I seek a research assistant on an hourly basis. This assistant will help me collect and organise data, and aid me in programming using R or Python. I am based in London, but welcome applicants from any time zone provided I think we can make it work.
The ideal candidate will be conscientious, detail-oriented and capable of writing clearly, be it English or code. They will have strong research design skills, and be creative in terms of where to find data and in suggesting what questions it may answer. They will also be flexible, capable of operating under the unpredictable deadlines of journalism.
The right candidate will help me as I work on topics such as climate change, conflict, politics and economics, with a particular emphasis on journalism which can inspire action. Their work will inform articles, podcasts and video shared with our international audience. They may also, as needed, join meetings with experts on these topics as well as organisations such as the UN or WHO.
The role is temporary and hourly. There are no plans for a permanent position at this time, and the hours will vary from week to week. Start and end dates are flexible, and the role will be possible to combine with full-time work or studies.
Required skills: R or Python, Google sheets/Excel, basic Git, intermediate statistics and quantitative research design
Please send a cover letter of at most 300 words as well as a resume to sondresolstad@economist.com if you are interested in the position. The cover letter should mention what you currently do and how you envision combining it with this role.
Application deadline: October 1st.
Sondre Ulvund Solstad is The Economist's Senior Data Journalist. Since entering journalism in 2020 he has won awards for his coverage of the covid-19 pandemic, the wars in Ukraine and Sudan, and climate change. At the 2024 Press Awards, he was named Data Journalist of the Year.