks (Rails), mapping tools (ArcGIS, QGIS), visualization libraries (WebGL, D3).
• Have knowledge of at least one statistical language (R, Stata, etc);
• Have a portfolio that demonstrates an understanding of storytelling on multiple platforms, particularly mobile, as well as a clean, elegant and sophisticated aesthetic.

It might seem like we’re asking for a lot, but a successful candidate will get to lead a team of some of the most talented and creative journalists around, as well as work at the center of some of the biggest stories in the months ahead — the 2020 election, March Madness, the women’s World Cup, the NBA playoffs, fights over health care and immigration policy, etc. It’ll be a fun job.

To apply, please go here.

ABC News and FiveThirtyEight are equal opportunity employers. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.