News Data Automation Lead, Content AI

USA TODAY Network

Lead automation and AI efforts in journalism for USA TODAY Network. Design and implement workflows for data-driven reporting and publication.

Posted 7/31/2026full-timeRemote • Alaska, Hawaii, Wyoming • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $25 - $50 per hourWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in building and maintaining data automation pipelines, APIs, and AI-assisted workflows tailored for journalism. Proficient in managing messy datasets and translating newsroom needs into effective technical solutions while ensuring high editorial standards.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Python ProgrammingData AutomationAPI DevelopmentAI Tools FamiliarityData Journalism Experience

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Data CleaningWorkflow AutomationScrapingAutomated Journalism WorkflowsAlert Systems Design

Soft Skills

Strong CommunicationProject ManagementNews Judgment

Tools & Technologies

CMS WorkflowsDigital Publishing Operations

Industry Keywords

Computational JournalismLocal Newsroom ExperiencePublic RecordsWatchdog DatasetsGenerative AI

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Python

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Build, maintain, and improve data automation pipelines, scrapers, APIs, and AI-assisted workflows that support high-value newsroom use cases.
Identify, acquire, and structure high-impact datasets and signals that can drive timely, differentiated coverage across local markets.
Design and implement AI-enabled tools and templates that help journalists move faster while maintaining high editorial standards.
Work directly with editorial leaders, reporters, and automation teams to translate newsroom needs into technical solutions.
Prototype, test, and refine new automation and AI workflows, balancing speed, reliability, and editorial usefulness.
Troubleshoot automation, data, or tool issues as they arise, providing clarity and guidance to partners across the newsroom.
Help evaluate existing automation efforts and recommend which should be expanded, refined, redesigned, or retired based on value and impact.
Develop newsroom-ready outputs that may include story drafts, alerts, tip sheets, reporting leads, dashboards, or other editorial tools, depending on the use case.
Mentor and support journalists and teammates using automation and AI tools, helping raise overall technical fluency and confidence.
Clearly document workflows and systems so they are understandable, resilient, and scalable beyond a single owner.
Stay current on developments in AI, data automation, and newsroom technology, and help envision future use cases that responsibly support journalism.

Requirements

What you’ll need

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

Comp & perks

health insurance
retirement plans
flexible work arrangements
professional development
bonuses