Application Instructions

Please list all professional experience and explain any gaps in employment history. All of your application materials, which may include PDF files of work samples and/or links to audio, video, photography or graphics, must be uploaded to the field labeled Resume/Cover Letter/Work Samples to be considered for the position.

Job Description

The Washington Post Data team is seeking a data journalist to cover climate change and extreme weather by using new approaches and science-backed analysis to make complex concepts accessible to readers.

The reporter will be embedded in The Post's Climate & Environment department, which is anchoring a newsroom-wide effort to cover climate change and extreme weather and their impacts on humanity and the planet through revelatory reporting, visual-first storytelling and innovative forms of data-driven journalism.

We are seeking someone who can identify great stories powered by data and can partner with journalists focused on text, graphics and other storytelling formats. The ideal candidate would be collaborative and have keen instincts for data that can yield compelling visual and print stories.

Candidates should have a proven ability to explain complex concepts and use data in revealing and innovative ways. They should also be interested in experimenting with new techniques and technologies in their approaches to both analysis and storytelling. Some examples of data work we have done include measuring the gap between reported and actual global emissions, calculating how many Americans live in places that have experienced climate disasters and determining how many communities will be at risk of wildfires by 2050.



Candidates should be curious, life-long learners who are happy to help a teammate and who thrive on sharing knowledge. Critical thinking, a deep skepticism and a healthy dose of good cheer are key. Other requirements include several years of experience in data journalism, proficiency in an analysis language such as R or Python, and familiarity with SQL, the command line and version control. Spatial analysis skills, formal statistics training, data-scraping expertise and experience covering the science, climate or weather beats are not required but would be a major plus.



This position is based in Washington and is on The Post's Data team, a growing group of journalists who work across the newsroom to unearth powerful stories from data.



Interested candidates should send a résumé, three clips as PDFs and a cover letter outlining a vision for the role to our jobs portal. All application materials can be uploaded to the same field. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by 09/21/2022 will be prioritized. The cover letter should be addressed to Data Editor Meghan Hoyer, Climate and Environment Editor Zachary Goldfarb, Deputy Climate and Environment Editor Juliet Eilperin, Climate Visual Enterprise Editor Monica Ulmanu and Managing Editor Krissah Thompson.

The Post strives to provide its readers with high-quality, trustworthy news and information while constantly innovating. That mission is best served by a diverse, multi-generational workforce with varied life experiences and perspectives. All cultures and backgrounds are welcomed.

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