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

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