Open Source Researcher

Job Description:

The Wall Street Journal is seeking an experienced and driven researcher with expertise in open-source investigations to join our award-winning Investigations team, focusing on contributing high impact, revelatory stories that our readers can’t find anywhere else.

Investigations are at the core of our mission to deliver distinctive, in-depth journalism. As a member of our investigations team, you will collaborate closely with editors, reporters and visual teams across our global newsroom to uncover hidden truths and bring to light stories of significant impact.

You will work alongside the Investigations editors and others to develop and execute some of the Journal’s most ambitious journalism. Your role will involve diving into complex topics and using your mastery of various public (records) databases and visual and digital reporting techniques to reveal critical information, sometimes off of fast-moving events, that serves the public interest. You also will work across breaking news situations alongside the wider newsroom, supporting reporters and editors. 

To succeed in this role, you must have a proven track record in using sophisticated online information-gathering and reporting skills to jump on news, tackle major projects and break high-impact stories.

Key Responsibilities

• Use open-source reporting techniques including geolocation and chronolocation, visual analysis, satellite imagery interpretation, social media tracking, database reporting and other tools to produce revelatory investigations into the worlds of business, finance, politics and other areas of power that bring about change.
• Identify and pitch the most urgent investigative targets, with the discipline to juggle quicker hit stories off the news and longer term reporting targets.
• Collaborate with reporters across the newsroom to tell the most important stories that connect with readers.
• Jump on breaking news to find people, identify relationships and dig up legal and financial histories.
• Maintain the highest standards in reporting, ensuring accuracy and fairness.

You Have

• At least five years of experience in open source reporting and database research at a major news outlet.
• A portfolio of high profile stories that showcase the use of advanced digital and data analysis skills.
• Experience with collecting and analyzing satellite imagery and ship and flight tracking.
• Experience using databases such as Nexis, Factiva, public records (TLO, Accurint), legal (Courtlink, PACER), and business (CapitalIQ, FactSet)
• Deep understanding of business and finance topics and the ability to explain complicated issues clearly.
• Extensive knowledge of publicly available databases, particularly financial and legal data sources.
• A commitment to journalistic excellence and integrity, with a willingness to experiment and push the boundaries of investigative journalism.
• Ability to leverage GIS software, visualize data, perform network analysis and monitor social media.
• Extensive experience with digital verification, forensic analysis and metadata extraction.

This position reports to the Investigations Editor in New York.

Reasonable accommodation: Dow Jones, Making Careers Newsworthy – We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.EEO/AA/M/F/Disabled/Vets. Dow Jones is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities, in our job application and/or interview process. If you need assistance or accommodation in completing your application, due to a disability, email us at talentresourceteam@dowjones.com. Please put “Reasonable Accommodation” in the subject line and provide a brief description of the type of assistance you need. This inbox will not be monitored for application status updates.

Business Area:

Dow Jones – News – WSJ

Job Category:

Editorial/Journalism

Union Status:

Union role

Pay Range: $90,000 – $130,000

We recognize that attracting the best talent is key to our strategy and success as a company. As a result, we aim for flexibility in structuring competitive compensation offers to ensure we are able to attract the best candidates. The quoted salary range represents our good faith estimate as to what our ideal candidates are likely to expect, and we tailor our offers within the range based on the selected candidate’s experience, industry knowledge, location, technical and communication skills, and other factors that may prove relevant during the interview process.

Pay-for-performance is a key element in our strategy to attract, engage, and motivate talented people to do their best work. Similarly to salary, for bonus eligible roles, targets are set based on a variety of factors including competitive market practice.

For benefits eligible roles, in addition to cash compensation, the company provides a comprehensive and highly competitive benefits package, with a variety of physical health, retirement and savings, caregiving, emotional wellbeing, transportation, and other benefits, including “elective” benefits employees may select to best fit the needs and personal situations of our diverse workforce..

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