Data Journalist (Data-Driven Research and PR) - 54213439778

Job Title: Data Journalist (Data-Driven Research and PR)

Location: Remote

Regions: South Africa or LATAM

Employment Type: Contract or Full-Time

Candidate Profile Focus & Core Criteria

• AI-First Mindset: High proficiency using AI tools across the entire workflow, including research, dataset collection, web scraping, data cleaning, analysis, and initial narrative drafting.
• Self-Directed & Self-Starter: Ability to take ownership of open-ended problems, independently navigate technical roadblocks, and push projects through to completion with a high drive for public-facing output creation and value delivery.

Role Overview

We are hiring a Data Journalist to produce original, data-driven research pieces that will be published across major media outlets as part of a PR and SEO strategy. This role is highly output-focused. Hiring decisions are based primarily on the quality of a candidate’s previously published work rather than traditional question-and-answer interview style.

The Data Journalist will analyze large datasets and turn them into compelling, consumer-facing stories, particularly within the creator economy and broader business and market trends. This is a public-facing role focused on published research, not internal reporting.

How We Evaluate Candidates

Selection is based primarily on published work products.

• Candidates must submit 3 to 5 published data-driven pieces.
• Interviews will focus on walking through existing work, including:
  • Data sources, collection methods, and use of AI for research/analysis
  • How datasets were joined, cleaned, and analyzed
  • Use of SQL, APIs, scripting, or AI tools
  • Editorial judgment and headline selection
  • How the work could be improved with additional data access
• Candidates must be willing to share published work. NDA-only experience is not a fit for this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Produce in-depth, data-driven research reports designed for media placement
• Collect, analyze, and interpret public and proprietary datasets using traditional techniques and modern AI-driven tools
• Take full ownership of open-ended research questions and figure out solutions independently when encountering data roadblocks
• Write clear, compelling stories based on data insights with a strong focus on execution and value delivery
• Identify headline-worthy findings from large datasets
• Create charts, graphs, and visualizations that support storytelling
• Work on long-form research projects that may span weeks or months
• Contribute to research on the creator economy and digital platform trends

Required Skills and Experience

• AI & Technical Proficiency: AI-first approach to research, data collection, scraping, and analysis; strong SQL skills (joining tables across multiple datasets); experience working with internal/external databases; ability to write basic scripts to pull data from third-party APIs; advanced Excel/spreadsheet skills.
• Ownership & Self-Direction: Proven track record as a self-starter who can be handed a broad problem, figure out how to solve it independently, and work around technical or data challenges without requiring step-by-step guidance.
• Journalism & Storytelling: Proven experience producing published, data-driven journalism; native or near-native English writing proficiency; ability to translate complex data into engaging, consumer-facing stories; strong editorial judgment and sense of what is newsworthy.
• Domain Knowledge: Experience covering business, markets, finance, real estate, sports analytics, or similar data-heavy beats.

Ideal Background

• Data Journalist at a media outlet or digital publication
• Business Intelligence or Business Analyst with strong writing, self-direction, and storytelling skills
• Experience producing research for external publication rather than internal reporting
• Comfortable working on long-term research projects with full independence
• Background in data-heavy industries such as finance, real estate, or market research

There is significant overlap with a Business Analyst skill set, with the key differentiators being strong self-direction, AI-first research execution, and the ability to turn data into public-facing narratives.

Content Focus

• Creator economy and digital platforms such as TikTok, Twitch, YouTube, and online creators
• Business and market trends related to digital industries
• Focus is on industry data and trends, not influencer culture

Location and Work Setup

• Fully remote and offshore
• Open to candidates based in South Africa or LATAM
• Strong English proficiency is required

What This Role Is Not

• Not an internal reporting or dashboard-only role
• Not a software engineering role
• Not an academic or unpublished research position
• Not assessment-driven; real, published work is required
• Not a hand-held environment; passive candidates who rely on step-by-step direction are not a fit