Data Journalism Lecturer UF College of Journalism and Communications

Position description

The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (CJC) in Gainesville seeks an accomplished data journalist to join our full-time faculty as a lecturer in the Department of Journalism beginning in August 2025.

 

This position is envisioned as a non-tenured, 9-month or 12-month lecturer appointment renewable annually with salary commensurate with experience and the opportunity for promotion to senior or master lecturer. The successful candidate should offer distinguished service to the department, college, university and profession.

 

We seek a colleague who loves numbers, knows how to communicate them fairly and powerfully and is gifted at teaching others how to use data to unlock stories that would otherwise be out of reach. We consider data as not only a specialty but a baseline skill that can enhance the abilities of every journalist.

 

The successful candidate:

• Is an innovative professional with national acclaim or reach in data journalism.
• Has the experience/potential to teach the next generation of journalists to tell unforgettable data stories and help them succeed in the fast-changing media landscape.
• Has a distinguished specialization in data journalism and a strong grasp of the variety of data-analysis tools, including proficiency in using R or Python.
• Is a demonstrated leader in conceiving, overseeing and editing data-driven investigations and accountability projects.
• Has training in statistics, experience applying statistical concepts in a newsroom, and ability to teach those concepts to students and explain them to readers.
• Has the industry knowledge to guide students to publish on CJC’s news platforms and beyond, help them build distinctive portfolios and compete for data journalism and other relevant positions.

 

The successful candidate will serve as an instructor of undergraduate data journalism each semester, and also teach graduate students and serve on our professional master’s and other graduate committees. They will collaborate with news managers in CJC’s Innovation News Center (INC), our two-story, 14,000-square-foot hub for reporting and learning. The INC’s daily news, sports and weather operations allow students to produce for seven media properties including the local NPR, PBS and ESPN affiliates.

 

We know that great candidates may not have everything we’ve described here, and could bring data skills to CJC that we haven’t thought of. If this is you, don’t hesitate to apply, and tell us what unique contributions you could bring to CJC and our students.

 

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

 

A bachelor’s degree is required. Applicants must have at least five years of distinctive professional experience.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

 

A master’s degree in journalism or communications or a related field is preferred. Preference will be given to applicants who provide evidence of teaching excellence.

Application instructions

Please be sure to indicate you saw this position on globalvacancies.org