At a Glance
- Tasks: Create interactive data stories and visualisations for The Times and The Sunday Times.
- Company: Join a prestigious media company with a rich history in journalism.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, health insurance, generous leave, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to inclusive storytelling and innovative journalism.
- Why this job: Make an impact by transforming data into compelling journalism that informs millions.
- Qualifications: Experience in data visualisation, coding skills in R or Python, and strong news judgement.
The predicted salary is between 34650 - 42350 £ per year.
The Times and The Sunday Times represent a combined 400 years of covering news and providing comment and analysis on the UK and the world. We are authoritative, credible, responsible, trusted and a part of the nation’s cultural heritage.
Your team: The Times and The Sunday Times are some of the oldest and most respected news brands in the world. The data team offers an essential service to both newsrooms, fact-checking misleading claims, generating stories and informing our readers. Our work has won numerous awards for data design, statistical excellence and investigative journalism.
Your role: We are looking for a Data Developer to join our data journalism team. You will build interactives, calculators and data-led stories that work across multiple platforms, help maintain data infrastructure the team relies on, and work with senior editors across both newsrooms to turn data into journalism our readers can’t get anywhere else. We are looking for a journalist who codes, or a developer with real news instinct: someone who can take a story from raw dataset to published interactive. You will also keep on top of the latest trends in data and graphics journalism.
Day to day you will:
- Build bespoke interactives, calculators and dataviz to newsroom deadlines.
- Help build and manage databases, pipelines and scrapers for big team projects like Times Data.
- Pitch, research and write data-led stories and investigations.
- Track the evolution of digital graphics across the industry and bring the best of it into our journalism.
What we’re looking for from you:
- Experience building data visualisations for the web.
- Proficiency with a visualisation library such as D3, and mapping tools like QGIS, Mapbox or Leaflet.
- Proficiency in R or Python for collecting, cleaning and analysing data.
- Familiarity with using AI models for data journalism.
- Working knowledge of SQL, Git and experience designing or maintaining databases.
- Strong news judgement and knowledge of The Times and The Sunday Times.
- Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
We are committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process. If you require reasonable adjustments due to a disability or health condition at any stage of your application or interview, please let us know. You can contact us at careers@news.co.uk to discuss how we can support you to perform at your best.
Data Developer employer: The Times
The Times is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters creativity and innovation in the field of communications. With a strong commitment to employee growth, we provide opportunities for professional development and a supportive culture that values collaboration and diversity. Located in a vibrant city, our team enjoys competitive benefits, including maternity leave and medical insurance, making it a rewarding place to advance your career in media PR.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Data Developer
✨Get Involved in Data Science Meetups
Tap into local data science meetups or workshops to connect with fellow enthusiasts and professionals. These events are goldmines for networking, and sometimes even lead directly to job openings at companies like The Times!
✨Show Off Your Projects
Start building a public portfolio showcasing your data science projects on platforms like GitHub or personal websites. Highlight unique analyses or models you've developed. This not only demonstrates your skills but also gets your name out there for roles like Data Developer at The Times.
✨Leverage Professional Networks
Join professional bodies related to data science, like the Data Science Society or similar organisations. Getting involved can lead to mentorship opportunities and insider knowledge about full-time positions at companies like The Times.
✨Apply Directly through Our Website
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We think you need these skills to ace Data Developer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Projects:In the world of data science, your projects can speak volumes about your skills. Make sure to showcase a few key projects in your CV or portfolio, especially those that highlight your ability to work with data sets, build models, or use relevant tools like Python, R, or SQL. Don’t forget to include links to any GitHub repositories if applicable!
Quantify Your Achievements:Employers love numbers! When drafting your CV, highlight your achievements with quantifiable results. For instance, mention how your data analysis led to a certain percentage increase in efficiency or revenue at a previous job or project. These details can really make your application pop!
Craft a Tailored Cover Letter:For a full-time role at The Times, your cover letter should reflect your passion for data science and your excitement about the specific projects or values of the company. Dive into why you’re a good fit, how your skills align with their needs, and any unique perspectives you can bring to the team.
Stand Out with Relevant Courses and Certifications:Although experience talks, relevant courses or certifications can be your ticket to impressing hiring managers at The Times. Mention any standout courses you've completed that equipped you with essential skills, such as machine learning certifications or data visualisation courses. This shows your commitment to continuously developing your skills in the field!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Times
✨Brush Up on Your Statistics
For a data science role, we need to seriously sharpen our statistics skills. Get ready to tackle technical questions on probability distributions, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis. These are often the bread and butter of data science interviews, so don't just skim over them!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Prepare a killer portfolio showcasing your data science projects. We should include details about the datasets used, the tools and techniques applied, and the impact of your findings. If we can walk them through a particularly challenging project or a cool visualisation that had real-world implications, it’ll really make us stand out!
✨Get Comfortable with Python and R
Most data science positions require us to be proficient in programming languages like Python and R. We should practice common libraries like pandas, NumPy, and scikit-learn, and be ready for live coding exercises or algorithm questions. Showing off our coding chops can really impress the interviewers at The Times!
✨Prepare for Case Studies
Expect to encounter real-world case studies during the interview. We might be asked how we’d approach a data problem or analyse a dataset to extract insights. It's essential to think out loud and demonstrate our problem-solving process so that the interviewer can see our logical thinking in action.
