News Data Automation Lead, Content AI

Role Description

The USA TODAY NETWORK is seeking a News Data Automation & AI Workflow Lead to help design, build, and scale the next generation of data-driven and AI-assisted journalism across the nation’s largest local news organization. This role is ideal for a well-rounded and innovative newsroom technologist — someone who is deeply skilled in data automation and scraping, but who also brings strong news judgment, comfort with emerging AI tools, and the ability to think beyond a single pipeline or use case.

The successful candidate will help lead the development of automated workflows, AI-assisted tools, and newsroom-ready products that turn public data sources into the raw material our journalists need to do impactful work. This is a hands-on role that blends technical execution, experimentation, and leadership.

• On some days, the work will involve building or troubleshooting data pipelines and automation systems.
• On others, it will focus on ideation, product testing, mentoring, workflow design, and translating technical concepts into clear guidance for editorial partners.

This role is remote and can be based anywhere in the US, except for Alaska, Hawaii, and Wyoming.

Qualifications

• A strong technical practitioner with hands-on newsroom experience in data automation and scraping.
• Curious, adaptable, and comfortable working across disciplines.
• A collaborator who can translate technical language into newsroom-friendly terms.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving environment where priorities evolve and experimentation is encouraged.
• Grounded in journalistic values, with a clear understanding of accuracy, ethics, and editorial responsibility.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, data science, computer science, or a related field. Equivalent work experience welcomed.
• 3-5 years of experience in journalism, data journalism, newsroom automation, computational journalism, software development, or a closely related field.
• Strong technical skills, including experience with Python, scraping, APIs, data cleaning, and workflow automation.
• Demonstrated ability to work with messy, real-world data and turn it into reliable, usable systems.
• Strong news judgment and a clear understanding of what makes a local data signal genuinely reportable, useful, and differentiated.
• Familiarity with AI tools and the broader generative AI landscape, including benefits, risks, and responsible use in journalism.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to document technical processes and explain them to non-technical partners.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Experience in a local newsroom or in work serving multiple local markets.
• Experience building or maintaining automated journalism workflows end-to-end.
• Familiarity with CMS workflows and digital publishing operations.
• Experience designing alerts, triggers, or threshold-based systems for editorial use.
• Experience working with public records or watchdog-style datasets such as inspections, enforcement actions, labor notices, court records, licensure data, or government records.
• Experience using AI tools to support data processing, classification, summarization, or workflow efficiency.

Benefits

• The hourly rate for this role will range between $24.66 and $50.48.
• Base compensation is reflective of many factors, including market, education level, skills, certifications, and experience.

Application Instructions

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

• Your resume – one to two pages.
• A cover letter outlining how you would approach the role.
• Links to no more than three published stories or writing samples.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.