Data Journalist

Posted One Month Ago
Be an Early Applicant
2 Locations
Hybrid
130K-160K Annually
Senior level
AdTech • Machine Learning
The Role
The Marketing Scientist will analyze internal and external data to generate insights, benchmarks, research, and narratives that power content, thought leadership, sales enablement, and executive storytelling. Responsibilities include managing a content insights backlog, validating data, partnering with marketing and analytics teams on segmentation, testing, and attribution, and managing research and data vendors. The role requires translating complex analysis into compelling visual and written content while promoting evidence-based decision-making across marketing.
Summary Generated by Built In
Samba is a media intelligence company. We know what the world is watching, reading, and thinking about — in real time, at scale, across every screen. Our data exists with the consent of over a billion people, organized into the most complete picture of consumer attention ever built. The biggest brands in the world use that picture to make smarter decisions. We think it’s the most interesting data asset on the planet, because it’s the most culturally relevant. 

We are looking for a Data Journalist to dig into Samba’s data, find the stories in it, and put them to work for the marketing team. You will write SQL and Python to query our viewership and web data directly, join it with public datasets, and build the analyses that show what audiences are watching, how attention is shifting, and why it matters to brands and advertisers. You will treat that data the way a newsroom data desk treats public records: interrogate it, verify it, and report what is new and surprising with the rigor that earns coverage from top-tier media and trust from our customers. The insights you uncover will shape our campaigns, messaging, thought leadership, and sales stories, and will drive original research reports, news-pegged analysis, and press pitches.


If you have a reporter’s instinct for a story, the coding skills to find it in raw data, and you like seeing your chart in a headline, this role is for you.

WHAT YOU"LL DO

     Finding & Reporting Data Stories
  • Mine Samba TV viewership data, Samba web data, and public datasets to find timely, newsworthy stories about what people are watching, reading, and paying attention to.

  • Report data stories end to end: form a hypothesis, query and clean the data, analyze it, interview internal experts, and write clear, accurate copy that a reporter or executive can understand in one read.

  • Build charts, maps, and interactive graphics that make a finding obvious at a glance and are ready for press, social, and the web.

  • Turn around fast, news-pegged analysis on cultural and media moments (premieres, live sports, elections, award shows, streaming launches) so Samba’s data becomes part of the news cycle.

  • Original Research & Media Relations
  • Lead Samba’s flagship original research, such as recurring reports on viewing and attention trends, from study design and data sourcing through analysis, writing, and publication.

  • Partner with PR firm to package data exclusives for reporters, write methodology notes and fact sheets, and serve as a credible spokesperson when journalists have questions about the numbers.

  • Maintain a story pipeline and data calendar tied to tentpole cultural and media moments, giving content, social, and PR a steady flow of story ideas, stats, and angles.

  • Hold every published number to a newsroom standard: document sources and methods, account for sample limits and bias, and fact-check data used across marketing to protect Samba’s credibility.

  •  
    Cross-Functional Partnership
  • Collaborate with measurement science, product, sales, customer success, and data engineering teams to access the right data, understand its limits, and find stories that resonate with press, customers, and prospects.

  • Help marketing and sales teams understand what the data shows and how to talk about it accurately, building a culture of evidence-based storytelling within the marketing org.

  • Manage relationships with external research partners, survey vendors, and data visualization tools.

WHO YOU ARE

  • 5+ years of experience in data journalism, data reporting, or on a data desk at a news, media, or research organization. Experience in research or communications at a data company is also a strong fit.

  • Strong SQL skills, Python or R for cleaning and analysis, and fluency with data visualization tools (e.g., Datawrapper, Flourish, Tableau).

  • A portfolio of published data stories, with clips that show you found the story, ran the analysis, and wrote it.

  • Strong news judgment: you know what makes a finding new, surprising, or relevant to a reporter on deadline, and how to write a headline that earns attention without overstating the data.

  • Clear, concise writing and visual communication skills; you know the difference between a chart that informs and a chart that lands.

  • Comfort working at news speed: you can turn around a timely analysis in hours, juggle multiple stakeholders, and ship on deadline.

  • Rigor and integrity with data: healthy skepticism of your own numbers, transparency about methodology, and the confidence to say when the data doesn’t support the story.

  • Nice to Have

  • Experience designing and fielding original surveys or research studies.

  • Familiarity with TV and streaming measurement, audience data, or advertising 

  • Existing relationships with media, entertainment, tech, or advertising trade reporters.

  • Experience building interactive graphics or data-driven web features (e.g., D3, Observable, JavaScript).

Samba is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.  We strive to empower connection with one another, reflect the communities we serve, and tackle meaningful projects that make a real impact.
 
Samba may collect personal information directly from you, as a job applicant, Samba may also receive personal information from third parties, for example, in connection with a background, employment or reference check, in accordance with the applicable law. For further details, please see Samba's Applicant Privacy Policy. For residents of the EU , Samba Inc. is the data controller.

Skills Required

  • 5+ years of experience in marketing analytics, marketing science, insights, business intelligence, or a related discipline
  • Experience supporting content, brand, or demand generation teams
  • Strong SQL skills
  • Fluency with at least one analytics or business intelligence tool, such as Looker, Tableau, Power BI, Mode, or Hex
  • Power-user proficiency with spreadsheets
  • Exposure to Python or R for deeper analysis
  • Hands-on experience with CRM, marketing automation, web analytics, and customer data platforms
  • Track record of translating data into narratives, reports, presentations, or campaigns
  • Strong written and visual communication skills
  • Ability to manage multiple stakeholders, prioritize work, and deliver projects on deadline
  • Intellectual curiosity, analytical skepticism, and bias toward action
  • Experience designing and conducting original research studies or industry surveys
  • Familiarity with marketing mix modeling, multi-touch attribution, or incrementality testing
  • B2B SaaS, media, or consumer technology experience
  • Portfolio or examples of published, data-driven content
Am I A Good Fit?
beta
Get Personalized Job Insights.
Our AI-powered fit analysis compares your resume with a job listing so you know if your skills & experience align.

The Company
HQ: San Francisco, CA
318 Employees
Year Founded: 2008

What We Do

Television remains a vibrant cultural influence and an essential source of entertainment and information worldwide. Tremendous growth in content choices, and viewing platforms that allow us to watch anything, anytime, on any screen, has actually made it harder for viewers to discover and keep up with all the great programming available. It’s also more competitive for content providers to keep your attention, and for marketers to make strong, measurable connections with their target consumers. Technology that improves the viewing experience, enables content discovery, and addresses audience fragmentation across screens will strengthen television’s business model and relevance to consumers. Data is at the center of any solution to make TV better. Samba TV's technology is built into Smart TVs and easily maps to smart phones and tablets. By recognizing what's on screen, Samba TV learns what viewers like and using machine learning algorithms, enables discovery of shows and actors in a whole new way. Likewise, our data and measurement products are transforming the way stakeholders across the media landscape are thinking about their business. Given the dramatic growth in streaming services, connected devices, time-shifting, and multi-screen viewership, our data products solve real problems and create a meaningful competitive advantage for our clients.

Similar Jobs

Samba Logo Samba

Data Journalist

AdTech • Artificial Intelligence • Big Data • Marketing Tech
In-Office
2 Locations
430 Employees
130K-160K Annually

Imprint Logo Imprint

Senior Data Journalist

Fintech • Payments • Financial Services
Hybrid
2 Locations
220 Employees
150K-200K Annually

Lowe’s Logo Lowe’s

Team Member

Consumer Web • eCommerce • Information Technology • Retail • Software • Analytics • App development
Hybrid
Perris, CA, USA
300000 Employees

Lowe’s Logo Lowe’s

Full Time - Sales Associate - Plumbing - Opening

Consumer Web • eCommerce • Information Technology • Retail • Software • Analytics • App development
Hybrid
Chino Hills, CA, USA
300000 Employees

Similar Companies Hiring

Allen Control Systems Thumbnail
Artificial Intelligence • Computer Vision • Machine Learning • Robotics • Defense • Manufacturing
Austin , TX
450 Employees
Blissway Thumbnail
Computer Vision • Fintech • Hardware • Internet of Things • Machine Learning • Software • Transportation
Denver, CO
24 Employees
Agentio Thumbnail
AdTech • Artificial Intelligence
New York, New York
65 Employees

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account