Associate Director for Data & AI Investigations and Partnerships

About the role

The Howard Center for Investigative Journalism seeks an innovative data journalist to lead as Associate Director for Data & AI Investigations and Partnerships. This senior position will shape the center’s data‑driven investigative work and build collaborations with national newsrooms.

Key responsibilities

• Design and oversee complex data‑focused investigations using advanced computational methods.
• Develop and manage partnerships with major news organizations such as NPR, PBS NewsHour, AP and FRONTLINE.
• Lead the creation of a curated, newsworthy data and document collection.
• Guide the application of open source intelligence, machine learning, large language models and other AI tools in reporting.
• Mentor junior staff and students in data journalism techniques.

Required profile

• Proven experience in investigative journalism with a strong emphasis on data analysis.
• Track record of publishing high‑impact investigations in collaboration with national media partners.
• Ability to translate complex technical findings into compelling stories.

Required skills

• Data analysis
• Digital document analysis
• Open source intelligence (OSINT)
• Applied machine learning
• Large language models
• Artificial intelligence techniques

What we offer

• Opportunity to lead a nationally recognized investigative journalism unit.
• Access to university resources and a vibrant academic community.
• Collaboration with award‑winning journalists and scholars.