Data Reporter

The Houston Landing is looking for individuals to add to our team of passionate people on a mission to advance democracy in our communities and strengthen the lives of all Houstonians one story at a time.Houston Landing is an independent, nonpartisan news organization devoted to public service journalism. Initially supported by three of Houston’s leading philanthropies including Arnold Ventures, The Houston Endowment, and the Kinder Foundation, we are building a team to support our efforts in sustainability and revenue growth.

Come join our team at Houston Landing as a Data Reporter, where you will work and grow in one of the most unique cities in America and the world. The saying here is "as Houston goes so will the country" and that is no exaggeration.Houston and our surrounding communities are home to more than 6 million people and our municipal governments are tasked with managing billion-dollar budgets. Where that taxpayer money goes and how it is allocated and spent is at the crux of this job.

Requirements

What you’ll do

• The data reporter is a collaborative journalist, who is a problem-solver, creative, dogged, with an attention to detail and understands that accuracy is our currency.
• You will likely have a hand in projects across teams, ranging from our education franchise to the environment, as well as public money.
• It is an opportunity to make a difference in local news, which is the reason you became a journalist. The added value is you work with experienced editors and hard-charging journalists and you live in Houston, a global city known for its culture and is a true place of opportunity.

Who you are

• You have a proven record of taking datasets and converting that data into stories that expose problems and explain to readers why this matters.
• You have expertise with at least one programming language and willingness to learn whatever is needed to solve a problem.
• You have the ability to write programs to create internal and public-facing databases that allow users to sift through contracts and other government files, like procurement contracts, roadway projects, inspection and audit reports.
• You have the ability to analyze data geographically and present the results to an audience.
• You can and have a willingness to work with AI tools. 

Soft skills: 

• Critical thinking and problem solving skills.
• Balancing daily journalism demands with more in-depth project work.
• Calm presence in times of crisis, like major weather events and breaking news.
• Gift of teamwork and a collaborative spirit.

The position will report to Public Money Editor Matt Schwartz, a leader with an institutional knowledge of municipal government. 

Benefits

Our Values

EXCELLENCE: We wake up every day with the intent to be the best at what we do. We hustle. We have grit. When we make mistakes, we quickly correct and learn from them.

INCLUSION: We aren’t all the same, and those differences are what make us better. We’ll respect each person’s uniqueness. Perspective, context and life experiences help us to tell the story.

AMBITION: We will be bold and creative, open to all ideas big or small. We really mean it.

FUN: We are not making widgets, although there is nothing wrong with widgets. We tell stories - and stories are often fun, so we believe in having lots of fun.

COLLABORATION: We are all in this together. We may not always agree, but we will listen to each other and communicate candidly and respectfully.

• Benefits:
• Compensation commensurate with experience, minimum of $70,000
• 401(k)
• Healthcare 100% premium paid for employee and 50% for dependents
• 20 vacation days
• Ten sick days
• Generous paid parental leave
• Hybrid work policy (initially we all work together to build culture)
• Stipend for development / learning

We’re committed to building an inclusive organization that represents the people and communities we serve. We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities.