Data Lead

About the Team

D.C. Witness and Baltimore Witness were founded to fill data gaps and bring transparency to fragmented criminal justice systems. We track violent crime cases from incident through judicial resolution, using professionally-trained teams to observe all court hearings for every case. Our proprietary database includes information not captured by anyone else, including the courts.

Beyond our journalistic core, we marry data science, software engineering, and program area expertise to develop common sense solutions to challenges facing local criminal justice systems. Current initiatives include data collection and tracking to inform intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention and intervention efforts; and development of improved victim notification and communication systems.

We believe that transparency leads to accountability, and understanding the problem is key to developing solutions. Our reporting on the judicial process differs from traditional journalism in that we do not provide selective coverage of the most gory or headline-grabbing cases. We are nonpartisan and have no agenda or bias — just a focus on accurate, verified, and timely information.

Position Summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a Data Lead to help design, develop, and implement data solutions, working collaboratively on a range of projects with meaningful impact. The ideal candidate will have a solid grounding in:

• Data collection, management, and analysis
• Software development
• Applied social science research

This role reports to the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer and offers substantial opportunity for growth. Responsibilities include:

• Supervision of data interns
• Collaboration with editorial staff on data stories
• Development and maintenance of customized data tools
• Data management on projects requiring coordination with stakeholders