Database Researcher Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It's why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It's why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination. And it's why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it's worth paying for.
The News Research desk has an opening for a researcher who is adept with public records, archival databases, social media and the art of information gathering. This is a full-time (35 hours a week) position with a Tuesday-Saturday work week and a schedule that will include evening work.
The newsroom's researchers obtain definitive information for the newsroom during the course of live and breaking news events, long-term investigations and enterprise reporting. You are adept at identifying the best data sources, performing background checks, finding contact details for newsmakers, and tracking down hard-to-find information and sources. You should be detail-oriented and meticulous about verifying facts and figures while working under tight deadlines. You should have a collaborative spirit and be ready to work with reporters and editors around the newsroom to ensure that our reporting is accurate, thorough and well sourced.
This is an in-office position based in New York, LA, or DC and includes regular attendance in the office four days each week. There may be some flexibility to work remotely per your departmental guidance.
Responsibilities:

• Respond to reporter and editor queries on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, business and crime.
• Provide reporters and editors with in-depth background research on people and organizations.
• Find sources and information quickly for breaking news events.
• Stay informed about new research tools and techniques, and share findings with fellow researchers and other newsroom staff members.
• Monitor developing news stories using multiple sources to identify where research help may be needed.
• Demonstrate support and understanding of our value of journalistic independence and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world

Basic Qualifications:

• Two or more years of professional experience as a researcher at a news organization, library or academic institution.
• Professional experience finding information via search engines, reference books, government agencies, court dockets, case law, federal and state archives, congressional registers, corporate filings, special and public libraries, current and historical newspapers, think tanks, universities, genealogies, social media, and public records aggregators.
• Demonstrated experience and comfort reaching out directly to recognized authorities in the process of conducting research to assist reporters.
• Familiarity with research tools including Accurint, Factiva, Nexis, PACER and others, including OSINT resources.
• Experience working with A.I. research tools and vetting the accuracy of the information they produce.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of and proficiency working in a language other than English.

This position is represented by the NewsGuild of New York.
REQ-020154
The annual base pay range for this role is between:
$97,310.59-$98,000 USD
For roles in the U.S., dependent on your role, you may be eligible for variable pay, such as an annual bonus and restricted stock. Benefits may include medical, dental and vision benefits, Flexible Spending Accounts (F.S.A.s), a company-matching 401(k) plan, paid vacation, paid sick days, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement and professional development programs.
For roles outside of the U.S., information on benefits will be provided during the interview process.
We're excited to learn more about you and your experience. To keep our hiring process as fair and authentic as possible, we ask that you submit your own work and not use GenAI tools to generate substantive content during the application and interview process.
If you're an Engineering candidate, we'll let you know what specific GenAI tools you are permitted to use for your technical assessment.
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